Pinkpop 2018 Day 1

It’s been over fifteen years since I spent three days at the Pinkpop festival in the south of The Netherlands. But when bands like Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Editors are on the bill I simply have to be there the whole festival.

Pinkpop Festival 2018 Day 1, June 15 2018

We have a bit of a rough start due to a lot of traffic jams and people jams at the festival site. Somehow you always have to queue a lot over here. So when we finally make it in, we already have missed a couple of bands that I wanted to check out. We wander around a bit and are finally able to catch our first full performance of the day.

Blaudzun

I’ve seen Blaudzun many times in the past and always liked his music. I’ve kind of lost him over the past few years and don’t really know his last couple of LPs, live he still is a unique artist though with his striking appearance and dramatic voice. His band is very excited and it turns into a festive performance. The crowd seems kind of mellow but Blaudzun knows how to turn that around halfway by playing with a lot of energy. He deserves a bigger stage though and I hope he will get it some day.



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We wander around a bit again. I didn’t have a lot of attention for Snow Patrol lately, but while we queue at the bar again and drink our hard fought beers I like what I hear and see.

Pearl Jam

The line up today was the least promising of the festival if you don’t count Pearl Jam. Because let’s face it, today is all bout them finally returning to the festival that saw the legendarygroup sky rocket into rock history in 1992. After their incredible show last Wednesday I am very excited to see them again. The band flies into it again with a grand opening. When the night progresses it becomes clear they are treating Pinkpop to their biggest hits.

And of course this band has no trouble filling two and a half hours with only hit songs. This includes one of my favourites ‘Given To Fly’ which is delivered with a lot of heart. The band looks so focused and full of fire, which is wonderful to see.

Eddie Vedder is giving small speeches criticising “the orange menace”, but also telling stories. His story about his famous jump from the camera boom stand in 1992 is heart warming. Mike McReady and Vedder are often running to both sides of the stage, giving everyone here all of their attention. This time the band ends with a lively 'Rockin' In The Free World' and Vedder's traditional tambourine hand out.



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This is why every festival is after headliners like this, which are simply of a unique level that not many bands can reach. They draw huge crowds, because they never disappoint and always deliver. And by the looks of it both young and old had a more than amazing evening.

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Pinkpop 2018 Day 2
Pinkpop 2018 Day 3

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ITGWO 2013 Day 3: Never Go Home

When I open my eyes in the morning the rain is pouring down. Even worse it turns out we put our tent in a small pit that is collecting water. The middle part of the tent is already slowly filling up. Not even this small inconvenience can break my mood.

Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 3, September 8 2013

Today the program starts early though and unfortunately we don't make it on time for Sean Rowe and the Onder Invloed sessions. So instead we set off for the stage in the dunes for the last time this year. And by this time the sky has cleared up and the sun is back.



Gruppo Sportivo
Over here a memory of the past is waiting. The Dutch band Gruppo Sportivo were successful end of the seventies with their new wave music. Happy sounding songs with dark lyrics. Today they will be playing their first and most successful album 10 mistakes to celebrate its re-release on vinyl. Although still active, the band were never able to top the success of that album. Singer Hans Vandenburg's dry humour and the band's merry appearance make it an enjoyable performance. The songs may sound a bit outdated, they still go down well with the mostly ageing crowd. In the end it's a lot of fun to witness this part of Dutch music history.

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Blaudzun
Johannes Sigmond, or Blaudzun, had huge success with his album Heavy Flowers. He has been on the road for 18 months and today is the last show. I have seen him a couple of times during this period and the band and their music haven't lost anything of its power. The songs still have the same impact as in the beginning and Blaudzun himself is still singing as intense. 'Flame On My Head' and 'Elephants' have grown into crowd pleasers where everyone is joining in. He's also playing a few new songs that he already added to the setlist a while ago. The new tracks sound darker than the older songs. It sounds very promising and while Blaudzun is enjoying a well deserved break, we can start looking forward to a new album.

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Bombino
Another artist rocketed into the spotlights by Dan Auerbach is Omara Bombino Moctar from Niger. His latest album Nomad that Auerbach produced is very successful and now he's playing all over the world. Today he's the closing act on the Sports Field where most people have gathered to see the musicians dressed in traditional nomadic clothes worn by the Tuareg people. It's a fitting performance in the sun where everyone is dancing to the catchy African rhythms. I do get the same feeling as when I listened to the record: it could use more variation. The blend of blues and African music is quite original and well performed, but most songs do sound alike. For today it doesn't matter though, it is a good soundtrack for this afternoon. We just have a few more beers, another basket of those amazing nachos and continue dancing until we have to leave to catch our ferry back to reality.

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At the harbour a last surprise awaits us. Coely, a young Belgian singer and rap artist, is playing a few songs with her band and some guitar players. Do we really have to leave this place? One last look at the island as the ferry nears the mainland. I'm already keeping my fingers crossed and hope we can get tickets again for next year.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 1
Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 2

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Top 10 Albums 2012

Throughout the year I keep a list of records that potentially can make my top ten year list, that I have to make for ROAR E-Zine every year. I extract the final list from it, which will change several times before I'm happy with it. It's a hell of a job that causes me many headaches.

01. Tame Impala - Lonerism
This year's top position was clear right after playing Tame Impala's record a few times. Lonerism is a master piece, a great trip from start to finish.
Play in Spotify

02. Shaking Godspeed - Hoera
Quite a few Dutch productions made it into my concept list. But Shaking Godspeed had to end high. These guys have so much power and Hoera is a delicious rock album.
Play in Spotify

03. Jack White - Blunderbuss
With Blunderbuss Jack White is showing that he can make great music all by himself as well and is proving once more to be a musical genius.
Play in Spotify

04. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Suddenly Deftones came up with a terrific album. Just in time to make it into this list. Koi No Yokan is one of the best albums in their impressive catalogue and may even challenge White Pony.
Play in Spotify

05. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Out of nowhere came Alabama Shakes with their mix of blues, soul and rock. They were the talk of the town and with this record showed this was completely justified.
Play in Spotify

06. Toy - Toy
This London band debuted with their eponymous record full of great, eighties inspired psychedelic shoegaze songs.
Play in Spotify

07. Benjamin Herman - Deal
Saxophone player Benjamin Herman took care of the soundtrack for the Dutch movie Deal and did a brilliant job. It resulted in beautiful movie music, proving once more that he's one of the best musicians in this country.
Play in Spotify

08. The Horse Company - Calypso
Also from The Netherlands, this band from Zwolle surprised with a gorgeous album filled with atmospheric rock songs.
Play in Spotify

09. Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
British soul man Michael Kiwanuka released a beautiful album. Home Again may not always be consistent, but it's a great recording nevertheless and Kiwanuka's voice and songs are just lush.
Play in Spotify

10. Blaudzun - Heavy Flowers
Dutch musician Blaudzun established himself as one of the most remarkable and most talented artists in our country.
Play in Spotify


There you have it, ten beauties. There were so many more great albums, which makes it so hard and a bit unfair to only name ten. Time for some aspirin now and bring up 2013! Happy New Year!

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Lowlands 2012 Day 2: The Party Is Heating Up

After a good start yesterday the sun is burning us out of our tents way too early. A bit sleepy we find our way back to the festival area, where a pancake is bringing back life into my body. Let's start this day slow.

Lowlands Day 2, August 18 2012



Phantom Limb
Not exactly my cup of tea, gospel and country. But singer Yolanda Quartey is gifted with a great voice, which she already proved when singing with Massive Attack. So it's definitely worth checking out. Only half of the British band are present today, but it still is enough to impress. The songs are mostly slow, which is perfect at this point of the day. Piano player Dan Moore and guitarist Stew Jackson do a good job supporting Quartey's soulful vocals. And when they join the singing, it results in beautiful harmonies. Like angels carefully waking us up.

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Eagles Of Death Metal
Time for some good old fashioned rock 'n' roll. This time it looks like Jesse Hughes and the rest of the band are actually sober. Unfortunately the sound is awful, which makes it impossible to hear the songs' groove. Maybe the sound isn't the only problem and is the band just not focused enough to lay down a good groove. This is noticeable from the crowd and this party never really takes off. Even their great version of 'Stuck In The Middle With You' doesn't work today. Of course Jesse 'Boots Electric' is his charming self, joking around and he's trying to get the love across. But it simply isn't good enough this time.

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Willy Moon
Maybe this rocker from New Zealand can put some swing in it. It certainly looks great. Willy dressed sharply in a suit even in this heat, while his female drummer is wearing only a bra. The female guitar player, looking like a hot sexy rock diva, is playing the rock licks. The casual DJ in the back ground is a bit out of place like his contribution to the music. While Willy and his ladies are rocking, the DJ is adding some samples and loops, but it feels like there's no thought behind them. Also the breaks in between songs take too long while Willy himself is trying hard to get a move on. It does have potential though and I would love to see him back when it's all running more smoothly.

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Two Door Cinema Club
Everyone seems to love this band from Northern Ireland, and what's not to love? They wrote some great catchy guitar songs like 'Undercover Martyn' and 'Something Good Can Work' that will go down very well on the festival stages. And they do, but I keep missing something. Their stage performance is too static. It's lacking believe and they don't seem to put a lot of heart in it. The band still can't convince me. Which is a shame since it could potentially make this place explode.

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Blaudzun
Johannes Sigmond or Blaudzun released one of the best records this year. It's full of nice indie songs leaning towards Arcade Fire. He already proved that he can play them in an intimate surrounding, but what about this big Grolsch stage? That's not a problem, just make the songs a bit bigger. And that's exactly what Blaudzun did, without doing harm to the songs themselves. What follows is a great show that stays interesting throughout the whole gig. But his band could be a bit more outgoing and challenging instead of just backing up the beautiful songs. The musicians are a bit pale in contrast with the extravagant Blaudzun.



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Triggerfinger
I could've gone to see Charles Bradley or Of Monsters And Men instead, since I've seen Triggerfinger so many times in the past years. But they never disappoint and you know what you're going to get: a full on smoking rock show with tons of energy. And this time is no different. This band is simply amazing and solid as a rock. So no surprises then? There's one: Dutch happy hip-hoppers De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig join in to play their song 'Sexy Beesten' with them. The sound is pretty bad like earlier today, but this time it doesn't seem to bother the band or the crowd. They're going on a vacation now according to singer Ruben Block and they deserve it. Next time I'll see them it will be with a new record and probably as headliner.



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The Whitest Boy Alive
We go take a peak at the Whitest Boy Alive. When we get there it's clear that Lowlands has surrendered itself to the catchy summer tunes. We watch the full tent dancing to Erlend Øye and his band mates. We only watch a small part of the show, but it's clear that they are doing exactly what every one hoped for: loosening our hips and bringing good vibes.

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Krema Kawa
Time to end this great and hot day with a bang. You want it hot? You got it with Krema Kawa. The Belgian band aren't anything special but are at the right place at the right time: a sultry summer night at the end of beautiful day at the Lowlands festival when everybody just wants to dance. And this party band knows how to do that. And so we all dance to their funky and swinging grooves.

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Lowlands already was at boiling point today, but we have to get ready for the hottest day tomorrow. So we party a bit more, drink a few more beers and try to get some sleep before that golden ball relentlessly will wake us up again.

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Lowlands 2012 Day 1
Lowlands 2012 Day 3

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Blaudzun's Enchantment

Photo courtesy of Mark Minkman

Singer Blaudzun released a great new album earlier this year. Heavy Flowers is filled with beautiful songs and a rich variety. For the Indiestad festival which is spread over several locations of Amsterdam, he was performing in a church. For some one who grew up in a religious environment like him, this promised to be a special experience.

Blaudzun at De Duif Amsterdam, May 14 2012

Photo courtesy of Nynke Sietsma

Right from the start he's using the not every day stage to its full extent. Singing 'Wolf's Behind The Glass' from the church's pulpit all by himself, without mic or other amplification, his voice sounds vulnerable but also strong at the same time. It's ringing through the big high church hall. The band starts playing while he's making his way to the stage. It was supposed to be an acoustic set but this is not really the case.



The band isn't playing in an average band setup though. Violin, cello, banjo are just some of the instruments used. It's not so weird that some of his songs are sometimes reminding of Arcade Fire. The band are playing fine but are never really excelling. It's Blaudzun who's making the difference. His voice and appearance are remarkable. He has become more relaxed on stage over the years. This makes his performance comfortable to watch.



'Flame In My Head', that appears early in the set, is even making people clap their hands to the beat. As an encore all band members gather at the front of the stage for a special version of 'Blindspot'. By this time everyone here tonight already is convinced: Blaudzun is a unique artist.

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Setlist:
01. Wolf's Behind the Glass
02. She's a Gentleman
03. Another Ghost Rocket
04. Monday
05. German Girls
06. Flame on my Head
07. Who Took the Wheel
08. We Both Know
09. Streetcorner
10. Heavy Flowers
11. Midnight Room
12. Sunshine Parade
13. The Choking Game
14. Solar
Encore
15. Blindspot
16. Elephants
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Blaudzun Steps Into The Light

For years he has been steadily working his way up: Johannes Sigmon or Blaudzun. He's a remarkable appearance, not just because of his notable look, but also because of his unique voice. A voice that can give songs a melancholic layer, but also is chasing the dark. This is an impressive sight on stage as he proved on the Lowlands festival a few years ago. Recently his performances on Dutch TV shows spawned many praises and he managed to reach a wider audience. And now he's adding album number three to it: Heavy Flowers.


Blaudzun - Heavy Flowers (Ronald Says 8 out of 10)
Heavy flowers, hanging in a vase. Not completely withered, but clearly on their way, waiting for the inevitable. That's what Blaudzun likes to write music about according to himself. Not necessarily about doom days, the definite end, but more about the perishable. So he's consciously looking for the darkness. And this fits the melancholia in his music perfectly. But Heavy Flowers actually sounds a bit lighter than his earlier work. It didn't turn into a typical singer/songwrier record. Blaudzun intended to keep it small, but went into the other direction instead.

The songs got rich arrangements and are putting down a nice, sometimes even enthusiastic vibe. A wide variety of instruments has been opened up. He's using guitar, lap-steel, ukulele, harmonica and banjo, which give the songs a lot of variety. His brother Jacobus is mostly responsible for this diversity.

And so the he beautiful, a bit moody title track 'Heavy Flowers', is followed by the light 'Le Chant Des Cigales', that could have easily been in Arcade Fire's repertoire. This is also striking for the change in style compared to earlier work. The dark side is getting enough counter-weight from light and sparks of hope, so it's not just sadness. Now and then you can still hear a band like Sixteen Horsepower, but less obvious than before.

Heavy Flowers turned into a sparkling, layered album. Nicely built up with good thought through compositions, strong lyrics and great vocals. Blaudzun is proving his talent once again and has established his name. A break through to a big audience is only a matter of time. The Netherlands has gained a great artist.

This review has been published on ROAR E-Zine in Dutch over here.

Listen to 'Heavy Flowers' on Spotify.

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