Yesterday was a long day with lots of music, although I didn't even make my eighteen bands, not even close. My feet started to object against all the walking and standing. Today is a shorter day and I can take it slow. It promises to be a tropical day, so we need to hydrate. Beer is mostly water right?
I listened to some of Julia Holter's music and quite liked her experimental and jazzy songs. This could be a nice way to start the day. However after a short while I notice this is not for me. It's definitely her more experimental side, but it is too slow for me. I simply don't like music that is difficult, just to be difficult. It doesn't mean I can't enjoy complex or experimental music, because I certainly can. I just can't watch music that is too much about being complex, which seems to be the case here. So after a while I leave and hurry to stage Five.
At stage Five Lewsberg are at the end of their set. I have seen this band a few times before and like their music a lot. The nice ringing guitars, the talk singing, the groovy krautrock, the subtle solos, it's all so well done. But at the same time I just can't get around the apathetic stage act. I know it's all just an act, where singer Arie van Vliet is sometimes addressing the crowd in a cool, formal way as well. But somehow it just doesn't appeal to me, even when the music is that good. I want some kind of connection to happen between audience and artist, in any kind of way. Today this doesn't work for me, maybe because I wasn't there from the start.
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We stick around at this stage while the temperature is getting tropical. It is just right for the next band playing here, Romperayo from Colombia. Their insane mix of Afro-Colombian traditional rhythms and cumbia are perfect for dancing and cold beers. Drummer Pedro Ojeda, who you may know from Los Pirañas, is the driving force behind those rhythms. The groovy bass adds some seventies funk and the guitar mixes in some psychedelica. Finally the keyboard adds little layers of sound effects, playful organs and some tropical vibes. Everyone in the tent is dancing to this colourful band. Some songs come dangerously close to too much cheesiness, but the band is able to avoid it in the end.
After dancing to some Colombian sun, it's time for Belgian darkness. Whispering Sons won Belgian music competition Humo's Rock Rally a few years back, where some of the biggest Belgian bands saw their career take off. The young band plays dark new wave and post-punk songs, that have an industrial sound. They are sometimes described as the Belgian Sisters of Mercy, which is not a bad reference. Even on this sunny day, the band's music doesn't miss its effect. Singer Fenne Kuppens is the absolute centre point of attention. Her low dark voice is a perfect match with the music and her stage appearance is stunning, singing her lyrics full of expression in a theatrical way. She knows how to balance it very well, so it never gets too much and stays completely honest. It is clear most of the people here are equally impressed, since the tent stays full and after playing the last song the band is greeted with a well meant roaring round of applause.
Another nineties comeback was announced this week: Pavement are coming back. The band influenced so many bands and nowadays young bands still draw inspiration from the illustrious Californian group. Today one if its core members Stephen Malkmus is performing with his band The Jicks. It is different from Pavement, but not too much. His music consists of well written compact indie rock songs, with a nineties vibe. However today these tunes are performed in a quite uninspired way. Malkmus is kind of playing on auto pilot, even though The Jicks seem to be trying. Maybe it's the temperature but it all comes across as too lifeless to really enjoy.
On the main stage Kurt Vile is looking much more inspired. You know he isn't exactly a happy camper like Mac DeMarco yesterday, but his indie rock and folk sounds convincing today. As a former guitarist of The War On Drugs his music doesn't wander off too much from his former band. You can hear where it's all coming from. His songs are slowly passing by with lots of guitar solos, something that is perfect for the hot stage he's playing, in front of people that appear to be standing in a blistering desert. It shows that you can still play a convincing and inspired show despite an unmoved stage presence.
We have to leave Kurt Vile early since we don't want to miss anything from The Raconteurs. Their return was great news and I was looking forward to his show today a lot. And boy, I am not disappointed to put it mildly. It's as if they have unleashed a bunch of caged tigers (yes, weak safari park reference intended) and the band fly into it with great power. We get to hear a couple of new songs and some golden oldies. Jack White says they wish they could play longer, which is obvious. They want to make every second of this performance count and don't waste any time in between. It's great to see the chemistry in this band, where they are looking at each other, walk towards each other and are simply having a blast. I love the combination of Brendan Benson's lovely, warm and calm voice, and Jack White's high, hoarse and somewhat hysterical vocals. Within no time the last chords of 'Steady As She Goes' have sounded and the band is finished. This was an hour of absolute rock heaven and I can't wait for a headlining concert hopefully to be announced soon.
A thunderstorm is on its way to the festival site, but we don't need any other excuse to be at Interpol's show. It's part of the same tour I saw last year, which proved the band has returned to their best form. Tonight they steadily work their way through their setlist again, playing songs off their last album and EP together with some of their big hits. Like always singer Paul Banks keeps his distance, wearing sunglasses for the entire show. His thundering voice sounds strong and clear though. This band from New York has so many good songs, that never fail to impress or miss their effect. Again the band plays very tight, although I have the feeling it is not as tight as last year's show. This could just be an unjustified feeling and the fact that it is a shorter set. I still enjoy it a lot and let myself get carried away by their gloomy rock music.
When we get outside, the thunderstorm has passed and cooled of the festival site. When we walk onto the field in front of the main stage, it looks quit empty. Fortunately people were only hiding from the storm and are slowly returning for the closing act of the festival. It may have raised an eyebrow here and there, but I think Christine & The Queens is very good choice. She has impressed many people lately with well written pop songs and spectacular live performances. She proves it tonight with a live show that is well performed, very lively and also contains a message. Chris, as she calls herself now, mentions this is a judgement free area tonight, where no one will be judged for who they are, but everyone should be able to completely be themselves. It is a very relevant message today and one that comes across effectively.
The show is very well done, with dancers flying around the stage in stunning choreographed dancing, where Chris is always the centre point. Pieces of eighties music like Janet Jackson are mixed in and I can surely see the resemblance to that era. Her voice is clear and strong, seemingly singing and dancing with great ease. A piece of David Bowie's 'Heroes' finds its way into the show and it sounds wonderful. She addresses the crowd regularly, where you feel there's a real connection. It's hard not to connect because she's doing it with so much passion, enthusiasm and heart. It is a live show that has so much to offer and is high on entertainment that it is spot on as a closing headliner for this year's edition. Well done Chris and well done Best Kept Secret.
This year's edition may not have been as perfect as last year's where every band seemed to excel. However something that is not entirely perfect can just be as good because the highs are more obvious. Maybe even better? It doesn't matter, since what counts is that it was another wonderful edition and we surely will return next year.
After such a fun but long day as yesterday, it's hard to wake up. But there's fresh coffee and fried eggs, sunny weather and good company, which ought to get me going. And the thought of another glorious day with so many bands to check out. I have marked no less than eighteen bands in my schedule. So better not waste more time and get this party going.
The day starts in a relaxed way with Auckland indie rock band The Beths. Front woman Elizabeth Stokes has written catchy punk pop songs full of hooks and nineties vibes. The songs have a light touch and are easy on the ears. The music is pretty good and a big crowd has gathered around the tent. It does stay on the safe side though and it never gets wild. But it is very nice to wake up to on this sunny morning and have our first beer of the day to go with it.
Time to really wake up now and no better way to get the sleep blown out of our eyes than Alex Rice and friends. This guy is quite a character, running around stage like Mick Jagger with ADHD and high on speed. But this human elastic bouncing ball is wonderful to watch as he moves himself into crazy positions, makes funny faces and seems to be talking and singing all the time, even when there's no mic around. On top of that there's lifeless keyboard player Ben Mac who doesn't show any expression and seems to be applying for a position in today's headliner Kraftwerk. The music is very nice though, maybe not always very tight. It doesn't matter when you have a guy like Rice flying around stage. A killer tune like ‘M5’ is hard to resist too.
On the main stage the temperature is getting high and Wallows have to play in front of a sunbathing crowd. It is a sympathetic band who work hard and try to connect to the people in front of the stage. Singer Dylan Minnette is succeeding in that quite well, which may because he is the lead character in Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Something I just found out while writing this post. The indie rock they play is quite nice and it's a pretty convincing performance by this band, although the main stage may be a bit too big for them right now. But anyone playing such a fun version of The Cure's 'Boys Don't Cry' is okay in my book.
We haven't spent much time at stage Seven, where it gets really hot during the day. It's not the main reason but when you have to choose between bands, it could be the decisive factor. I do want to check out Mildlife though, whose jazzy and spacy krautrock seems perfect for a sunny afternoon at hot stage. The Australian band is getting even a high approval from fellow countryman Tame Impala's Kevin Parker and I can see why. The warm gentle grooves combined with Adam Halliwell's guitar lines and sometimes flute go down very well with a cold beer. The band itself stare somewhat apathetic to the swinging crowd in front of the stage.
We hurry to stage Five, that fortunately isn't that far away. There we can catch the end of Snail Mail's set who has managed to gather a large turn up. I really like Lindsey Jordan's somewhat slow indie rock and her clever songs. Her voice is great with occasional Björk like outcries. Last year I saw the band for the first time and was a bit disappointed by the washed-out performance. Today is not much different, where Jordan isn't exactly trying to win the crowd over. Maybe it's her young age or maybe it's the image she has chosen. Hopefully many miles on the road can make her performance just as impressive as her music.
This British band has no trouble performing live and even has quite a good live reputation. They went through quite a rough period and line-up changes since I saw them on this festival for the first time. But they have fully recovered and released a stunning new LP this year, that shows a more mellow but at the same time more mature side of the band. In this show they are also going that way, with many songs from the new LP. This means their performance is less wild and chaotic, but it is more intense. Their music is now more nasty and to the point, which causes it to hit the audience by even more force. Singer Lias Kaci Saoudi is mostly keeping his sun glasses on like the rest of the band who keep going unmoved. Saoudi is crying out regularly, spitting out his lyrics, making this one of the best shows this weekend.
Another one of the golden oldies bands from the nineties, who seem to act as a blueprint to some of the new and young bands playing this festival. Guided By Voices was founded over thirty five years ago and are known for their lofi indie rock. The band plays an inspired show on the main stage and the oldtimers are obviously enjoying it a lot. It's nice to see some of the younger visitors can appreciate this band as well. I like their sound and it's too bad I apparently missed them in the nineties.
I really don't know what to think of Mac DeMarco and maybe he would love that. I like his relaxed mellow songs and the vibe of those sunny guitar tunes. His songs are light indie rock songs that are easy to listen to and actually quite clever. But his shows are so full of cheesy jokery that I find it hard to really like it. While the sun sets and baths the main stage in a golden light, DeMarco is walking on his hands, blowing bubbles and joking around with his band, all with a big grin on his face. But it makes it hard for me to get into his show and truly enjoy his music. He seems like a nice guy though, one that seems a lot of fun having a beer with, while his record plays in the background. If he could keep a better balance between the clowning around and music I think I could really like this. The boy and the girl shown on the big screen, that are dancing in the water to his music have no trouble enjoying it though.
I'm not really a fan of this band, but since there's nothing else for me to see I join my friends to this show. I can only handle it for a couple of songs, since I just don't like the same slow tempo in every song. It's like a record playing on half speed, despite Greg Gonzalez' clear and high voice. The cover version of REO Speedwagon's 'Keep On Loving You' sounds like a band on valium playing it and doesn't come close the original version. It's clear I will never become a fan so I leave to find me some rendang. Unfortunately the fries with rendang I find are quite disappointing as well.
The thought of twenty thousand people wearing Kraftwerk 3D glasses, made me look forward to their headlining show today. Yes, I find that kind of stuff really funny and I know Mac DeMarco would agree. I am not disappointed when I look around me and see what seems a scene from a sixties SF B-movie. Kraftwerk are of course legendary pioneers and I do like some of their music. I did see them play live once and although I quite liked it, I do realize that without all the imagery their performance would be quite boring. But the 3D visuals work very well and make this quite a spectacular show. Satellites and space ships seem to hover in front of our eyes, musical notes fly right through you and we are truly driving on the Autobahn. All of their hits are here tonight, while the four members are standing almost motionless behind their synthesizer deck in their usual fashion. We are the robots indeed! Some of their music is starting to sound outdated, but as long as they can be this inventive with visual shows they could keep this up for quite some time.
By now this busy weekend is running its toll on my legs and feet so we relax for a bit until we get the final blow of the day. Viagra Boys are a Swedish post-rock band that are known for their lively shows. That wasn't a lie, since the band has a singer that is quite a sight. It's not just his heavily tattooed body and beer belly that is a striking sight. His stage performance is an act on itself, crawling around stage, his somewhat drunken posture and the interaction with the crowd. All the time wearing sunglasses and a drink. You would forget that their music is well done too. Dirty rock with a hysterical saxophone and an unstoppable groove. And of course a crazy song like 'Sports' that has all the ingredients for a sweaty and dirty night of rock and roll dancing, with loads of beer.
This day had a couple of very good shows and ended on a high. I didn't come close to the eighteen green circles in my schedule of course, so I had to make some tough choices. Hopefully I will get to see the bands I had to miss some other time.
Like every year we're heading south to hang around with some wild animals at Safari Park Beekse Bergen, hunting for well kept secrets at the Best Kept Secret festival. They have a huge line-up once again, so let's get going.
Two years ago I got introduced to Blossoms on this festival and liked their show. So I wanted to check them out again now they got promoted to the main stage. I still like their catchy songs that sound clever and tight. But maybe because it’s still early it doesn’t come across as an inspired set. The young band kind of work their way through their set on auto pilot and don't really look like they want to fire up the crowd who are enjoying the sun.
Bobby Gillespie and friends are simply a legendary band that was very influential. I know they can play epic sets when you’re lucky. Today may not be epic but it is a good show nevertheless. The band decides to play a greatest hits set which turns out to be a good choice. This band has so many good songs and many of them hit bulls eye this afternoon. Gillespie is in a very good mood and is watching how the crowd has a great time with a big smile on his face. He's truly pleased when everyone is dancing to great tunes like 'Loaded' and of course 'Rocks' for our first real party of the day.
The avant-garde band Stereolab have been away for ten years but announced their comeback last year, confirming playing some festival dates. The indie electro pop sound is quite interesting and clever and it's nice to hear for a while. But after a few songs I notice I start to lose interest. Maybe it's not the right moment for me to truly enjoy the mellow music and there isn't exactly a lot happening on stage, so we decide to look elsewhere.
We don't have to look hard, since I already was hoping to see this band. It is one of the reasons why I like festivals so much. The Australian band is relatively unknown but excels today with an amazing performance. Psychedelic rock songs that are damn catchy and simply sound amazing in a tent that completely fills up. The crowd loves the group from Down Under and the band is feeding on that energy, getting better by the minute. Their psychedelic jams are wonderful and intense. This was a best kept secret but probably not for long.
Priests’ name has been buzzing around and l like their light punk songs. Katie Alice Greer is very lively on stage and really is carrying the band. When drummer Daniele Daniele takes over for one song, the performance kind of looses its momentum and although they switch back again, they aren't able to pick it up again. The songs sound pretty good though and I loved their version of Danzig's 'Mother'. Maybe because I had high expectations I feel the band didn’t really deliver today.
Bon Iver is the headliner and closing the main stage for a day. I know I don't really like their music, but still want to give it a try, since I may be suprised. However after a few songs I decide to leave and head to Jambinai. It's been a long time since I saw the Korean rock band play in Barcelona. I like their post-rock sound where they combine traditional instruments with modern ones. In the dark tent the music works really well, turning the place into an atmospheric place.
This Canadian band is a remarkable one, consisting of (ex)drug addicts who use music to overcome their problems and addictions. Centred on stage is drummer Zack Choy and the other members are standing around them. Crack Cloud is a collective with a lot more members but I understand this is kind of the core. Their post-punk is intense and groovy, with guitars that nail themselves in your head. With an incredible tempo the band is ploughing their way through their relentless set like there's no tomorrow.
After seeing this British band a couple of times, I know they will totally deliver. By now everyone knows they will turn every show into a big messy party and tonight is not different. Right form the start the crowd flies into it and so does the band. The group is always full of energy, fronted by the charismatic Charlie Steen. The young men put everything in their powerful punk and rock songs with never ending effort. Steen is firing up the crowd that already has turned into a swirling mass of dancing bodies. It may be late at night but this crowd has plenty of energy left to turn this place upside down. Definitely one of the best things we will see this weekend I’m sure.
We stick around stage Five for BCUC, or Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness. African music can always please me and BCUC from Soweto gives a very original twist to their music. Two drums lay down a simple but irresistible groove. Jovi is signing and rapping his lyrics from the heart and the band is putting down an inspired show. Kgomotso Mokone adds beautiful vocals to balance it out, with beautiful harmonies and soul. Their songs are traditional rhythms, rites, gospel and soul, presented in a modern and playful way. The band play with a lot of passion giving this hungry crowd the dance party it asks for and the everyone simply loves it.
We head to the Casbah where we are able to catch the last bit of DITZ' show. I like what I hear there, violent punk rock, sharp as a razor blade. Pounding drums and heavy guitars that try to hammer their way into my head. It's hard to actually see the band, since the Casbah doesn't really allow it. It is probably the reason why there's an extra stage Seven this year and why there aren't that many bands playing here. But DITZ is a perfect fit for this place, at this late hour, with a few more beers and some loud punk music to top off this day.
Oh yeah, finally the first festival of the year is knocking on my door. Three days of total bliss at the edge of safari park Beekse Bergen where we are roaring harder than the lions, live faster than the leopards and go more apeshit-crazy than any monkey can. Not even those nasty caterpillars that caused all those terrible itches last year can stop us. Mr Elephant look out, Best Kept Secret here we come!
Like every year the festival's organization has gone out of their way to make it super difficult to see all the amazing band they have lined up. But you know I will be going down trying with a huge grin on my face. What to do this year? Well, here's my impossible schedule where I have to choose from and five bands per day in no particular order that look so delicious:
Friday
Maybe we should start slowly and ease our way into the festival. Yeah right! I'm gonna dive in head first like there's no tomorrow. These bands look awesome:
1. Priests; this band is impressing many people with their post rock and should be a highlight on stage five while the sun is setting.
2. shame; In the middle of the night I'm sure shame are the perfect band to pick it up a notch and destroy the stage with their smart punk songs.
3. BCUC; African psychedelic music from Sowetho at 2:30 in the morning...hell yeah!
4. Ditz; when you can describe your music as noise rock in the same style as METZ and Girl Band, I definitely will be there.
5. Personal Trainer; hooray for Canshaker Pi, the young Dutch band and their Pavement inspired garage rock. This is their singer Willem Smit's solo performance, hooray for Willem!
Saturday
Enter hysterical laugh here, since this day is impossible. Eighteen bands! Eighteen! I actually circled eighteen bands in my schedule. Someone get me a straight jacket since I will definitely lose my mind today:
1. Fat White Family; when they played this festival a few years back they blew me away. Now they are back with a very good new album, so I'm there again.
2. Sports Team; this band's name is buzzing around and their music sure sounds promising. I mean, how can you resist a song like M5?
3. Kraftwerk; this is a tough one, since Wooden Shjips are playing at the same time. Just the sight of 20,000 people wearing 3D glasses makes it worthwhile to see Kraftwerk, but of course they are legends as well.
4. Mac DeMarco; I don't know what to expect from this crazy character and I still don't know what to think of his music. There's only one way to find out if he can live up to the expectations since many people seem to love him.
5. Life; It's the middle of the night, it's the Casbah, it's punk. Hello!
Sunday
If in some crazy way I actually survived on Saturday and have regained my sanity, at least Sunday leaves some room for reflection:
1. Interpol; I just love this band and they are completely back with great new music and in great shape.
2. The Raconteurs; I'm so happy Jack White gathered his Raconteurs friends. We heard a few new songs already and I can't wait for the new album to drop. I'm sure we will hear a few new songs today.
3. Whispering Sons; this Belgian band is darker than black and make Joy Division sound like happy campers. So they are playing on the middle of the afternoon...wait, what!? I'm sure it doesn't matter for their pitch black postpunk music.
4. Romperayo; a few months ago I visited Colombia and loved it. This band are from that colourful country full of delicious coffee and rum, and play psychedelic tropical music, mixing cumbia with West-African music. Sounds like a party to me.
5. Indian Askin; this Dutch band write clever indie rock songs that simply sound catchy and irresistible. They are back with a new record and I can't wait to hear the new songs.
There you have it, the secret is out: I am about to lose my mind. It's gonna be great!
The Casbah got the best of me last night so I'm a little slow this morning. But a few litres (yes, we have the metric system over here) of coffee gets me going. So after a while we are heading to the festival site for another glorious day in sunny paradise.
Yesterday we spent a lot of time at stage five and we find ourselves back there for the first show of the day with Moaning. Singer and guitarist Sean Solomon looks tiny but packs an amazing baritone. The band have a relaxed and loose way of playing their powerful songs, still the show is very tight. The post-punk songs with fuzzed guitars sound dark and heavy. Once and a while the band goes wild on stage, swinging their guitars around. At the end of the set Solomon balances his guitar on top of his head for the last trick of a very enjoyable show.
Since I saw the trio from Houston play the Into The Great Wide Open festival last year the band has created a lot of buzz around them. Their album Con Todo El Mundo is well received and people seem to love the mellow disco and rock n roll sound. I am not that impressed and find it a bit too cheesy and boring. But it has brought them to the second biggest stage of the festival where it has filled up completely, so I'm going to give them another try. Every song is greeted with loud cheers and people are really digging the easy listening tunes. Mark Speer is a skilled guitar player showcasing many styles. I still think it isn't all that special and probably don't really get it.
I like the Australian band Gang Of Youths a lot better later on at the main stage. It's halfway the afternoon and it's hot in front of the stage at the lake. The band needs to work very hard to keep people going. The band has studied their rock poses well, especially singer David Le’aupepe. In the end it pays off though and people actually start responding to the band's positive energy. Not all songs are great though, especially the mid tempo pop tunes aren't really memorable. But when the band starts rocking heavily, steering close to Bruce Springsteen and The Gaslight Anthem, they actually have something good going on. In the end the band deserves a big hand for energizing the somewhat apathetic crowd.
The incredible story about Sixto Rodriguez is the subject of the by now well-known documentary Searching For Sugarman. Although it isn't clear to me if the story was made bigger than it truly is, you really wish the old bluesman the best. But the singer looks lost on stage and isn't really capable of playing a truly good show. The eager crowd really wants to give him everything but the show never really takes off. In the end it is the legend that remains but with a bit of a bitter taste.
Fortunately Ty Segall lives up to his reputation. The productive rocker even shines in his best matter with an inspired and lively show. With his The Freedom Band he's standing in half a circle so we can only see him from the back from our bad spot all the way to the right of the stage. Segall seems to be going through all his faces today, moving between garage punk, rock, glamrock and some more of his pop tunes. The pit in front of the stage gets bigger and bigger, while crowd surfers keep popping up. His cover of Hot Chocolate's 'Everyone's A Winner' fires them up even more. Segall definitely is a big winner today.
Spoon is one of those bands that simply is made for festivals like this. Their song writing skills are amazing and live those songs sound better than ever. Britt Daniel is a charismatic singer that knows how to play a crowd. Today he has no trouble getting people into their groovy songs. The wonderful 'I Ain't The One' makes everyone hold their breath and this show only has highlights.
Back at stage Two Ruban Nielson and co have started their set. The band has grown bigger and bigger over the years, but they are known for their capricious performances. I've seen great shows by this band, but today they sound a bit messy. Jumping between songs from their entire catalog, the many styles lack coherence and the band seems less focused. Nielson can still rely on his amazing guitar playing though and a string of very good songs. In the end it leaves mixed feelings about this show.
Another good album God's Favorite Customer makes me eager to see Father John Misty. He plays a very smooth running set with a tight band, with a lovely brass section. His rich compositions sound lush today with a well balanced set that never goes weary. He is not in a chatty mood but when you have so many great songs, you can let the music do the talking. That's exactly what he does while the sun is slowly setting.
After two days of headliners that lived up to their huge reputation, expectations are high for James Murphy and co who are closing the main stage. They played an incredible set of shows at Paradiso last September so I kind of thought what to expect. The band has an out of this world set for us tonight though, one that is aimed at a festival crowd that wants to go all the way one last time at the main stage. All hits are lined up in a smooth running show that never seems to have breaks, except for that short toilet break Murphy announces a few songs too early. The huge disco ball was never more at its place than tonight, which turns into a lovely dancing party filled with good vibes. Murphy is clearly having a lot of fun himself, smiling a lot and cracking a few jokes. This is one of those nights where a band and a crowd totally connect for a wonderful unforgettable party.
Last year we saw two dream headlinersArcade Fire and Radiohead on this festival, but LCD Soundsystem was probably the perfect headliner for a close to perfect festival.
We head to The Casbah one last time that is exploding with energy. This year's edition was one of the best festival experiences I have ever had and one that climaxed with utter joy and positive vibes. The weather turned out to be perfect, the bands were incredible and the crowd was really into it as well. I think I saw a glimpse of paradise this weekend.
After a very good first day I am preparing for a very busy one. My time schedule is pretty much impossible so I'm gonna have to go with the flow and see how this day develops. One thing is for sure: this should be a good one.
Best Kept Secret 2018 Day 2, June 9 2018
After that amazing first day we can use a band that will wake us up and put is in the right mood again. Omni are the right band for this. Their post rock with unexpected breaks and changes is a hookier and lighter version of Ought with a bit of Lou Reed in there, that sometimes has a restless feel. Frontman Philip Frobos has a very laid back style of playing his bass and singing. And laid back is exactly what we need right now.
Fronted by Alicia Bognanno, Bully don’t look like they are going to be laid back. I like their nineties Seattle grunge sound with a pop coating and their new LP Losing is pretty good. On stage it misses a bit of an edge although Bognanno is screaming on top of her lungs now and then. At the end of their show the band do let things rip for a final climax.
Whenever I get the chance to see Johan play I’m gonna be there. Many people have turned up at the second biggest stage of the festival to see this wonderful band. The new songs of their latest album already sound familiar to the fans and the rest of the crowd can appreciate them as well. Old hit songs are greeted with loud cheers. Johan has no problem handling larger stages like this.
On the main stage Wolf Alice return to this festival for the third time. In a few years time this band has grown pretty big, especially in their home country across the canal. The young group shows why they are getting this big with very good songs and a confident performance. Ellie Rowsell is a strong and at the same time charming front woman. All band members show a lot of energy and heart on stage. It is hot in the sun this afternoon but Wolf Alice make sure no one is dozing off. After the show we quickly run over to the other side to see Pip Blom play. The young woman with her equally young band have already started her last song unfortunately but by the looks of it she did very well.
After seeing Mattielplay London Calling recently I really want to check her out again. Dressed in a red overall she impresses me again with her no nonsense attitude and incredible band. I know some people don’t really like her voice but when you do, it is clear how good her songs are. The compact soul and rock songs with a garage style approach go down pretty good.
Today we kind of stick around stage five mostly since there are so many exciting bands lined up here. One of them is Downtown Boys who released a very good album earlier this year. Live the political songs about living in the USA nowadays sound even more urgent. Singer Victoria Ruiz’ stage presence is full of fire but very positive at the same time. The mostly Spanish lyrics sound fierce while she’s dancing around stage. Backed up by a very focused and lively band the leave a lasting impression.
Cocaine Piss is keeping the fire going with a aggressive and powerful performance. Singer Aurélie Poppins is a ball of energy bouncing around screaming her lyrics on top of short punk songs that the band fires at us. At the same time this is a very positive show as well, with a band that are heaven so much fun. At the end Poppins runs off stage and lands at my feet halfway the tent with a huge smile on her face and dripping from sweat. It’s a fitting end to the last show of our run at this stage. Time to make our way to the main stage.
When you’ve seen this band play you know you’re up for something good. By now they are a most wanted headliner since they will always deliver big. Tonight the band is even at their best with a very relaxed Matt Berninger who is in a good mood. While the sun sets the dark songs sound even better than ever. The crowd is totally into it and in the quiet parts of songs you can hardly hear anything as everyone listens to Berninger’s dark voice baring his soul. Traditionally this tour the band ends with an acoustic and unplugged version of ‘Vanderlyde Baby Cry’ at the front of the stage while the whole crowd joins in. It’s an impressive ending to this amazing day, one that was dominated by bands fronted by powerful ladies. Time to hit The Casbah again!
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