Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2

After an incredible first day where we saw so many bands and great shows it's time for a hearty breakfast. This means bacon and eggs of course and fresh coffee. We can relax since there's no rush to get to the site where a different kind of coffee awaits.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2, June 20 2015



John Coffey
Things are moving fast for Dutch hardcore punkers John Coffey. There latest album The Great News ia getting plenty of attention and they are playing shows all over the place. And then of course they landed that Pinkpop slot where the famous beer catch went viral. Today they prove they don't need a viral video to impress. Powerful songs combined with an even more powerful performance doesn't miss its effect. Relentless energy with a healthy amount of testosterone and a lot of good times on stage are a delight to watch. Singer David Achter de Molen climbs the stage scaffolding, runs around and is showing his best rock poses while the rest of the band are pounding away the uptempo rock songs. Needless to say there is plenty of crowd surfing going on. Yes, more Coffey please.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify


Temples
The album Sun Structures was one of my favourite albums of last year. The psychedelic rock songs sound wonderful and I was really looking forward to seeing this band play. The trio is performing on the main stage at the middle of the afternoon. This is not a great choice since the songs that sound so great on the album don't really come across on the big field that is enjoying the sun. This stage is too big today for the somewhat static musicians as well. Sometimes when the songs are more heavy, the band sounds better, but I'm sure they would have left a better impression on one of the smaller and darker stages together with some psychedelic colourful visuals.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify


Cheatahs
At Primavera a few weeks earlier I was somewhat disappointed in Cheatahs. I really like their music but live on stage they didn't add much. They are playing the small Stage 5 which should be quite suitable for them. But again, although their music actually sounds pretty good, I can't get into their performance. The band simply doesn't make an effort to light a fire and seemingly play their set on routine.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



Death Cab For Cutie
This is different for Death Cab For Cutie, a band that is admired by many fellow musicians and other bands. I can see why, since the American rock band is playing an impressive show. Patiently they are building up there songs, never pushing too hard. Singer Ben Gibbard's voice is clear and wonderful and slowly I get sucked into their music. This is how you keep a crowd on their toes, even without a lot of interaction, but simply by playing it with a lot of heart.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify


Balthazar
By now Balthazar are at the top of the Belgian rock scene and doing good beyond as well. From the first time I've seen them play this band kept growing and doesn't seem to stop. Today the band shows that the main stage is a piece of cake to them. It's remarkable how all subtleties in the songs don't get lost and how relaxed the band moves around the stage. Some of them sometimes climb the big wooden boxes that are standing around them, while they play a well balanced set. I always have a bit of difficulty with how unmoved they look when they are playing. But their music simply is so good and well performed that it doesn't matter. Of course everyone raises their glass once again to the tradional closer 'Blood Like Wine' and toast with this wonderful band.



Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



Ride
British nineties band Ride are having a successful reunion so far as they are playing large venues and big stages on festivals everywhere. At Primavera I witnessed a convincing show and tonight it's no different. Stage Two is perfect for their music that combines shoegaze and britpop, a combination of The Stone Roses and My Bloody Valentine. I'm no expert on their songs, but again the band sounds great and many songs are wonderful. It makes you wonder why they didn't get bigger in the nineties. But maybe it is time for them to come up with new music and build on their newly acclaimed fame.



Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify


By then it's time for Hookworms, the band that released an amazing album and played a great show in Barcelona. Before I have even seen anything of the band, one of my friends makes a nasty fall and we end up bringing him to first aid. Fortunately he seems alright but to make sure we leave for the bungalow where I can keep an eye on him. I'm glad the next day he turns out to be fine, although I did miss Hookworms and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Nothing a nice Belgian beer and a cigar can't fix.

More Pictures

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1
Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3

Read more!

Primavera Sound 2015 Day 1

We heard many good things about the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona and decided to check it out for ourselves. Buying a plane ticket and reserving a hotel on top of festival tickets doesn't exactly make it a cheap experience but for that you get one of Europe's finest cities thrown in as well. And the line-up didn't look bad either so we hopped onto that plane and found ourselves eating tapas a few hours later on Wednesday night.

Primavera Sound 2015 Day 1 May 28 2015

Fortunately the weather forecast couldn't be better and after renting bikes we are cycling through the lovely Spanish city bathing in sun light. We got tickets to the free Interpol show at the Sala Apolo club as well so after picking up our wristbands at the festival site at Parc del Fòrum, eating paella at the beach (oh yes we did) we're on our way to the club in the city center.



Interpol @ Sala Apolo
The Apolo club is a medium sized club that can hold around 1200 visitors. After we head into the dark club and let our eyes get used to the dark we notice it doesn't really fill up. This is great since we can get a beer within seconds and find a great spot on the floor to watch the dark band from New York. After seeing them live last year just before the release of their latest album El Pintor I was anticipating a good show. They found their form again and the album is prove of that. Live they are in great shape as well as they prove today. In their usual somewhat detached manner they play many new songs with some fan favourites scattered through their set.

The somewhat gloomy lighting fits the music well with abstract visuals adding to the mysterious atmosphere. The band is playing focused and you can see they are used to playing larger stages, making large gestures. Guitar player Daniel Kessler is moving around a lot, sometimes turning around to see his band mates in the back who are now only a few meters away. Singer Paul Banks is lit up by bright spot lights occasionally where you can see him staring into the distance. It may be the intimate surroundings and the unique opportunity of seeing this band on a small stage up close, but it's probably one of the best Interpol shows I've scene. Great start of this festival.

Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



Cheatahs
When we arrive at the festival ground with its alienating concrete and futuristic look, we find our friends at the Cheetahs show who are halfway their set at the small but cosy Adidas stage. Their fuzzy shoegaze music sounds pretty good and they have some nice songs. But the band needs to work on their stage presence that looks quite uninspired and doesn't exactly get the crowd wild.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



Viet Cong
Things seem to go well for Viet Cong that besides some controversy on their name are gaining more and more fans with their music. Quite a big crowd has gathered to watch them play in the sun on the Pitchfork stage. Playing many shows is paying off since they sound more together and the show has more tempo keeping the momentum. And of course they end with another vicious version of that great song 'Death'.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Twitter | Spotify



The Replacements
To be honest I don't know The Replacements too well, except I have heard of their "indie veterans" status. When bands like this come back together for a reunion I tend to be a bit sceptical but there's no need to. The band is playing their rock songs well and with a lot of enthusiasm, making them sound solid and convincing. Their energetic and lively stage presence results in a very entertaining show and quite a big crowd which is well deserved.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify



Mikal Cronin
One of the gigs I'm really looking forward to is Mikal Cronin's. He just released his third album MCIII that is getting mixed reviews but I like it a lot. His fuzzy pop sound has deepened and sounds even better now. Live on stage he has grown even more. He looks more relaxed on stage and his music sounds very convincing today. The new songs blend in perfectly with the older ones. It all sounds very fresh and lively which is creating great vibes among the excited crowd. I'm really looking forward to his show in Amsterdam later this month.



Official Website | MySpace | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify



Spiritualized
We wander off from the Ray Ban stage and find ourselves at the ATP stage where Spiritualized are already playing. What starts out as something almost gospel-like turns into a psychedelic Southern soul, Americana and Krautrock show that sounds pretty nice. There's hardly any interaction with the crowd but singer and guitarist Jason Pierce is calmly playing the songs, backed up by two lovely singers adding the soul. In the end it is coming across like some kind of soulful mix of Lou Reed meets Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify




The Black Keys
Today's headliner The Black Keys no longer take the stage just the two of them, but are now a quartet when playing live. The complementing two members are a bit hidden to the back in the dark though, which I always find a bit unfair. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are putting down a solid show playing many of their hits. They simply have many good songs that are still sounding great although by now everyone knows exactly what they are going to get. So their are no surprises in this set that is running smoothly but also kind of on routine.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify




Jungle
The Ray Ban stage is the perfect setting for last year's hype Jungle. They have brought their own lighting plan showing bright lit up letters spelling their name. The music of the seven person band is actually the brain child of Josh Lloyd-Warson and Tom McFarland, or J and T, who are at the front on the stage in the middle. There's a big turn up and everyone is in the mood for dancing, which is exactly what they are going to get. The danceable soul music is perfect for some good times on the dance floor while downing a few cervezas or vinos. It sounds great as well but like the album all songs sound very much alike. It makes you feel you are dancing to the same track all the time. But tonight that is fine and so we keep on shaking it to the tropical and smooth music.



Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify


Since the festival's program starts late in the afternoon it keeps on going until early in the morning. However since we're not too keen on all the DJs and dance acts we decide to call it a day and cycle back home in the cool Spanish sea breeze for a good night's sleep.

More Pictures

Primavera Sound Day 2
Primavera Sound Day 3


Read more!