By now the Best Kept Secret festival feels like coming home. We have been here several times and we can't wait to move into our jungalow. By the time we do, the light drizzle has stopped and the sun is showing itself. We get comfortable in front of the jungalow and it doesn't take long to get into the festival mood. Let's go see the first band of the day!
I heard a lot about this band so I wanted to check them out. Their music is quite hard to grasp and I’m having trouble getting into it. Obviously these are skilled musicians but they are making things too difficult for me. The empty spaces that appear in the tent reveal I’m not the only one. Of course it is good to have bands like this who are taking a risk and make things more difficult, so kudos to them for taking a chance.
Time for a bit of action and The Districts are the ones to give it to us. Their songs remind of The Killers and are big enough to fill large venues and festival stages. The band plays with a lot of heart and are eager to win the crowd over. The band sounds pretty tight and solid, although they need a bit more variation in their music. But the group has the right spirit and when they keep working this hard on stage, things could work out for them in the end.
Susanne Sundfør had to cancel and fortunately Mozes and the Firstborn are here for a DJ set so they can replace her. By the time we arrive at stage Three the band has already wrapped the crowd around their finger. There’s a party going on in front of the stage and there’s one on stage. These guys are having a great time and their energy is contagious. The young group have grown a lot and have improved their sound, their playing and stage appearance. This is a band you simply have to love.
Another band you have to love is Future Islands. Of course for the largest part this is because of Samuel T. Herring, their charismatic front man. By now you know what to expect but his emotional and soulful performance never gets old. When you look at his sweaty face that seems to be in pain, you wonder how much of this is acted. I want tot believe it is all really him. The songs do sound alike a lot and the band is pretty much acting as wallpaper. Herring doesn't jump off stage to climb the fence this time and in general their performance is less impressive than the other times I have seen them. It's still not a bad way to spend your afternoon though.
Technical issues kind of screw up the first half of the show but when they finally get fixed this band sounds very powerful. I don’t really get the changing of position by Conrad Keeley and Jason Reece taking turns on guitar and drums. Although they do this quite smoothly the small breaks take away some of the momentum now and then. Fortunately they pick things up fast and their heavy sound is very convincing, resulting in a solid performance.
Deerhunter can make it quite difficult for their audience but cleverly chooses to show their more accessible side. It is a smart move on a festival and they let people get in their music. The dark songs sound wonderful and the band shows how good they are without overdoing it. Interesting song structures combined with a very focused band makes this performance a winner.
There has been a lot of talk about the new Arctic Monkeys album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. I simply love it and this band one of my favourite rock bands around. This raises high expectations and you can feel people are eager to know where the band stands these days. Boy, do they deliver tonight. The slow mellow new songs are amazing live and the band is in total control, shifting smoothly between slow and fast songs. Alex Turner has grown into a charismatic confident performer, who is moving around stage like a experienced dandy. I simply love his lazy delivery of his vocals and their songs are simply gorgeous. I think this group is one of the best bands of the past decades. The Casbah sounds like a good place to end this day in style. Rock the casbah!
It's been a while since we heard from The Last Shadow Puppets, the cooperation of blood brothers Alex Turner and Miles Kane. A lot has changed in the eight years since their first album caused quite a stir. Turner's Arctic Monkeys grew out to be one of the biggest rock bands and Miles Kane built up a successful solo career. They were hinting at a new album for quite a while and finally last week it dropped together with a tour.
It is clear this project is all about having fun and blowing off steam, especially for Turner who feels the pressure of being in one of the most successful bands of the past decade. Maybe the new album Everything You've Come To Expect isn't the one everyone hoped for, but I think it's not as big as a disappointment some of the reviewers like you to believe. After the first album, which took everyone by surprise. we kind of knew what to expect, but still there's plenty to enjoy. Tonight proves this because the new songs are by no means any less than the older ones. For instance 'Aviation' sounds wonderful live with the string section at the side of the stage. That string section makes all the difference any way, making the songs sound very alive and organic.
'Bad Habits' is a great rocking song with a very contagious groove. Kane can show his rock star poses and skills here and is looking very pleased tonight. He's laughing all night long while Turner is showing his best Elvis face. It's a delight seeing those two guys on stage together. Boys will be boys and Kane and Turner look like two rascals (haha) looking for trouble, exchanging smiles and naughty looks. Turner excels in the slower songs with his brilliant lazy singing style, playing the ultimate crooner.
The two boys brought a great sounding band with them besides the string section and knock everyone off their feet tonight with a lively, inspired and sexy show. It's no wonder everyone is begging for more after the regular set which consists of almost the whole new album and most of the first one, so the lads return for a wonderful version of The Beatles' 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. Who expected that? A lush version of 'Standing Next To Me' closes the night. Of course The Last Shadow Puppets are a bit tongue in cheek and if you take them too serious it doesn't work. But they always make sure it doesn't get cheesy and of course with these amazing musicians and a world class song writer like Alex Turner they meet every expectation and more.
Setlist:
01. Calm Like You
02. The Age Of The Understatement
03. She Does the Woods
04. Aviation
05. Separate And Ever Deadly
06. Used to Be My Girl
07. The Element of Surprise
08. The Dream Synopsis
09. My Mistakes Were Made For You
10. Only The Truth
11. Bad Habits
12. Dracula Teeth
13. Everything You've Come to Expect
14. Meeting Place
15. Sweet Dreams, TN
16. In My Room Encore
17. I Want You (She's So Heavy) (The Beatles cover)
18. Miracle Aligner
19. Standing Next To Me
Our tent turned into an oven when we wake and we're slowly being cooked. So after a bit of breakfast we are on our way to the festival site again to see the first band.
Yesterday we heard that Coely wasn't going to perform due to illness. Fortunately they found a good replacement in The Sore Losers.
The Sore Losers
The Belgian rock band look very pleased that they are allowed to fill in for Coely. They pick up this chance with both hands and play a energetic and rocking set. The new album sounds a bit more light compared to the raw blues and rock songs of their debut, but all songs go down very well with the crowd. The band are obviously having a lot of fun on stage and make it a great start of the day.
The Strypes
Four teenage boys that already performed at Glastonbury a year ago, playing old style rhythm and blues songs. The Strypes are an Irish band that are doing exactly that. As if they only listened to the record collection of their grandpa. Singer Ross Farrelly, with his sunglasses on, looks like a young Liam Gallagher, expressing the same kind of arrogance. But he knows just how to keep it from going over the top. The Irish young men have quite a few nice songs, enough to make the crowd move a little. But the music and the performance stay somewhat on the safe side and it never gets really wild.
Rodrigo y Gabriela Puggy have cancelled their performance, so we wander around a bit and chill out until Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero are starting their show. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, the two play a wonderful show. Coming from a rock and metal background they know how to blend different styles together. Next to their own compositions they also play a cover by Metallica. It never gets boring contrary what you may expect, since they know how to use their instrument in a versatile way, adding percussion elements by hitting or slapping the guitar. At the end the duo plays Radiohead's 'Creep' so everyone can sing along with Rodrigo, who proves that choosing guitar as his instrument was the right choice.
The Naked And Famous
We're able to catch the last bit of The Naked And Famous who are playing in one of the tents where it's really hot. Their electro pop songs are catchy but sometimes also dreamy. It's a nice mix that definitely catches on with the crowd. Especially when they play their big hit 'Young Blood' the crowd is going nuts.
Foster The People
The same goes for Californian band Foster The People, who have plenty of danceable indie songs to offer. Singer Mark Foster has no trouble playing the crowd who are eager to party. Of course everyone is jumping to 'Pumped Up Kicks' while the temperature is rising to boiling point.
Paolo Nutini
Scotsman Paolo Nutini surprised everyone with his soulful new album 'Caustic Love' and even more with his passionate performances. Today is no different and many people are out to see him. His voice misses a bit of depth and stays too high to my liking, but his songs are definitely of high quality. He has certainly grown and his move from pop to soul and R&B is a good one. It sounds like his "new shoes" days are over.
Arctic Monkeys
After their slightly disappointing performance a short while ago at the Pinkpop Festival I was hoping to see a strong Arctic Monkeys show today. And I am not disappointed at all this time. Although the setlist is similar, the flow of the show is much better. This way the songs sound a lot more powerful and more spot on. The slower songs of AM may not have the same danceability as a 'Brainstorm' but they are played so perfectly groovy and lazy. This whole band is all coolness today. They look exactly how they sound: pure rock 'n roll and sex with lots of swagger. While playing their last song 'R U Mine?' you can read the answer to that question in every girl's eyes.
It's a fine ending to a pleasant day that wasn't as impressive as yesterday. But that's fine and we celebrate with another beer or two and a warm cervela.
I wasn't planning on going to the Pinkpop festival this year. But with the prospect of good company, cold beers, nice weather and great music I don't need much more persuasion. The line-up looked really good with old legends The Rolling Stones on Saturday and indie legends Arcade Fire on Monday, but Editors and Arctic Monkeys on Sunday made us go for this day.
Driving up to the festival, the weather keeps getting better and better. It has come to our attention that we cannot park on our usual spot on the market square this time. So instead we are directed to one of the festival parking lots. By the time we arrive at the gates, there's quite a crowd and we miss the first band as a result. Nothing a cold beer can't fix.
Portugal. The Man
The first band we check out are Portugal. The Man. They are playing compact songs and have left their psychedelic side. In the beginning this is working quite well, although singer John Gourley's thin high voice isn't always easy to like. Halfway the show people are starting to lose attention and some are leaving. It is actually starting to get boring in the end so we decide to catch a bit of Fred Durst and co.
Limp Bizkit
At the stage at the other side of the festival site Limp Bizkit is working their way through a trip down memory lane. Fred Durst is playing the tough guy like always and the crowd loves it. Although it results in a nostalgic party, it also isn't more than that. It gets a bit cheesy, especially when they start to play covers. Time for some ice cream I guess.
The Kooks
It's been a while since I have seen The Kooks for the last time and that I heard from them. But here they are and Luke Pritchard is looking in better shape than I have seen him in a long time. His voice is good and he is bouncing around the stage throwing smiles around. They showcase a new song that sounds interesting enough. It could mean a change of direction and I'm looking forward to hearing their new album. It's the perfect weather for cheerful hit songs like 'Naïve' and 'Ooh-La' which seem to go down well.
Intergalactic Lovers
A few years back I was pleasantly surprised to hear the melodic songs of this Belgian indie band. Now they have released their second album Little Heavy Burdens and I get a chance to see them again. It is clear they have grown a lot since that first encounter. Singer Lara Chedraoui's voice sounds great and the songs are well crafted. Slowly the tent is getting more empty though until it's half full. But the people who stay inside are completely into it and are singing along to great tunes like 'Delay', 'Howl' and new hit 'Islands'. In the end the ones who are staying get treated to a very pleasant show by a band who are far from using all their potential.
Paolo Nutini Paolo Nutini has come a long way since his pop hit 'New Shoes'. He had to dig deep and go through some dark times to come up with his new album Caustic Love which is totally different. It is full of intense soul songs and so is his performance today. His band is tight and sounds great just like Nutini himself. Unfortunately we can't stay until the end since Editors are waiting for us.
Editors
We almost miss the beginning of the show because of some really slow burgers. I thought they called it fast food? Editors look stronger than ever today. They are playing hit after hit and it all sounds great. I still think the songs of the last album The Weight Of Your Love aren't as good as the rest, and also today I feel songs like 'Munich', 'All Sparks' and 'Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors' are simply better than 'A Ton Of Love' and 'Formaldehyde'. But it doesn't matter that much, because they will always deliver a strong performance. Of course they close the set with 'Papillon' that has grown into the perfect festival anthem, where every festival site seems to explode in the chorus.
Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters
We may never see Led Zeppelin play and then Robert Plant may be the closest thing to come near. Unfortunately he's squeezed in between Editors and Arctic Monkeys so we only see a small part of his show. When we arrive he's just wrapping up 'Baby I'm Gonna Leave You'. It's great to hear this legend sing this epic song. Of course he's also playing some of his solo songs which I'm not really familiar with. 'Black Dog' gets a complete make-over with African instruments and singing where Bonham's solo used to be. It sounds really interesting and it is a brave act by Plant. But if anyone can do it, it's him. Too bad we have to leave him this early.
Arctic Monkeys
We are leaving Robert Plant for the rock band who is shaking up things nowadays. The Arctic Monkeys have come a long way from the shy, introvert school boys they were ten years ago. Alex Turner has transformed in a modern James Dean of rock music and is confidently looking around the crowd with penetrating eyes. He's walking a thin line there though and he should take care not to overdo it, since it turn into too much of a gimmick. Their wild songs have been replaced with heavy grooving thoughtful tracks, which I love. Matt Helders is playing the slow grooves phenomenally and with a lot of power. But the breaks between songs are too long and so the show never really takes off. This isn't because of the slow songs, since they really sound great and the way Turner is singing them in a lazy fashion with his brilliant timing is spot on. It's far from perfect Arctic Monkeys show, but they still prove why they are one of the most interesting bands of today.
With a day full of sunshine and some fine music this was a very nice festival day. When Pinkpop can come up with another great line-up next year, I will probably travel south once again.
What a great music year 2013 turned out to be. This year we saw wonderful albums coming out and the level was very high. Still the top of my list was crystal clear and I didn't have to go through a lot of trouble to be coming up with the top half.
3. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
There was no way around Arcade Fire this year, so much is clear. With a thought-through pr-campaign they drew everyone's attention. And then that record. Pretentious? For sure. Bombastic? Absolutely. But also very good and surprising.
Play in Spotify
5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II UMO made an impression with their second record, simply titled II. It is a nice combination of psychedelics and nice guitar playing.
Play in Spotify
7. Jacco Gardner - Cabinet of Curiosities
There were also many nice Dutch productions again this year. Our own Jacco Gardner even drew attention across the border. His psychedelic baroque pop record Cabinet of Curiosities is an atmospheric album filled with beautiful songs and sounds.
Play in Spotify
The bottom half of this list was a lot more difficult. That's why I also want to mention De Staat's I_CON, Floating Coffin by Thee Oh Sees and Parquet Courts' Light Up Gold. They missed this list only by an inch. Looking forward to a new year of releases. Happy New Year!
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