Kliko Fest 2018

It's becoming a tradition that we visit the annual Kliko Fest in Haarlem, a garage punk rock 'n roll night festival at the Patronaat venue. It simply is such a fun night every year with a solid line-up, a wonderful audience and cold beers. This year the line-up simply looks amazing so we definitely couldn't miss it.

Kliko Fest 2018 at Patronaat Haarlem, July 14 2018

Nick Oliveri Band

I was surprised to see Nick Oliveri opening the night at the main stage, since most people don't come this early. Indeed there isn't a huge crowd yet, but this doesn't bother Oliveri for a bit. He's playing with his friends of the Dwarves, except for Paul Cafaro, who play the same stage after this one. Cafaro does have a guest appearance halfway the set. Oliveri gives us a walkthrough of his career playing songs from Mondo Generator, Dwarves and other solo projects. The bass player knows his way around the stoner, punk rock and heavy rock and has quite a respectable catalog to choose from. When he plays Queens of the Stone Age's 'Millionaire' it is clear though, the period he was in that band and earlier on in Kyuss, was his finest hour.



Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

Equal Idiots

Belgian band Equal Idiots are a really fun garage rock duo with catchy songs that are irresistible. The two young musicians have a contagious uplifting stage presence which makes their music even more fun to watch. Their energetic performance turns the small Patronaat cafe into a sweaty rock 'n roll spot and I'm sure they have made new friends tonight. As they tell themselves it's amazing so many people showed up while The Dwarves are playing the main stage at the same time.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

Dwarves

We catch the last part of Dwarves, the punk rock band founded by Paul Cafaro that Oliveri's has been part of once and a while as did many other members. They are considered one of the last true punk bands and formed in the late eighties. Of course the band has aged a bit but are trying hard to relive their golden years with a mix of their punk and hardcore songs. It turns into a festive show with a more than willing crowd and a wild pit in front of the stage. A not so well aimed stage dive by one of the audience members causes a bit of a scare but later we see the guy limbing towards the ambulance with a grin on his face. It's just one of those crazy wild parties that can happen at Kliko Fest.



Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

Los Mirlos

And so on this festival you can find yourself with a Peruvian psychedelic Kumbia band. This turns out to be a very tasty mix and the 45 year old band draw a rock crowd that can appreciate a tropical party. There are only a few older members in the band left, but together with their younger fellow musicians they are treating us to a hot Kumbia show that here and there has some ska ingredients. The band is clearly enjoying the crowd and the warm welcome.

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

Birth Of Joy

Dutch band Birth of Joy seem to fit in at any kind of music festival around. They are playing big rock festivals but are also able to impress people at blues festivals and tonight heat up the main stage over here. This band has grown so much since their first album Make Things Happen almost ten years ago and only get better. Their sound has matured and these guys are amazing musicians with a stunning performance that knocks everyone off their feet. Another win for this must see band.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify

The Mystery Lights

On the second stage The Mystery Lights are killing it tonight with bouncing ball Mike Brandon leading the pack. They are firing off vintage style garage rock songs and make them sound alive and fresh. We're watching the band from the balcony who are playing on the scarcely lit stage. The active Brandon is hardly standing still and the lively performance is wonderful to watch and puts a smile on many faces.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

FIDLAR

We continue the party at the main stage where FIDLAR are turning the hall into one wild pit. Shoes are flying around, people are flying around and everyone on and off stage is having a good time. FIDLAR's songs may not be the most original or subtle but you can give these guys a call when you want to have a good time. Sometimes it's just fun dancing along to songs about beer.



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

ET Explore Me

The further the night progresses and the more beer is flowing the better the bands get. Local heroes ET Explore Me are giving a wild rock 'n roll show with a crazy organ flying loose. By now at every stage you turn to, people are dancing and enjoying the hell out of this festival. This band gives them exactly what they want so everyone can continue to boogie.

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

Oh Sees

For me Oh Sees, or OC's or Thee Oh Sees, or whatever name John Dwyers's group goes by these days, is the biggest name on the bill. I'm surprised to see it is less crowded than the FIDLAR show. Maybe it's the time of the show, since it is already getting late, although this is a night festival of course. Besides changing their name, the band fortunately hasn't changed a thing about their music which is still to the point. This band simply are one of the best on the scene, with all musicians including the two drummers lined up at the front of the stage. The group is playing extremely tight, with a show that has an incredible tempo and never dies down. Tonight they are playing with a lot of power and are tearing down the roof one more time. Definitely the highlight of the night, which is already full of incredible performances.

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

Although there are still some bands playing, we call it a night and leave on a high. Kliko Fest is one of the best rock festivals around with the coolest, dirtiest and most fun bands around and without a doubt one of the best crowds. The vibes are so good here and people come here to simply have the best time and party like there's no tomorrow. We are definitely coming back next year again.

Al Pictures

Read more!

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!

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



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.

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify



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.

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



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.



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



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.



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



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.

Official Website | MySpace | YouTube | Spotify



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.



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



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.

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



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.



Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify



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.

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



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.

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify

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.

More Pictures

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

Read more!

Rock Werchter 2013 Day 1: Wild Start

After our traditional pre-Werchter BBQ at friends in Belgium we make our way to the festival in no time. There's quite a big line outside the camping ground and we're afraid we may miss out on the first bands. But the line outside the festival site turns out to be quite short when we get there. We stack up on food and drink tickets, assure ourselves that Joe Piler's beers are fine again and find our way to the new KluBC tent that replaces the Pyramid Marquee.

Rock Werchter 2013 Day 1, July 4 2013



Fidlar
There we find a bunch of young lads working up a sweat playing punk songs. Fidlar, an acronym for "Fuck It Dog, Life's A Risk" (what's in a name), take the stage by storm. Their excitement is quite contagious and it doesn't take long before we see the first crowd surfers of the festival. It's nice to see this young band play a convincing set. It's only the first band of the festival and already we're smiling and feel right at home again. Keep them coming!

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



Palma Violets
Another young band are making their way over here from the UK on a small hype. Their hit song 'Best of Friends' was made the national anthem for this year and as I experienced myself earlier this year they know how to throw a party. They sure give it a good try but it's much harder to please a festival crowd this early at the day when they are still admiring the festival site and sipping their first beer. Although their big hit does make for a wild pit in front of the stage, many people decide to take a look elsewhere.



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



Vintage Trouble
I didn't exactly get swept off my feet after listening to a few of Vintage Trouble's songs. It's a mix of soul and good old rhythm 'n' blues that seems a bit too neatly on record. But after seeing their performance on the David Letterman show, I knew it's a totally different ball game when they play live. They sure showed that today. Singer Ty Taylor is a charismatic entertainer who is really working hard to please the crowd. He's backed up by a lively and solid band. Their songs that sound more rough live on stage are definitely going down well with the crowd. It makes for the first pleasant surprise of this weekend.

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



Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
We catch half of the show of Black Rebel Motorcycle club who have an early spot on the main stage. They're always good for some solid rock 'n' roll. The songs of the last album are a bit more slow though and this makes it hard for them to win many people over. Of course they have a few smash hits like 'Spread Your Love' up their sleeves to end on a high. But I'd rather see them in a dark sweaty club rocking me off my socks.



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



Balthazar
Belgian band Balthazar sure have come a long way since I saw them live for the first time over here a few years back. Their second album is a huge success and their fanbase is growing fast. The tight set is showing why. The band is focused and the songs of both albums mix well. The skilful tracks leave a big impression in the tent. People all the way to the back are joining in to the 'Blood Like Wine' lyrics "Raise your glass to the nighttime and the ways". And so we raise our Joe Piler to the sky as well.

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



Biffy Clyro
I'm not really fond of this Scottish band's music. Especially their last few albums don't do it for me, after they made their sound more accessible and their music became more predictable. It turned into music for teenage girls now. But their big live reputation is preceding them so I want to see that for myself. They do a good job and play their songs well. It's a convincing performance that is enjoyed by a full tent. But still their music doesn't really appeal to me. Fans of the band had a great time though I'm sure.



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



The National
It's a different story for The National. I love their sad music. I don't care when people call it "music your dad likes". Live on stage it makes an even bigger impression. Singer Matt Berninger's intense performance and thundering voice give the songs even more power. He seems to be more relaxed and comfortable nowadays though. A huge screen that fills the entire back of the monstrous stage, supports the songs that are a nice overview of their catalogue. Berninger is looking for contact with the fans a lot and finds himself among them later on while continuing singing. The euphoria and bright environment are a strange contrast to the gloomy songs of this strong show. Looking forward to seeing their full show in November in the dark Heineken Music Hall!



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



Bloc Party
A drawing that was left in the dressing room at a festival last week, made clear this is going to be the last Bloc Party gig I'll ever see. The band is slowly imploding and will probably call it quits after they finish their tour later this month. In the meanwhile drummer Matt Thong already left the band. It is clear the band is in trouble. The chemistry is gone on stage and singer Kele Okereke isn't the charming, happy and chatty person he normally is. Instead the band is playing on routine and are probably dragging themselves to the end of the tour. It is still turning into a big party because the crowd is willing to throw one. Every song is greeted with big cheers. The big hits make the tent explode. This eventually has a positive effect on the band, who are playing better than to be expected. They couldn't have wished for a better Belgian farewell party.

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



Green Day
After Billie Joe Armstrong had a breakdown last year, things didn't look good for Green Day. However rehab made him overcome his problems and Green Day are headlining festivals across Europe again. It's nothing you haven't seen them do before. It's the usual circus complete with dress-up parties and craziness. I don't think their music is that interesting and it is way too cheesy. But Armstrong looks like he's in shape, is performing well and the band are playing a worthy headline set.

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

We dance a bit with Netsky before it's time to check out some of the bars outside and go search for a cervela, that nice Belgian sausage, to celebrate this amazing day. But they're not selling them or are all gone. Better luck tomorrow.

Click here for more pictures

Rock Werchter 2013 Day 2
Rock Werchter 2013 Day 3
Rock Werchter 2013 Day 4

Read more!