ITGWO 2019 Day 1 + 2

The island of Vlieland is waiting for us again for another edition of that wonderful little festival Into The Great Wide Open that we visit annually. The sun is out and we are already sucking up its ray on the ferry to the island. I can already feel that lovely island mood flowing.

Into The Great Wide Open 2019 Thursday August 29

Squid

The festival kicks off for us with one of the most interesting new bands of the moment. Squid from Brighton play catchy and danceable punk rock songs that sound like a mix of The Rapture and LCD Soundsystem. Drummer Ollie Judge who is also taking care of most of the lead vocals has a bit of hysterical way of singing which fits their hyperactive music. The way he's phrasing his lyrics is clever and the rest of the band support him with energetic and percussive grooves. The hesitant crowd are slowly doing their first dance moves of the festival.

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Onipa

We head to the bigger stage in the woods and we find a big crowd there, that has been warmed up completely by Onipa. The band from the UK with singer K.O.G. from Ghana has many people dancing to their hip hop, dance and percussive music with plenty of West African grooves. That is an excellent mix and K.O.G. is a wonderful frontman who is dancing around stage with a big smile on his face. This is one of those bands that will light up a festival with positive vibes and beautiful music.

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Whispering Sons

After seeing Belgian band Whispering Sons killing it a few times, we don’t want to miss them playing the only indoor stage of the festival. The dark small venue should be fitting for their even darker music. The sound is a bit dry though and it makes their music less powerful, making it harder to get into. Fortunately ‎Fenne Kuppens keeps working the crowd with her expressive performance and low voice. In the end they are able to grab me again with their gloomy and impressive show.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2019 Friday August 30

BCUC

I found out that I saw this band from Soweto some years ago as well on this island. Judging from my post I wasn’t really impressed. But a few months ago I really liked the energetic and lively performance. Today again the band plays a steaming show with a catchy mix of spirituals, soul and hip hop. The big drums keep the dancing going while Jovi Nkosi is singing, rapping and screaming tirelessly. Kgomotso Mokone's beautiful voice adds the soul and percussion and the wonderful bass of Mosebetsi Nzimande adds a lot of sugar to the steady grooves. The crowd keeps growing throughout the show and the band wins everyone over. There’s also time for some stories about the problems in South Africa and a message of unity. At the end Jovi has a heartfelt shout-out to his child and the man taking care of him now.



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Daniel Norgren

I’m really happy to see Daniel Norgren again, since I love his music so much. It’s his second time on the island where I got introduced to him his first time here and completely got swept away. The gentle Swede starts out small behind the piano and then gradually lets it rip. The new songs are once again mostly laid back Americana tunes with Norgren’s skilful guitar that he sometimes will let erupt. His loyal band is a perfect match and plays with a lot of heart. The crowd feels this and is listening in silence, grabbed by Norgren’s music. It’s beautiful that such a happy crowd can stay quiet on a sunny afternoon like today. It is the audience Norgren deserves. He states this is one of the best festivals he ever played, quickly adding that he not just saying that. This festival and this wonderful musician are a perfect match.

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Yola

Some years ago Yolanda Quartey played in a band called Phantom Limb that was winning over hearts very fast. Suddenly they quit after their first album and I never got clear what happened. Now she’s back as a solo artist with similar Americana and country style songs. Mostly these songs are gentle tunes with the amazing voice of Yola. She is able to belt out incredible vocals but chooses to keep it small most of the time. The songs stay a bit on the safe side and it never gets so impressive as the first time I saw her. But the charismatic Yola is lovely to watch, looking very happy on stage performing her own music.

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Equal Idiots

It’s time to fire it up again and this Belgian duo are exactly what I need. Their explosive garage rock songs are all loud little firecrackers that start a small pit in front of the stage. This wonderful festival crowd is always a bit hesitant with wild guitar bands, so it never gets out of control. Singer Thibault Christiaensen notices this and keeps firing up the crowd until the pit starts growing. The duo never lets it slip and comes up winning in the end by playing contagious raw rock music with a lot of effort and energy.

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KOKOROKO

There’s a lot of music from the big African continent this year, or inspired by it. KOKOROKO draw their inspiration from afrobeat and jazz, which means they are channeling some of Fela Kuti's music and some amazing jazz as well. Indeed it’s quite jazzy with the three horn players at the front, but at the same time has exciting afro-beat vibes, making it very suitable for dancing. Trumpet player Sheila Maurice-Grey is also the front woman and the large band draws an equally big crowd to the stage in the woods. It is great to see so many people turning up for a band that doesn’t exactly play avarage festival friendly music. It proves the open mind of this festival crowd although it helps a lot that you can dance to this music. I like their sound a lot and all the happy dancing pepole around us between the trees makes for a lovely sight.

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The Murder Capital

Hailing from Dublin, this group is one of the products of the exploding post punk scene there. The music of this five piece is on the dark side and the indoor stage is a good place for it. It’s an intense performance with the impressive front man James McGovern, who seems untouched by the big turn up. He doesn’t really have a great singing voice, but his vocals go very well with the dark and violent post punk. The other band members are circling around him, waving their guitars dangerously close to each other’s heads. This band is great to watch and I’m going to keep an eye out for them.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2019 Day 3 + 4

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New Sounds: Daniel Norgren - Wooh Dang

Swedish singer songwriter Daniel Norgren recently added another gorgeous album Wooh Dang to his growing list of records filled with the most beautiful music.

He's currently touring around clubs, but sadly I couldn't make it to his show in Paradiso last Monday. Fortunately for me he's visiting Vlieland during Into The Great Wide Open festival in September, the same spot I got introduced to his music a few years back and instantly became a fan.

Check out to Wooh Dang:



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On Stage: Daniel Norgren @ Caprera Bloemendaal

One of the nicest things about live music is to see a show you were not even planning on seeing and get completely blown away. This is what happened to me when I saw Swedish artist Daniel Norgren four years ago at the Into The Great Wide Open festival. Now I own almost all of his records and try to make it to his show whenever he is playing in the neighbourhood.

Daniel Norgren at Caprera Bloemendaal, August 5 2017

This time the modest Swede is playing at the beautiful open air theater Caprera in Bloemendaal, a small village at the coast of The Netherlands. The first time I was here six years ago, I saw The National play a stunning show while the rain kept pouring down. Today it is raining as well, where I was hoping for a nice summer evening. It doesn't matter too much and it certainly won't get me down.

The first couple of albums showed Norgren as a blues musician with gritty blues songs in the style of Tom Waits. He slowly moved more into Americana, country and folk territory and now seems to have found a style that really fits him. I'm not even a big fan of country and folk but there's simply something about his genuine and heartfelt music that I find irresistible. The last few albums are drop dead gorgeous with beautiful atmosperic songs that he mostly recorded with a four-track recorder all by himself. On stage he is playing solo once and while as well, or with a few friends.

Today he's playing with drummer Erik Berndtsson and his long time steady force, bass player Anders Grahn. But first they start out by just the two of them, where Grahn is playing the organ. All three musicians are versatile artists who will be playing several instruments throughout the show. While the rain has stopped, it's a very strong start of the evening where Norgren is showing his sensitive side with a few of his most captivating and breath taking songs. Slowly the music unfolds while the evening progresses and the band is cutting deep through Norgren's catalogue.

He's showing what makes him so good, which besides the wonderful songs are his way of patiently crafting his music, bringing lots of dynamics into it by using small pauses and putting a lot of variation in it. It means we hear a lovely folk song like 'Waiting For You' and later on the always amazing 'Moonshine' that sounds like a long blues jam with shredding guitar solos and wild drums, and everything in between. Norgren's voice can be soothingly soulful and gritty, adding to the variation.

At the end of the night once again he impressed me and has won people over who came here without knowing who was playing. A well deserved standing ovation leaves him with no other choice than to come back twice for a few more songs. The tree musicians watch the crowd and receive the applause with a shy smile on their faces. I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful artist and will definitely see him next time he comes around again.



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On Stage: Daniel Norgren @ Paradiso

Ever since seeing Daniel Norgren play at the Into The Great Wide Open festival a few years back, I've been hooked on his music. The atmospheric and genuine music played from the heart, patiently crafted from lush songs, is simply irresistible. So every chance I get to see him play, I try to grab on to.

Daniel Norgren at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 31 2016

He's playing in the same setup I saw him play a few months ago at the Amsterdam Woods festival, accompanied by drummer Tim Grundtman and bass player Anders Grahn. Seated behind the piano he opens quietly with 'Putting My Tomorrows Behind'. A few more songs follow on piano and the quiet start totally fits Norgren's music and personality. The friendly and modest musician never uses big gestures or a lot of fireworks. He doesn't need it and lets his music speak for itself. Even nowadays when apparently it's hard for people to be quiet during a concert, the big hall of Paradiso goes totally quiet as if everyone's holding their breath.

Now and then the trio picks it up a bit and Norgren shows how a versatile musician he is, playing several instruments and even going into a bluesy jam in 'Moonshine Got Me', shredding his guitar. Every record he makes, his music seems to get better and better. Tonight he focuses mostly on his last three and most successful records. The last two Alabursy and The Green Stone both came out in 2015, proving he is not lacking any ideas for new songs. Of course it's quality over quantity but in this case both albums are full of wonderful music.

As the show progresses the audience is getting more impressed with every song. The cheers and applause get bigger and bigger and Norgren and his band mates look genuinely surprised and pleased with the response. After 'Whatever Turns You On' they leave the stage but of course this crowd won't let them go that easily. They return for two more songs and close the show with 'Everlasting Friend', a wonderful and melancholic song that takes everyone's breath away. At the beginning a few people are still talking but are hushed to stay quiet. By the end of it the whole of Paradiso is stunned by the gorgeous music. When the last note of the song dies out, a big roar rises. It's a fitting end to an amazing and unforgettable Monday night.



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Setlist:
01. Putting My Tomorrows Behind
02. People Are Good
03. I Waited for You
04. Though It Aches
05. Black Vultures
06. Moonshine Got Me
07. I'm a Welder
08. The Fox Chase
09. Everything You Know Melts Away Like Snow
10. Howling Around My Happy Home
11. Why May I Not Go Out And Climb The Trees?
12. My Rock Is Crumbling
13. Are We Running Out of Love?
14. Whatever Turns You On
Encore:
15. Stuck in the Bones
16. Everlasting Friend


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Amsterdam Woods Festival 2016 Saturday

Last year was the first edition of Amsterdam Woods, a small scale and cozy two day festival in the big Amsterdamse Bos park. It turned out to be a wonderful and relaxed festival with nice food, people and a balanced line-up with something for everyone. I really didn't want to miss this year's second edition.

Amsterdam Woods Saturday at Amsterdamse Bos, August 27 2016

Unfortunately this year the festival takes place on a Friday and Saturday and the first day proves to be too difficult for me to attend. Instead I settle for just the second day. Like last year the weather is glorious, so we hop on our bikes and ride them through the labyrinth that this huge park is. In the end we get there and find ourselves sipping a first cold beer at the first performance of the day.

Kurt Rosa
The tiny "spruit" stage that supports new and upcoming bands hosts the first band of the day. Kurt Rosa is one of those bands that are working hard to make it to the top. They won a band competition and are on the rise on their way to stardom. Their rock music is quite catchy and some songs sound really good. Especially when the band picks it up a notch and lets the guitars scream. Barefooted and in surf shorts the band gives it all on this hot start of the day.

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Jo Goes Hunting
A totally different kind of music can be heard on the stage at the large willow tree. Drummer and singer Jimmi Jo Hueting may look familiar as he is the younger brother of De Staat's Rocco. Their music is different though, which is a mix of indie rock and electronics with a heavy use of samples and effects. Sometimes the sound is more guitar driven but at other times it has a lighter touch. Hueting is looking very confident on stage and the band plays an intriguing show. I'll definitely will be watching them from now on.

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PAUW
Something looks different on stage today for psych rockers PAUW. It turns out half of the band got replaced and they now have a new keyboard player and bassist. It didn't really affect their music which is still wonderful to hear. However it's still early on this beautiful summer's day and this kind of psychedelic music thrives at its best in the dark. I also did see them in better shape before and today the band looks less focused and not very inspired. However with so many killer songs from their debut album Macrocosm Microcosm it is always good to see them play.

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Desert Mountain Tribe
Another band that is at its best in a dark smoky club is Desert Mountain Tribe. However these guys definitely look inspired today and I am quite impressed with them again. This band has such a great sound, with those basic but effective pounding drums and bass. On top of that are the psychedelic vocals and guitar play of singer Jonty Balls who is completely into the moment. All of this is put through a bunch of killer effects to create a delightful big and heavy sound that sounds amazing on any size stage. I really hope this band will grow bigger to see them in larger venues.

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Jeremy Loops
Another artist that makes heavy use of all kinds of effects is Jeremy Loops. He's one of those artists that can work magic with a loop station, samples and beats. It is quite effective and people love it. Of course it is great dance music with well chosen beats and grooves, but it is seems mostly aimed at that and I find the songs a bit too meagre. However it does do the job and makes for the first real party of the day.

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Amber Arcades
We make it to Amber Arcades' show when they are already halfway their performance. The band is actually Annelotte de Graaf's project and she was able to create quite a buzz in our country with her album Fading Lines. Her music is of the dreamy kind, folky ballads with a light touch. It isn't really my cup of tea but it's well performed and this is a great stage to dream away with her.

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Daniel Norgren
We see a bit of Liima performing with percussive electronic beats but decide this is not for us. When Phil Cook is playing his Americana and country songs we kind of hear it from a distance outside the tent, until it is time for my anticipated highlight of today: Swedish Americana singer-songwriter Daniel Norgren. He caught my attention a few years ago and simply never let go. Every time I hear his music it grabs me immediately. Today it's no different when he plays his songs with two fellow musicians on drums and double bass. The way his laid-back music slowly builds tension by patiently crafting a song is simply wonderful. He is using rests and he knows how to make his songs breath like no one else. Live on stage this is even more impressive when you see him perform, completely immersed in the music. With his band it gets a bit more rough and sometimes his guitar playing brings Neil Young to mind. Phil Cook also joins in for a short bit. All I can do is just watch in awe with an occasional lump in my throat.

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Ultimate Painting
After this we watch Ultimate Painting under the big willow tree. By now the sun has set and darkness is falling over the festival site. It creates a magical atmosphere while gentle guitar music comes from the stage. The short rock songs are nice on the ears although it never gets really exciting. The band is staying in their comfort zone and are never really looking for adventure. This is alright though and fits this moment of the festival where a full day of beers and sun shine are kicking in.

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Palmbomen II, a musical project by Kai Hugo, are closing the festival with danceable mix of electronic melodies and rhythms. People are dancing into the night while we finish a few more beers before we get lost in the woods again. But getting lost in the woods is exactly the point here. Just lose yourself in music on this wonderful little festival on a beautiful spot between the trees. Next year's edition is already marked in my calendar.

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Top 10 Albums 2015

Yes, it's that time on the year again where people like to look back and make a best-of-list. 2015 was another great year where I saw many great concerts, heard wonderful music and discovered some new bands on the go. So for what it's worth, here's my top 10 album list. Have a great new year's and let's make 2016 at least as good.

1. D’Angelo - Black Messiah
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2. Tame Impala - Currents
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3. Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect
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4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love
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5. Daniel Norgren - Alabursy
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6. The Icarus Line - All Things Under Heaven
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7. Ought - Sun Coming Down
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8. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool
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9. Blur - The Magic Whip
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10. John Coffey - The Great News
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On Stage: Daniel Norgren

One of the best albums that came out this year is Daniel Norgren's Alabursy. The wonderful record is full of gorgeous intimate songs with the lovely voice of Norgren. Now the Swede is playing a solo concert at the small theater De Roode Bioscoop in Amsterdam for something called Red Cinema Sessions.

Daniel Norgren at De Roode Bioscoop Amsterdam, September 12 2015



The tiny theatre and cinema is a nice setting for this intimate show. Norgren is sitting behind a grand piano, wearing a cap as always, kind of sideways to the audience. He explains that he will play some new songs next to many songs of his latest album. It's a delight hearing those songs come alive this way. The blues that you could hear in his other music has been replaced with a more rootsy sound, but the way he's using pauses embeds so much tension into his music, that you can only listen in awe.



That's exactly what everyone is doing, not a sound can be heard. Only the piano and Norgren's voice that sometimes is soft and at other times so loud, he doesn't need the mic that is in front of him. In a few songs he also adds some harmonica which brings more colour to the music. The album sounds more rich because he uses different instruments there, but tonight the songs become really intimate and intense. Beautiful songs like 'Alabursy' and 'Lonely Girl' sound gorgeous and Norgren sings them with all his heart and soul. All we can do is watch him breathlessly and forget about the terrible wooden chairs we're sitting in. Of course in this environment I didn't take any pictures, so I used a few old ones.



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Spinning: Daniel Norgren - Alabursy

A few years ago I saw Swedish musician Daniel Norgren for the first time and was immediately sold. Normally I'm not really into this country-like singer/songwriter music but there's something different about the Swede. He proved it again last month when I saw him in a festival tent full of chatting people where he managed to play a wonderful set as if I was the only one there. He played some songs of his newest album Alabursy as well.

That record struck me right away with its gorgeous compositions, the wonderful voice of Norgren and the atmosphere the songs create. It's one of those albums that simply wants you to stop everything you're doing and just sit down and listen with your eyes closed. Intimate songs like 'Everything You Know Melts Away Like Snow' and 'Like There Was A Door' are so beautiful they make you forget about the world around you. It's as if the music takes you out of your surroundings and puts you into the Swedish woods in front of a cabin with nothing else to distract you.

It's the way he builds up the compositions, so patiently and laid back but never letting the tension slip. Together with wonderful lyrics like on 'As Long As It Lasts':

"I hear the old folks when they say it's funny how time slips away/I hear the old folks when they say the day's getting shorter every day"

Sometimes the songs and lyrics get kind of obscure like on the bit creepy 'Why May I Not Go Out And Climb The Trees?' where he sings about someone telling a kid nasty reasons why it can't do things:

"May I let the puppy sleep here in my bed? Puppies got bugs that lay eggs inside your head"

Norgren unmistakeably has a unique talent of writing lyrics and music, the ability to create somewhat mysterious songs that grab you by your throat and don't let go any more. I don't think I will hear many better albums this year. If you haven't heard of Daniel Norgren yet I suggest to look him up. Sit down, close your eyes, forget about the world and simply listen.



Listen to 'Alabursy' on Spotify.



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Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1

Last year we decided to visit the Best Kept Secret festival for the first time. The festival at the edge of the safari park down South in The Netherlands immediately stole our heart with its razor sharp line-up, wonderful food and excellent vibes. And of course the bungalow made us aware that our camping days are over. Time to return for the third edition.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1, June 19 2015

Of course once again we booked one of the bungalows and we're lucky because we get one that is closer to the festival site. So after a smooth ride and check in, we stock our fridge and sit down to relax and open the complimentary Jupiler beers. When we decide to leave for the festival site we find out we were given the wrong key. Fortunately we can sort that out quickly and hurry back where the first band awaits us.



METZ
Canadian noise rockers Metz have already started their set that is loud and tight. Solid rock songs are relentlessly fired upon us with without slowing down. Guitarist and singer Alex Edkins is screaming his lyrics like his life depends on it. Now that is a great start of the festival!

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The Coathangers
The three ladies of The Coathangers are playing catchy alternative and punk rock songs that sound good enough to get a party started. However their stage performance looks quite uninspired where they hardly look into the crowd. That's probably their image for a large part, but it also makes them quite disconnected from the crowd and therefore doesn't grab me. This might work better in a small dark club, but here it fails to be convincing.

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Klangstof
Klangstof are a new band formed by Moss bass player Koen van der Wardt. He asked some of his fellow Moss band members to join him and so we can see Moss drummer Finn Kruyning on keyboard and guitar player Michiel Stam on stage with him. Their electronic music is a bit alienating and sounds interesting although I get the feeling some work needs to be done to be convincing live as well. Their detached performance makes it hard to get really into it.

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FIDLAR
We make our way to stage Two where garage punk band FIDLAR are still playing. They have no trouble turning their show into a lively performance. "Fuck It Dog Life's A Risk" is their motto and is what FIDLAR is an acronym of. Singer Zac Carper put on his finest Aloha shirt and surf shorts to play their uplifting songs for an excited crowd that forms a pit in front of the stage. Their easy going punk songs are welcoming at this point of the day and sets the right mood.



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Strand of Oaks
By the looks of Strand of Oaks singer Timothy Showalter you would expect a loud Southern rock or hard rock band, but instead their folkrock music is very easy to digest. Fortunately it is more rock than folk, in a kind of Bruce Springsteen way. It sounds good but the music is a bit middle of the road. However Showalter turns it into a very enjoyable performance with his outgoing presence, never ending excitement and lots of positive energy, which rubs off on the people watching.



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Daniel Norgren
Swedish singer/songwriter impressed me a few years ago at the Into The Great Wide Open festival with his magical performance. Without rainbows this time, once again his wonderful songs, that carry some of the Swedish cold, grab me. Norgren is totally into his music which turns it into an intimate performance. He can make you feel as if you're the only one watching and listening.

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Eagulls
We decide to skip Circa Waves since it's not t-shirt weather at all and instead go into the dark with Eagulls. Singer George Mitchell doesn't look like a front man of a post-punk band at all, but instead looks like he just came from the office. Don't let that look fool you though, since his voice cuts through everything and the band plays a convincing show with plenty of reverb and songs that remind of The Cure.



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OFF!
Time for some good old fashioned punk with Keith Morris and OFF!. The veteran may look older but still is fired up and critical about the American society and government. His vocals are sharp and once and a while he will address the crowd with his critical opinions. At the same time his fellow band members are rocking away where especially bass player Steven McDonald is a delight to watch.

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The Jesus and Mary Chain
It's been almost thirty years since Psychocandy came out, the influential and ground breaking debut album of The Jesus and Mary Chain. The sound of that album changed the music scene and today they are showing that it hasn't lost any of its impact and the songs sound impressive as ever. The band sound great and in the dark tent the songs and band take off to a high. Psychocandy can still work its magic after all those years.



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The Pop Group
It's a tough choice between The Libertines and The Pop Group, but we decide to go see the latter. This is another legendary band that is one of the front-runners of post-punk with their blend of punk and funk that inspired many artists. Especially their live performances are legendary and I can see why. Singer Mark Stewart is totally into the very groovy music. Funky bass lines and drums mix with heavy rock and are getting everyone excited. It's the perfect spot in the line-up at this time of night where everyone simply wants to go crazy.

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Pissed Jeans
Crazy isn't enough to describe Pissed Jeans, mental is getting closer. Singer Matt Korvette may not look like a front man that will go nuts and tear the roof of a place, but wait until you see him get all fired up. The loud punk music is turning him into a mad man who is all over the stage. He's crooning, crawling, jumping, takes off his shirt, makes love to the microphone and at one point is tying his belt around his sweaty body. Punk veteran Iggy Pop would be proud of this out of control band, that are one of the highlights of today.

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And so an incredible first day ends on another high. Today there were so many bands lined up that it was hard to choose, and many of them also delivered big time. Time to grab a beer outside our chalet and get ready for day two.

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Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2
Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3

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