On Stage: Radiohead @ HMH

Leave it to Radiohead to create a buzz around a new album and accompanying tour. Rumours about a new record had been going around for months and when they cleared their social media accounts it was pretty clear something was about to happen. Still it was quite a surprise when new album A Moon Shaped Pool dropped so soon and their European tour was about to start in a few weeks. Demand for tickets was very high but still I managed to get my hands on them for the opening show in Amsterdam at the W.A.S.T.E. website in the pre sale. Lucky me indeed!

Radiohead at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, May 20 2016

Needless to say all eyes are on the Heineken Music Hall tonight for the return of the band that is so big but at the same time doesn't feel like a big stadium act. The choice for this middle size venue that can hold around 5500 people is a good one, since it won't turn into a mass event and even can get quite intimate but still will do justice to the undoubtedly visual and musical spectacle that we’re going to witness tonight. And of course they need the room for all the fans that want to see their favourite band.

The band kicks off with new single and album opener ‘Burn The Witch’ which is instantly followed by a few more songs from the album in the exact same order. By the time we come to realize this and think that they may play the full new album integrally, ‘Morning Mr. Magpie’ follows. Once again the lighting and visuals, although modest, are wonderful and creative without taking the focus away from the music for a bit. The sound is spot on and I'm once again impressed by this band that manages to recreate the complicated and layered songs with such precision. They have chosen for the two drummer line-up again which is so important to be able to play the complex rhythmic structures but at the same time keeps it organic. Thom Yorke’s voice is clear with those almost out of key falsettos that give the songs the tension and emotion that you hear. And so we see the usual faces on stage without a string section as people were speculating because of the lush strings on A Moon Shaped Pool.

The band looks in great shape and there's so much joy on the faces of the musicians. It's clear they are happy to be back on stage and there's plenty of room for joking around and simply having a good time. Still it is the beginning of the tour and not everything runs smoothly. Yorke is even falling out of character when he gets the giggles. Smirking faces when things almost fail or someone actually does mess up, although nothing really serious. When the technique fails on them a few times, the band doesn't lose their cool but simply keeps on playing. Even when Jonny Greenwood’s guitar problems seem to take longer to get fixed, Yorke says they will start the song anyway and he can join whenever he feels like it. This band has seen it all and doesn't even blink when these things happen.

Radiohead is a one of a kind band and you know every show is unique. Simply because every setlist is unique and will hold a few rare gems, for example ‘Iron Lung’ tonight that didn't make a setlist for a long time. Many fans will even go a few nights in a row and experience a different show every time, that are hard to compare. Haters are gonna hate, but Radiohead remains a unique experience that surprises and grabs you every time. Maybe tonight’s show wasn’t perfect but it was certainly good to see this band return to the stage.



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Setlist:
01. Burn the Witch
02. Daydreaming
03. Decks Dark
04. Desert Island Disk
05. Ful Stop
06. Morning Mr. Magpie
07. There There
08. The Daily Mail
09. My Iron Lung
10. Videotape
11. Identikit
12. The Numbers
13. The Gloaming
14. Lotus Flower
15. Everything in Its Right Place
16. Idioteque
17. Bodysnatchers
Encore:
18. Bloom
19. Present Tense
20. Paranoid Android
21. Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief
22. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Encore 2:
23. You and Whose Army?
24. Reckoner


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On Stage: Noel Gallaghers's High Flying Birds @ HMH

Ever since Oasis quit, Noel Gallagher was the one brother who managed to start a successful solo career. Although he never was able to match it up with Oasis, and how could he, he proves to be a good songwriter on his own and I like his sound. Due to some bad luck I was not able to see him at the Best Kept Secret festival last year but fortunately he paid a visit to the Heineken Music Hall.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at Heineken Music Hall, April 18 2016

We come in early to catch Augustines play the warm up show and see them working up a sweat to make everyone comfortable with their mix of Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon rock songs. It's pretty good what they play and they sound quite impressive come to think there's only three people on stage. The trio looks like they are enjoying it a lot and get a well deserved applause at the end.

Noel Gallagher may not get raving reviews about his music, since obviously it keeps getting weighed up against the Oasis catalogue that has so many monumental songs. But I think his solo records sound great, with a bit more pop and the use of a broader sound. A nice example is 'Everybody's On The Run' that opens the show, which may not get everyone mad right away but sets the right mood nevertheless.

Gallagher himself looks like he's in a good mood although his face doesn't always reveal this, but he's sometimes chatting with the people at the front, cracking a few jokes. More importantly he and his High Flying Birds are in great shape. The band sounds tight and his songs sound sparkling, also because of the horns section at the back. Big visuals are like a mood light for the music and are well chosen.

Many Oasis songs are scattered throughout the set which of course are great crowd pleasers, but Gallagher has never ignored his past in that big rock band. 'Champagne Supernova' is the first time tonight the crowd goes crazy. Judging from the English I can hear around me many British fans made it across the canal and create an exciting atmosphere. Halfway the set Gallagher says he will play some songs from the nineties and interestingly plays 'Sad Song' and 'D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?' back to back, not exactly big Oasis poppers. But it suits his own musical style, that is less about the big gestures.

This last part of the set is really heavy on Oasis tunes and we can hear only a few of his solo songs. It doesn't really matter what he's playing now, since the fans had plenty of beers and by now the venue has turned into a big pub full of happy drinking people. In the encore, 'Wonderwall' gets a more mellow arrangement and of course we go out on a high in the best possible way with 'Don't Look Back in Anger' where the whole venue explodes into a massive "And so Sally can wait". It may not be Oasis, but we get the best of both this way.



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Setlist:
01. Everybody's on the Run
02. Lock All the Doors
03. In the Heat of the Moment
04. Riverman
05. Talk Tonight
06. The Death of You and Me
07. You Know We Can't Go Back
08. Champagne Supernova
09. Ballad of the Mighty I
10. Sad Song
11. D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?
12. The Mexican
13. Half the World Away
14. Listen Up
15. If I Had a Gun...
16. Digsy's Dinner
17. The Masterplan
Encore
18. (I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine
19. Wonderwall(Oasis cover)
20. AKA... What a Life!
21. Don't Look Back in Anger


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On Stage: Tame Impala at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam

After Kevin Parker released the third Tame Impala album Currents, things happened fast for him. All of a sudden he broke through to a bigger audience and that new status came with bigger festival slots and the smaller clubs he was used to playing were replaced with larger venues. So he now kicks off the European tour in the sold out Heineken Music Hall instead off a sold out Paradiso like a few years ago.

Tame Impala at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, January 29 2016



Bigger venues like that bring bigger crowds but also higher expectations. Tame Impala never were a band that would play the crowd but had to rely on their musical skills. The HMH may be a venue that sounds great but it’s also one that lacks the atmosphere of a smaller venue like my beloved Paradiso. Support act Jagwar Ma experiences that first hand tonight. The sound is not great the first half of the set and the threesome are drowning on the big stage. In the second part of their set the sounds seems to improve and their grooves sound a lot bigger and more convincing now. But they aren't ready yet for a venue of this size.



Tame Impala already proved to be able to entertain big crowds during the past festival summer and right from the start it is clear Parker and his band are totally up for the next step. The band kicks off with big hit ‘Let It Happen’ supported by large psychedelic visuals and confetti cannons, setting the mood right away. This can be risky since after such a big opening things could die down, but they are not letting it slip. Instead they are crafting their own universe around their music, dragging the crowd in. Parker actually looks very comfortable on stage, settling into his role as frontman of a big band, chatting to the crowd and thanking them several times. This brilliant musician has come along way with his music.



Even during a few slow songs like 'Yes I'm Changing' where he puts down his guitar and walks around stage like a first class crooner. He takes a stroll to either side of the stage, even sitting down at the front for a short while. The music is spot on and they made small changes to the arrangements to make them some of them sound bigger or extend them. Of course a song like ‘Elephant’ already sounds big enough with its pounding guitar groove, but some others sound a bit more meaty and sometimes get exploding endings. The more electronic sound of Currents blend in well with the older more guitar oriented songs, with the bigger hits scattered throughout the set.



The confetti cannons blow a few times more and the set runs smoothly. It is a very good place to be in, this newly crafted Parker universe. The crowd is dancing, you can smell a joint here and there and people are actually singing along to songs that aren't really singalong tunes. In the encore we get treated to a wonderful version of ‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards’ and since Rihanna covered it, the band ends with ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes’, which they never played live according to Parker. In the end this was a spectacular show with a band who are on top of things and are still growing. And who knows how far they can fly this spaceship?



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Setlist:
01. Intro
02. Let It Happen
03. Mind Mischief
04. Why Won't They Talk to Me?
05. It Is Not Meant to Be
06. The Moment
07. Elephant
08. Yes I'm Changing
09. The Less I Know the Better
10. Eventually
11. Alter Ego
12. Oscilly
13. 'Cause I'm a Man
14. Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?
15. Apocalypse Dreams
Encore
16. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
17. New Person, Same Old Mistakes

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On Stage: Editors at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam

They could have easily filled up a bigger venue, but Editors chose to do three nights in a row at the Heineken Music Hall which can hold around 5,500 fans. Needless to say those nights sold out pretty quickly since with a new album the band is back in the spotlights again, as if they ever left. I think the previous album The Weight Of Your Love isn't a great album, definitely not their best and although In Dream is a lot better it still can't measure up to their first three longplayers. However watching them play live is always a treat so I made my way to the HMH at the other side of town.

Editors at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, November 4 2015



Of course I was really lucky to see the band play last month at the much smaller Paard van Troje venue in The Hague and there we got a little taste of what to expect. You know this band has no trouble playing a larger crowd that still is relatively small compared to the big festival crowds they are used to play by now. The HMH is actually a good place that can host bands that have outgrown the clubs, but at the same time is still small enough to give an intimate feeling.



It turns out the setlist tonight isn't much different from the one they played last month, except some songs have been shuffled around. That night already showed the group is well prepared for this tour and this is a very smooth running show, although Justin Lockey has been temporarily replaced with Nicholas Willes. Lockey is becoming a father and Willes already played with the band last year, still the band is in great shape. Their big hits are scattered around the set, with some slower songs in between them to create a dynamic show. Old songs 'All Sparks', 'Munich' and 'The Racing Rats' are always guaranteed crowd pleasers and since the last album 'Sugar' and 'Formaldehyde' are added to that. From the new album it seems 'Ocean of Night' and 'Marching Orders' go down well, although I think 'All The Kings' with its eighties synth hook, that also made it onto the setlist, is actually one of their better new songs. The acoustic solo performance of 'Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors' is a nice touch and a highlight of the show.



Fire and fireworks are the only real visual effects added to some of the songs. No big fancy screens and huge lighting shows did they bring with them. And who needs that when you have Tom Smith as your front man. Besides his amazing voice he's always so into the music, moving around stage in his awkward fashion. Sometimes he will walk to the front of the stage to bend over to the crowd, or he takes place behind his piano for the more intimate moments. Smith doesn't address the crowd a lot except for a quick thank you once and a while. It's clear there's not much room for spontaneity or improvisation. That's okay though because the band, who look like they are having a good time themselves, play a very tight well thought through show and give the people exactly what they came for. Instead of ending the show with the epic 'Papillon' the new song 'Marching Orders' is the set closer in the three song encore. I think 'Papillon' is a much better song, but it seems most fans have embraced the new song and this way it's a worthy end of the night.



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Setlist:
01. No Harm
02. Sugar
03. Life Is a Fear
04. Blood
05. An End Has a Start
06. Forgiveness
07. All Sparks
08. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
09. The Racing Rats
10. Formaldehyde
11. Salvation
12. Bones
13. A Ton of Love
14. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors
15. Bricks and Mortar
16. All the Kings
17. Nothing
18. Munich
Encore:
19. Ocean of Night
20. Papillon
21. Marching Orders


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Beck's Colourful Rollercoaster Ride

It's been seven years since Beck visited us for the last time. You would expect the Heineken Music Hall to be sold out, but it actually isn't. When we arrive at the concert venue, support act Jenny Lewis is just wrapping up her performance and by the time Beck is about to start it is quite easy to move closer to the stage. It is a somewhat lukewarm reception for one of the most creative musicians in the industry.

Beck at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, September 8 2014



It doesn't seem to matter to the little man from Los Angeles who isn't wasting any time and starts off with a ferocious 'Devil's Haircut'. Together with big hit 'Loser' so early in the set, you could worry he may have shot his bolt too soon, but of course Beck has plenty more tricks up his sleeves. Songs from his melancholic new album Morning Phase are scattered throughout the set, which is a smart move. This way the show doesn't lose momentum and the full arrangements they get, make them fit in perfectly with the rest.



And so we get to see all the faces of Beck and this show turns into a colourful one. Literally with the beautiful visuals at the back which are totally supporting the songs and the lighting. The greatest hits show, with songs from his entire career span, shows the versatile artist he is. He has explored so many genres, it is a wild ride we're in tonight, but Beck and his excellent band, know exactly how to glue it together into a consistent set.



After 'E-Pro', Beck uses yellow "crime scene" tape to seal off the stage and leaves for a short break. They return for an inspired 'Sexx Laws' where he cuts the tape again. 'Debra' turns into a funky song with partly improvised lyrics, that would have fit a Prince set as well. A cheerful version of 'Where It's At' is used to introduce the band members and closes this night, that turns everyone into winners. Hopefully we don't have to wait another seven years until we can watch Beck again.



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Setlist:
01. Devil's Haircut
02. Black Tambourine
03. Loser
04. The New Pollution
05. Blue Moon
06. Heart Is a Drum
07. Gamma Ray
08. Hell Yes
09. Think I'm in Love
10. Soul of a Man
11. Blackbird Chain
12. Unforgiven
13. Chemtrails
14. Wave
15. Waking Light
16. Girl
17. Novacane
18. One Foot in the Grave
19. E-Pro
Encore:
20. Sexx Laws
21. Debra
22. Where It's At


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Jack White Shows Rock Is Very Much Alive

Sometimes karma throws you a bone and then you don't hesitate and pick it up. Jack White was supposed to play my home-town when I was away to the Rock Werchter festival. But then it was moved forward a few days into the available part of my calendar. Of course I didn't hesitate and bought tickets right away.

Jack White at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, July 1 2014



The Amazing Snakeheads are the ones to warm us up. I listened to a few of their songs which were quite interesting. Their raw punk rock reminds a bit of the music of Nick Cave's The Birthday Party. But tonight it doesn't sound convincing. Their set is a bit messy and the breaks between songs are sometimes too long.



Jack White released his sophomore solo album Lazaretto a few weeks ago which, like his first one, is full of raw blues and rock songs. In his career he made enough songs to fill this night with great music. Prior to the show we are requested to watch the show in 3D and not at the tiny screen of our phones. Although I only take pictures throughout a show, I respect this request and only shoot a couple of pictures to user for my social media accounts. The rest of the images are downloaded from Jack White's website as he allows everyone to.



This time he didn't bring two bands but brought the all-male band of his previous tour and added violin player Lillie Mae Rische This band is wonderful with the incredible drum player Daru Jones It's very tight and offers White the right backup for a rough and solid rock show. He's offering the best of his impressive discography. Many songs of The White Stripes are mixed with songs of his solo albums, his other projects The Raconteurs and even a The Dead Weather song 'I Cut Like A Buffalo'.



He doesn't waste any time talking in between songs a lot and the tempo of the show is very high. One great song after another is fired upon us. The White Stripes songs like 'Hotel Yorba' and 'The Hardest Button To Button' sound amazing with a full band, adding a rougher edge, and personally I prefer these arrangements. They sound fuller and groove more, played by this amazing bunch of musicians. The Raconteurs song 'Steady As She Goes' sounds a bit more vicious than the original. Charming violin player Lillie Mae is also singing the female vocals parts in some of the songs like 'We're Going To Be Friends' and does a good job, adding a softer touch.

We get treated to a long six song encore where White and his band go all the way one more time. When he closes the set with the anthem of a generation, 'Seven Nation Army', we have been treated to a rocking twenty song set. Jack White proves tonight that even though people keep saying that "rock 'n roll is dead", it is actually very much alive inside this brilliant musician.



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Setlist:
01. High Ball Stepper
02. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
03. Hypocritical Kiss
04. Lazaretto
05. Hotel Yorba
06. Trash Tongue Talker
07. I Cut Like a Buffalo
08. Top Yourself
09. Stop Breaking Down
10. We're Going to Be Friends
11. Alone in My Home
12. The Same Boy You've Always Known
13. Just One Drink
14. Steady, As She Goes

Encore:
15. The Hardest Button to Button
16. Missing Pieces
17. Sixteen Saltines
18. Three Women
19. I'm Slowly Turning Into You
20. Seven Nation Army


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A Fun Night Out With ZZ Top

Some artists and bands you just have to see at least once in your life. ZZ Top is one of those legendary bands that I never saw play live before and I just wanted to check out. In fourty years they built an impressive discography with many hits. Their beards have grown longer, but the three piece keeps going strong.



ZZ Top at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, June 24 2014

At the beginning of the show, the two screens on stage start showing some kind of road movie with a hot sexy blonde girl. As seniors, the members of ZZ Top clearly still appreciate beautiful girls and cars. The transition from the movie to the live show isn't really smooth, but the three blues men don't mind and go right at it with 'Got Me Under Pressure'. It sets the mood for the one and a half hour show right away. Drummer Frank Beard is sitting behind his big drum kit, that looks like it got hit by a car shop. He remains a bit in the background while Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill do their thing at the front.



It looks like everything they play is quite rehearsed and there doesn't seem to be a lot of improvisation. But the easy and relaxed way they are showing is very entertaining. In all those years they are like Siamese twins, the way they move around stage, how the two look at each other. The blues men probably know how to read each other like a book. Their faces are hidden behind sunglasses (cheap ones I assume?) and their long beards, but now and then you can see a smile peep through.



Especially when they are playing a really slow blues or the Muddy Waters cover 'Catfish Blues' or the Hendrix cover 'Foxy Lady', they are definitely enjoying themselves. Bass player Hill is sometimes facing the screen, enjoying the visuals on it, that are quite nice actually. He must be enjoying the sexy blond from up close when pieces of the road movie are displayed. This way the show is very enjoyable and the fans love every minute of it.



The die hards must have seen it a hundred times and from the noise of chatting people around us, the big mess and beer on the floor, I can tell most people here are on a night out with friends, having a good time at a show of their favourite band. Normally this would be very annoying, but tonight it makes for a great atmosphere. It may not be a surprising show, but definitely one where both, musicians and fans, are having a good time. And isn't that what music is all about?



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Setlist
01. Got Me Under Pressure
02. Waitin' for the Bus
03. Jesus Just Left Chicago
04. Gimme All Your Lovin'
06. 05. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
07. Pincushion
08. I Gotsta Get Paid
09. Flyin' High
10. Foxy Lady
11. Catfish Blues
12. Cheap Sunglasses
13. My Head's in Mississippi
14. Chartreuse
15. Sharp Dressed Man
16. Legs
Encore
17. La Grange / Sloppy Drunk Jam
18. Tush
Encore
19. Tube Snake Boogie


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Nine Inch Nails Play Spectacular Show

In 2009 Trent Reznor announced a Nine Inch Nails hiatus on his official website. They played one more tour and their final performance in The Netherlands was in the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. It's the same venue where they are performing tonight, the first headlining show on Dutch ground since their break. After their show at the Lowlands festival last year it promised to be quite a spectacle.

Nine Inch Nails at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, May 27 2014



In the meantime they have released a new album Hesitation Marks that was received with mostly positive reviews. The band is smart enough to give the fans what they want, an overview of their catalog with big hits like 'Closer', 'The Hand That Feeds' and 'Came Back Haunted'. The Downward Spiral, which is regarded to be their best album, is represented the best with six songs in total. Tracks of their last album Hesitation Marks are scattered throughout the regular set that consists of twenty songs in total. With not many breaks in between, the band races through them in less than ninety minutes.



It's a very tight show, where the songs are lined up smoothly. Reznor, who has never been much of a talker during shows, makes sure they don't lose tempo and keep the momentum going. The big screen hanging on stage has several purposes. It is part of the lighting, shows visuals to support the songs or is used to hide parts of the stage. That last one is well chosen, since it enables them to easily switch between the rocks songs, with drums and guitars, and the electronic ones with only keyboards. It also adds dynamics to the whole performance. I would have loved to see the sliding panels again they used at the Lowlands festival last year. But together with the small panels of lights that can be moved into any direction, it results in a spectacular show.



Reznor's voice is good throughout the whole night, mostly standing in his usual pose, both hands on top of the microphone leaning into the stand. The rest of the band are focused and do their job well, most of them playing several instruments. In the end it is everything you want a NIN show to be: overwhelming. After the regular set a big NIN logo is shining on the screen and it doesn't take long before the band comes back for a two song encore. They finish with probably one of their best songs 'Hurt' to end the night in style.



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Setlist:
01. Me, I'm Not
02. Copy of A
03. 1,000,000
04. March of the Pigs
05. Piggy
06. The Frail
07. The Wretched
08. Gave Up
09. Sanctified
10. Closer
11. Find My Way
12. The Warning
13. Disappointed
14. Came Back Haunted
15. The Great Destroyer
16. Eraser
17. Wish
18. Burn
19. The Hand That Feeds
20. Head Like a Hole
Encore
21. The Day the World Went Away
22. Hurt


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Words Fail To Describe Nick Cave

For the second time in two weeks Australian musician Nick Cave is visiting the Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall with his The Bad Seeds. This is the original first show, but since it sold out so quickly the show on November 4 was added later. This year he released one of the best records of this year and is playing sold out shows that receive the highest praise, something he also proved at Lowlands earlier in August. Could he live up to these high expectations?

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, November 17 2013



Cave himself is answering that question in the first song right away. 'We No Who U R' from his last album Push The Sky Away sets the tone for the night. The slow song has exactly the right amount of tension. 'Jubilee Street' follows which makes clear that the fans have embraced the new songs. Although it is a relatively quiet start, there's no way Cave will let us sit back and get too comfortable. 'Tupelo' is showing Cave in his best way: his piercing eyes scouting the crowd, spitting out his words with great determination. Once again the man is in great shape. Every night the set list differs only for a small bit, so any one who has seen a show or has looked at an earlier set list knows what songs can be expected.



But that doesn't mean the music is predictable. Far from it. Cave moves across the stage restlessly, seeking contact with the audience like we saw before: his hand supported by a fan's hand. At the same time he's singing his poetic lyrics with so much fire, as if he wants to convince us all personally. At points he's crying it out. During the quiet songs, the more than 5000 fans don't make a sound. The big hall is completely silent. It gives a song like 'God Is In The House' even more impact while every single one of us is holding their breath. Cave turns 'Higgs Boson Blues', one of those gems of the new record, into a an intense experience. Eventually whispering the words "Can you feel my heartbeat?" while supported by his fans who are holding him firmly. He breaks the almost tangible tension himself by whispering "You can let go now".



Cave is in total control and The Bad Seeds will always have his back. The fine musicians know exactly what the songs need. Their use of dynamics in the songs is invaluable and is the finishing touch. Laid back and patiently the band is playing the slow songs while Cave is massaging our souls, only throwing tiny accents around. Brutal and aggressive eruptions sound right when Cave is spitting fire. Warren Ellis dances around like a mad scientist with his heavy beard and violin play, tossing his bow around stage when he's done. I don't know how many bows he is breaking during this tour. He is an attraction himself and is giving, like all the others, the perfect backup for Cave.



The gloomy sounding 'Push The Sky Away' ends the regular set before the encore starts with 'Abattoir Blues', a song you won't hear often in a live set. Cave already warns they will probably screw it up and he admits "that was fucked up on every level" at the end of it. Was it really? The gorgeous 'Into My Arms' ends this more than brilliant show in a perfect way. The past thirty years seem to have been just a warm up for Nick Cave. I don't think he ever wrote a bad song, but it feels as if the best is yet to come. Imagine what he will come up with in the years to come. Once again Cave proves to be an extraordinary and gifted artist who will never disappoint. All these words simply aren't enough to describe him. Superb, magnificent, grand! They simply don't do him right.



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Setlist:
01. We No Who U R
02. Jubilee Street
03. Tupelo
04. Red Right Hand
05. Mermaids
06. The Weeping Song
07. From Her to Eternity
08. West Country Girl
09. Sad Waters
10. God Is in the House
11. Wide Lovely Eyes
12. Higgs Boson Blues
13. The Mercy Seat
14. Stagger Lee
15. Push the Sky Away
Encore:
16. Abattoir Blues
17. We Real Cool
18. Do You Love Me?
19. Into My Arms


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Intense Performance By Impressive The National

The big Heineken Music Hall doesn't sound like an ideal place to see a band like The National. But ever since releasing High Violet a few years back things went fast for the Brooklyn based band. This year's Trouble Will Find Me established their newly achieved position as a high profile group. It also means shows in small clubs are something of the past.

The National at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, November 7 2013



The band doesn't forget that they owe their success mainly to the last two albums. Their set list is focusing mainly on them. Their self titled debut album is even completely ignored. With ten songs from the latest album it means they're playing almost the entire album. Although it is their newest album of course, you don't see many bands doing that. It proves how confident they are about the new songs, but also that they recognize the fact that a large part of the audience probably isn't that familiar with their older work.



That older work has some gems of its own of course. A true fan wouldn't accept a set list without a vicious 'Abel' and the beautiful 'Fake Empire'. However the last two records are simply of such rare high standard that it would be a crime not to play songs like 'Anyone's Ghost', 'Demons' or 'Sea Of Love'.



Singer Matt Berninger has to warm up in the beginning before he's relaxed. He's moving around in his usual fashion like a caged tiger, continuously sipping wine. It never gets old watching his emotional performance. There's no other artist who can sing with so much intensity and emotion like him. His warm baritone is massaging your soul until the tension has build up inside him and just bursts out with huge outcries. Later on in the set everything falls into place. The crowd is quiet and is listening breathlessly to beautiful versions of 'Hard To Find' and 'Pink Rabbits'. By the time they play the gorgeous 'I Need My Girl' they have resized the big Music Hall to a tiny intimate club and I'm completely lost in the music.



The guitars played by the twin Dessner brothers Aaron and Bryce sound great and big in the climax parts, but they are ringing modestly in the subtle picking parts. The horns add precisely enough melancholy to the music. Bryan Devendorf's creative grooves are pushing a song like 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' forward. At the end audience and band connect literally when Berninger is taking his usual plunge into the crowd during an always thundering 'Mr. November' and again in 'Terrible Love' that closes the set. A truly magical performance we don't see very often in this place.



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Setlist:
01. I Should Live in Salt
02. Don't Swallow the Cap
03. Anyone's Ghost
04. Bloodbuzz Ohio
05. Demons
06. Sea of Love
07. Hard to Find
08. Afraid of Everyone
09. Conversation 16
10. Available
11. Cardinal Song
12. I Need My Girl
13. This Is the Last Time
14. All the Wine
15. Abel
16. Slow Show
17. Sorrow
18. Pink Rabbits
19. England
20. Graceless
21. Fake Empire
Encore
22. About Today
23. Humiliation
24. Mr. November
25. Terrible Love


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Soundgarden Return As Kings

Singer Chris Cornell mentions Soundgarden didn't play here for a long time. Actually they played here last year at the Pinkpop festival. But he was right that their last headliner show was a while back, in 1996 to be exactly. You can't blame him for not remembering, at least I hope he doesn't, since that show was already showing the band was about to implode. Now they are back with a new album and already quite a few miles on the road.

Soundgarden at Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, September 11 2013



Hopefully all those live shows have paid off. Not that they played a bad show at Pinkpop, not at all. But it was showing they had been a way for quite a while. The new song 'Been Away Too Long', tonight it is halfway the set, is quite appropriate. After Graveyard do a very good job warming up the crowd, right from the start it is clear the live shows have done them good. A thundering start with 'Searching With My Good Eye Closed', 'Jesus Christ Pose' and 'Spoonman', reveals the band is in great shape. Of course they have grown older. Guitarist Kim Thayil was never the most outgoing man on stage, he now seems to move even slower and his beard has turned grey. The heavy riffs and licks he's firing off from his guitar are as solid and powerful as ever.

Cornell may not be able to sing all those incredible high notes any more, but that man is in great shape and still one of the best rock singers around. He is looking more comfortable than I have seen him in a long time. Occasionally he puts his guitar down and moves around the stage from side to side. Forgotten and forgiven is the time I saw him play that horrible Scream record.



If I remember correctly drummer Matt Cameron was the one who persuaded the rest of the band to breath new live into Soundgarden. Pretty remarkable for someone who is also full-time in Pearl Jam. But seeing him play here, I can imagine why he wants this so badly. His grooves are so important to their music. The unusual time signatures, the slow and heavy grooves, the rolling fills. The songs are more complicated than in Pearl Jam and offer more of a challenge to a guy like Matt Cameron. As a rock drummer, Soundgarden must be heaven. Bass player Ben Shepherd hasn't changed much. He is walking around like a caged lion and is asking the most of his bass. At the end of the show the poor guitar draws the short straw when Shepherd smashes it to the ground and pours water on it.



In the set the focus is mainly on their most successful albums Badmotorfinger and Superunknown. Scattered in between are songs of the latest album King Animal. Familiar tracks like a smashing 'Outshined', a heavy grooving 'Fell On Black Days' and a tight 'My Wave' get the loudest response though. A big screen is showing visuals in the same style as the King Animal art work, which gives a nice and sometimes psychedelic effect.



After one and a half hour the band leaves the stage and is returning for a four song encore. They close up with a dizzying version of 'Rusty Cage' and a brutal 'Slaves & Bulldozers', that ends by the band members walking off stage one by one, leaving us with a deafening and screaming minute long wall of feedback. Even if this was a reunion tour to fatten their wallets, it looks like the band has found their old sparkle again in the process.



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Setlist
01. Searching With My Good Eye Closed
02. Jesus Christ Pose
03. Spoonman
04. By Crooked Steps
05. Outshined
06. Loud Love
07. Non-State Actor
08. Superunknown
09. New Damage
10. Been Away Too Long
11. My Wave
12. Burden in My Hand
13. A Thousand Days Before
14. Fell on Black Days
15. Blow Up the Outside World
16. Never the Machine Forever
17. Mailman
Encore
18. Flower
19. Like Suicide
20. Rusty Cage
21. Slaves & Bulldozers


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