On Stage: The Homesick @ Paradiso

A few years back we got to know post punk trio The Homesick who released a stunning debut album Youth Hunt. It didn't take long for them to get noticed across the borders and even got signed by the illustrious Sub Pop label. In January they dropped their first Sub Pop release The Big Exercise which showed a very different sound. Stripped off the rough post punk elements this album leaves a friendly fuzzy pop sound full of harmonies and psychedelica. It is beautiful, but how would this go down live on stage?

The Homesick at Paradiso Amsterdam, March 5 2020

As if it wasn't clear enough from their new record that things have become less wild, both bass player Jaap van der Velde and guitarist Elias Elgersma are seated at the front with their drummer Erik Woudwijk at the back. They will not get up for the whole set, even though some people are asking them to stand. It has a nice touch though, seeing them sitting like this, emphasising this new more mellow direction. The stage at the small hall in Paradiso is quite low though, so it is hard to see them when you're not standing at the front.

The three young men have their new sound completely figured out and it sounds amazing live as well. They have some electronica to help them out in the parts where things like keys are added. This is a band who are able to harmonise the vocals together with their instruments. No longer will you hear wild eruptions but soft ringing guitars and gentle drum rolls. They manage to mould it all together into a lovely fuzzy sound. Repeating elements are emphasised with staccato drum grooves where the harmonising vocals from both van de Velde and Elgersma are swimming in lots of reverb.

The trio can steer their music into any direction, keeping it small and quiet, then slowly letting it swell into something bigger without ever really letting it roar or explode. This unique band proves they understand the elements of music that allow you to make things interesting. It makes their songs exciting and little works of art. The lighter pop sound suits them well and we should treasure a group as talented as The Homesick.

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On Stage: Brothers Of A Feather @ THT

The American rock band The Black Crowes always knew turbulent times. It went through numerous line-up changes and had several break ups. The core of the band are the Robinson brothers, whose relationship is not easy. Whenever the two don't get along, the band goes through a rough period. In 2015 the group disbanded due to an argument between the brothers. Last year the duo suddenly announced their reconciliation and a 2020 The Black Crowes tour with a whole new backing band to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their successful debut album Shake Your Moneymaker. Now the two brothers are sharing the stage for an acoustic tour as "Brothers of a Feather".

Brothers Of A Feather at Paradiso Noord Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, February 15 2020

Singer Chris Robinson states that not many people expected the brothers to appear on stage together so soon. Indeed I wasn't expecting it either, especially a show with just the two of them. I'm happy though to see the brothers are getting along again and are playing together, since they make great music and are always getting the best out of each other. Chris is the outgoing front man and singer, chatting to the crowd, while Rich is the more quiet one.

You can tell they have been making music together all of their lives and complete each other. Rich's groovy rhythm guitar is the base for every song and he sometimes adds harmonies to Chris' vocals. The two cut through The Black Crowes' catalogue with lovely versions of big hits like 'Jealous Again', 'Twice As Hard' and 'Remedy'. Also some deeper cuts like 'Nonfiction' and 'Good Friday' are on the setlist. Every song sounds amazing like this, stripped down to their bare core. Chris' powerful voice sounds wonderful with only a single acoustic guitar backing him.

Unfortunately there is quite a lot of chatting going on and Chris asks everyone to shut up. It's very sad that one of the musicians on stage has to ask people to be quiet. Fortunately it does have effect and the chatting dies out. Towards the end the back to back tracks 'Soul Singing' and 'She Talks To Angels' are absolutely gorgeous. The duo returns for an encore playing the only song that is not a The Black Crowes song, Ry Cooder's 'Boomer Song'. This was an incredible night, with the two brothers truly having fun at playing together again. I'm looking forward to this fall a lot when The Black Crowes return to Amsterdam.

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Setlist:
01. Jealous Again
02. Twice as Hard
03. Wiser Time
04. Thorn in My Pride
05. Good Friday
06. Cursed Diamond
07. Hotel Illness
08. Whoa Mule
09. Nonfiction
10. Soul Singing
11. She Talks to Angels
12. Remedy
Encore
13. Boomer's Story (Ry Cooder cover)


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On Stage: Ryley Walker @ THT

No too long ago Ryley Walker visited Amsterdam with his band to promote his latest record Deafman Glance. Not long after that he posted on social media he wasn't doing so well and needed professional help. He went away for a while but fortunately was able to overcome his demons and is now doing an acoustic tour all by himself.

Ryley Walker at Paradiso Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, February 12 2020

The musician certainly looks in better shape tonight than the last time. He has lost weight and seems to be in a much better place. He is cheerful on stage, chatting with the crowd, smiling and laughing a lot. Walker is a great entertainer and has no trouble pleasing the crowd tonight. In between songs he has short funny anecdotes and is cracking lots of jokes. It results in a relaxed atmosphere where Walker is the radiant centre piece.

He is an amazing song writer that is able to compose gorgeous tracks both musically and lyrically. In this acoustic setting this is even more clear and his music is perfect for it. Many songs have lovely guitar intros, intermezzos and solos where Walker is showing his impressive guitar skills. I love the way he builds up his songs around breezy finger picking parts, giving his music a light touch. With his pleasant voice tracks like 'Pimrose Green' and 'The Roundabout' wrap themselves around you. It truly is music to lose yourself and wallow in.

There are also a couple of covers tonight, John Martyn's 'Over The Hill' and Tim Hardin's 'If I Were A Carpenter'. You can leave it to Walker to do them truly justice and make them fit into his own catalogue perfectly. He is a gifted musician and I love his music. It's good to see he's doing well and hopefully he will be back soon to treat us to his lovely songs and maybe some new music too.

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On Stage: Supergrass @ Paradiso

When Blur and Oasis were fighting for Britpop domination halfway the nineties, there was a whole bunch of bands trying to ride the waves they were making. One of the most fun bands to come from that were Supergrass who made uplifting songs with a lot of refreshing energy. It was a real shame they called it a day ten years ago. Fortunately they have reunited again and are playing my hometown a visit.

Supergrass at Paradiso Amsterdam, February 8 2020

According to the band they will not be making new music but will only play live for a while. I'm not sure this means they are doing it for money or for reliving their glory years. I don't really care since I finally get to see this band play, that I never got to see before (at least not that I can recall). Most of the nights the band is kicking off with 'In It For The Money', showing plenty tongue in cheek. However drummer Danny Goffey is ill (maybe partied too hard on his birthday the day before?), so they cut their set a bit shorter, by only one song though.

The band is taking their time to warm up and build up their set. The first couple of songs are a bit hesitant and the crowd also has to warm up. 'Moving' however breaks the ice and the crowd and the band really connect for the first time. After that it only gets better and the quartet bring the nineties back to life with their amazing songs.

Since this group has plenty of catchy well written songs, full of hooks, wonderful melodies and rocking choruses. Even a song like 'Late In The Day' that is halfway the set, which starts like a ballad, will eventually turn into a swinging pop song. The crowd is now totally into it and the best is yet to come. The band saved their biggest hits 'til the end and 'Grace', 'Alright', 'Pumping On Your Stereo', 'Sun Hits The Sky' and 'Lenny' follow back to back leading into a delightful climax until the band leaves the stage.

They return for two more songs and close the night with a rough version of 'Strange Ones' that tells the story of tonight. The story of a band that knows how to write a great song and makes it sound even better live on stage. So maybe they won't write any more of these songs, but hopefully they will keep playing the ones from their current catalogue for a while.

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Setlist:
01. I’d Like to Know
02. Diamond Hoo Ha Man
03. Mary
04. Moving
05. Time
06. Sitting Up Straight
07. Mansize Rooster
08. St. Petersburg
09. Late in the Day
10. Richard III
11. Going Out
12. Low C
13. Lose It
14. She's So Loose
15. Grace
16. Alright
17. Pumping on Your Stereo
18. Sun Hits the Sky
19. Lenny
Encore
20. Caught by the Fuzz
21. Strange Ones


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On Stage: De Dijk @ Paradiso

Of course we went to see Dutch rock band De Dijk this year again. Although it has been over two weeks ago and I don't have anything to add after seeing them play numerous times, I don't want to skip this event. So here are some of the pictures I took of this amazing band!

De Dijk at Paradiso Amsterdam, December 13 2019

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On Stage: BRUUT! + Anton Goudsmit @ Paradiso

Jazz quartet BRUUT! play their jazz music with a rock attitude and indeed many songs are swinging and rocking. The foursome always wanted to record and play with one of the best guitarists in The Netherlands, Anton Goudsmit. Now they got their chance and recorded a jazz surf LP with him, appropriately titled Go Surfing and are playing around the clubs.

BRUUT! with Anton Goudsmit at Paradiso Amsterdam, December 11 2019

I've seen BRUUT! play several times and really like their exciting music a lot. I've also seen Anton Goudsmit play before and his guitar skills are amazing. On stage he's a delight to watch and I can't wait to see him in this formation tonight. A blue neon sign depicting three waves at the back leaves no doubt that tonight is all about surf music. Jazz and surf music sounds like a match made in heaven. Tonight these guys prove it definitely is.

No better man than Goudsmit to let his guitar go under water. Of course we know he can play some mean surf guitar and he's totally in his element. I love his facial expressions when he's playing and his happy head. He makes music look like so much fun, which it is of course. His style is very contagious while his fingers sometimes pick the strings at lightning speed. The other members are clearly enjoying his company as they are throwing smiles around all the time.

The quartet themselves are a great band which shows once more. Fronted by sax player Maarten Hogenhuis, these musicians know how to have fun too. They play the songs with a lot of energy and definitely got their groove on. There are some typical BRUUT! songs on the setlist, which have been rearranged to include guitar and a lot of surf ingredients. A song like 'Baha' lends itself perfectly for this treatment.

Not only their own songs but some jazz standards got reworked as well like Charles Mingus' 'Boogie Stop Shuffle'. Even some popular songs got the jazz surf (or surf jazz?) treatment and are almost unrecognisable. We can hear Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' with some Ennio Morricone added to it. There is James Brown's 'Choo Choo Locomotion' and then there are some surf classics that maybe never sounded better. Brian Wilson's 'Surfer Girl' and Dick Dale's 'King of the Surf Guitar' are absolute classics.

The band throws in some extras that are not on the album: the 'Hawaii Five-O' theme and Dick Dale's legendary 'Misirlou', made even more famous by Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. BRUUT! and Goudsmit's music on this LP could easily be the soundtrack to one of his movies. It is definitely a swinging and fun album, that sounds even better live. The quintet throws in some beach balls at the end and the surf party is complete. Now if only we could have surf weather. Surf's up!

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25 Years of Toutpartout @ Paradiso

Belgian booking agency Toutpartout are celebrating their 25th anniversary by throwing a party with some of the bands they represent. With acts like Whispering Sons, STAKE and Raketkanon on the bill I'm definitely going to check those out.

25 Years of Toutpartout at Paradiso Amsterdam, December 4 2019

STAKE

I arrive at the venue when STAKE have just started. They are playing the small hall that is chuck full and I can't even come near a spot from where I can see the band. After a couple of minutes I manage to squeeze myself in and can enjoy the band without a problem. Arisen from the ashes of Stake Number Eight they changed their name and musical direction. "Sometimes you have to kill something off to start something new" and sludge metal was exchanged for grunge, although I find it more a shift into punk hardcore territory mixed with post-metal. No matter what the label is, it suits the band well who are still playing with incredible energy. The explosive songs bounce around the small hall which stays full until the end. It's a courageous move the band has made but it looks like it paid off. I certainly hope so and want to see more of these guys.



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Whispering Sons

It's the fourth time I get to see this band this year, who have left quite a mark on the alternative scene in the lowlands. Without a doubt they had an amazing year, where their name took off like a rocket. The classic new wave is a great find and the young band have worked out their industrial new wave sound really well. It isn't subtle, although guitar player Kobe Lijnen's guitar lines and riffs do add enough detail to the somewhat blunt sound. And of course singer Fenne Kuppens is amazing with her low voice and passionate performance. She's the shining white centre point of the band, whose other members are all dressed in black. The dark new wave songs sound good again tonight and I'm curious where this band is going next.



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Raketkanon

This Belgian band are a unique group that unfortunately have announced this year to call it a day after their current club show. It's even hard to describe what this band is about. Noiserock with psychedelic elements, electronic elements, lots of craziness, but at the same time very clever, tight and complex. Some songs remind me of Primus, with incredible funky grooves and heavy riffs. Singer Pieter-Paul Davos is bouncing around and off stage, sometimes whispering, then screaming. His band follows him in this rollercoaster of noise and heavy music, but it always stays together. Still it somehow seems to make sense as well, which is a huge compliment. Too bad this band are calling it quits, since groups like this aren't wide spread.



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On Stage: Jungle By Night

I remember when I saw Jungle By Night for the first time. It was a free performance at the traveling theatre festival De Parade and must have been around nine years ago. Nine teenagers played refreshing and swinging afrobeat songs and I loved it. The boys have grown up and are now celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Jungle By Night at Paradiso Amsterdam, November 28 2019

They looked quite shy back then and a little surprised by the enthusiastic response they were getting from all the people who were dancing to their music. Afrobeat wasn't exactly a hip music genre at the time but had a bit of an old fashioned image. I'd like to think that this band had a part in changing that, transforming it into a modern and exciting music genre, loved by many young people. Tonight the band is partying, celebrating ten years of hard work that paid off. Since the band is traveling the world now, playing lots of shows, making people dance all around the globe.

Their music has transformed as well, exploring new grounds, from seventies funk to psychedelic and space disco. Many of the band members have attended music colleges and all have grown into incredible musicians. Now the young men aren's shy any more, but stand on stage with a lot of confidence and a ton of experience. Fortunately not everything has changed, because the youthful enthusiasm and sheer joy in playing and performing their music together is still there, judging from the happy faces on stage.

It's a delight to see this band play and to have witnessed it grow into this well-oiled hot swinging groove machine it is today. Every single one of them gets a moment in the spot lights today and they all eagerly take this moment to shine. The horns section is of course very important and boy, trumpet player Bo Floor's sound is amazing. The engine of this band is without a doubt the rhythm section that makes sure the groove never stops. There's a lot of percussion which lifts this groove even more and spices up the music.

Guitar player Jac van Exter and keys player Pyke Pasman add the sparkle, that pinch of magic which is the icing on this tasteful cake. Tonight the band makes this cake even more tastier, turning it into a proper birthday cake. They play for more than two hours and turn the sold out venue into a true dancing party, a lovely celebration of their music. Everyone inside is more than willing to party with them and dance to the irresistible grooves. Fortunately the band assures us they still have no intension to slow down and promises to celebrate their next anniversary in ten years time again on this same spot. Of course I'm so there!

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On Stage: Temples @ THT

Ever since psych rock band Temples released their debut LP Sun Structures back in 2014 I've been keeping an eye on this band. I like their music a lot but the one time I saw them play at Best Kept Secret I wasn't really convinced about their live performance. Now they have their third record out, Hot Motion, which is full of great psych rock and pop songs once again. Time to see them play live again.

Temples at Paradiso Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, November 18 2019

By now the band officially is a trio, without a permanent drummer after Samuel Toms left the band in 2018. The band was already touring with Dutch drummer Rens Ottink, who you may know from his band PAUW. Clearly he brought a few friends with him tonight, who want to see him play. Ottink is a worthy add-on to the line up and fits right in with his retro style, playing tight grooves in a loose and relaxed way.

The band, fronted by James Bagshaw, looks and sounds energetic, playing their songs with a lot of fire. Those songs sound amazing, with the clear harmonies and the nice voice of Bagshaw. The band switches easily between sixties style psychedelic pop songs and seventies style heavier rock. Every single song seems to have some kind of hook and lovely melodies, which make them sound so good.

The foursome work their way through the setlist smoothly, without many breaks, except for the occasional guitar change. Bagshaw changes to a twelve string guitar occasionally, that is perfect for this fuzzy sound. Adam Smith adds another layer of guitar or keys and Thomas Walmsley completes the rhythm section with Ottink for the catchy grooves. It all combines into a contagious mix that you just have to bop your head to at the very least. Temples already had their sound down and now they certainly have their live performance down now as well, proving that tonight with a solid show at a sold out Paradiso THT.

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Setlist:
01. The Howl
02. Certainty
03. A Question Isn't Answered
04. You're Either on Something
05. Colours to Life
06. Holy Horses
07. The Golden Throne
08. Atomise
09. The Beam
10. Oh the Saviour
11. Context
12. Keep in the Dark
13. Shelter Song
14. Hot Motion
Encore:
15. Mesmerise


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On Stage: Fatoumata Diawara @ Paradiso

Malian artist Fatoumata Diawara had to leave her country to become a an actress. Or actually to stay one, since she was already performing when she was young. In the very religious Mali her parents didn't want her to sing and act, but instead she should start a family like a good devout young woman is supposed to. In France her acting career took off and she taught herself to play the guitar. She recorded two solo albums and her amazing talent didn't stay unnoticed for long. Now she's returning to Paradiso where I saw her several years ago.

Fatoumata Diawara at Paradiso Amsterdam, November 17 2019

Diawara is a very charismatic artist that spreads a lot of energy and good vibes. Her wonderful voice and beautiful smile is winning over everyone within no time. Her lovely songs are about the many problems Africa faces, including her homeland Mali, but also about the positive things happening there. Sometimes she introduces a song with a small story about its background. This is not only very interesting but also necessary since she sings mostly in the Malian language Wassoulou and I don't know what the songs are about.

Her band consists of very skilled musicians, that play the songs with a lot feeling. The African style songs really come alive on this cold November night here in Paradiso and bring the African sun instead. Diawara is the radiating centre of this band, who is firing up the crowd and her band members, moving around stage all the time. Her African dancing is full of energy, wildly tossing her hair around. At the same time she's showing her guitar skills, playing impressive solos.

With only two albums out, there still is a large variety in sound. There are highlife and afro-beat songs, folk songs, intimate ballads and uptempo dance tunes. All the time it has this lovely West-African vibe that I love so much with the playful tingling guitar lines. Diawara is making everyone clap along, dance along and jump along with her as she's leading with a big smile on her face.

Every musician gets a chance to show his amazing skills with impressive solos. The bassist makes his bass growl and slaps the hell out of it during his solo. The guitar player is going Jimi Hendrix and the drummer copies every line Diawara sings to his drum kit. After finishing the set, Diawara is not allowed to leave without playing an encore and of course she is happily returning to the stage for one more song, inviting some people over to dance with her. We can be really thankful she had the courage to chase her dreams.

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On Stage: TaxiWars @ THT

After a successful club tour with dEUS celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Ideal Crash, Tom Barman is on the road again. This time he shares the stage with his buddies from TaxiWars, the exciting jazz combo he already released two albums with.

TaxiWars at Paradiso THT Amsterdam, November 9 2019

The band has just released their new LP Artificial Horizon and are doing a club tour around it. The last time I saw them three years back they were playing the small Bitterzoet venue, but this time they have moved to the larger Paradiso North which has filled up nicely. It’s not that common that jazz quartets fill up venues like this, especially when they are not world famous.

It’s for a good reason though, since it is a lot of fun seeing this band play. Robin Verheyen is playing amazing and expressive solos on his tenor sax, really blowing the most crazy notes. Most of the songs also have stunning grooves, that are really funky and give the tracks a sense of agitation. Both bass player Nicolas Thys and drum player Antoine Pierre make these grooves sound so good and make them stand out.

Barman uses theses grooves for his lyrics that he’s singing and talk singing, this way emphasising the agitation. At the same time he’s doing funky dances around stage. Clearly he’s totally into it, continuing his dancing even when he’s watching from the side, when the band leads into a solo. It’s really nice to see how this group loves playing together.

Verheyen is sometimes switching to piano for slower songs or to add an extra layer to the groove. Some songs are almost funky pop tunes spiced up with jazz. The quartet shows a lot of creativity in their music, that could easily feature in one of David Lynch’s movies. Tonight this venue turns into a smoky jazz club from a film noir movie for one and a half hour, and it's wonderful.

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