On Stage: Parquet Courts @ Paradiso

Another great album Human Performance was released by Parquet Courts this year. The band keeps knocking them out effortlessly, as if it comes really easy to them. They are also known for good live shows but after seeing them a few times they haven't been able to convince me yet. Maybe it was the wrong moment on the festivals I've seen them play. Time to see if Paradiso can get the best out of them.

Parquet Courts at Paradiso Amsterdam, June 23 2016

Dutch newest sensation Canshaker Pi are opening tonight so I make sure to arrive at the venue on time. These youngsters managed to create quite a buzz and their music sounds thrilling indeed. On stage they are a ball of energy and the laid back rock songs gain extra bite. It's nice to see more and more young bands embrace this sound from the nineties and bring it into this era. Keep an eye out for this band.

The crowd is definitely ready for the main act now. The band starts out a bit slow and I always have to get into their indifferent style. You can hear why there songs are so good though with subtle elements like little keyboard parts. A guy climbs the stage to stage dive and kicks down one of the microphones. Of course this is a dumb move that seems to annoy the band. Especially Austin Brown seems to be real grumpy about it. The band takes long breaks between songs now to complain about it. When a beer lands on stage it makes their mood even worse and they are now really testing the crowd. When a girl shouts “shut the fuck up” it doesn't really help.

It doesn't improve the band who are now playing their songs on routine. Especially the slower ones are now missing their effect. Halfway the set there's a short rebound when they play a few aggressive songs in a row showing their quality. But this band comes across as provoked and nothing can save the night anymore. The end of the set is better again but the band finishes their set and quickly leave the stage. Sometimes testing your audience can help to keep them focused but tonight Parquet Courts were just in a bad mood. Hopefully I get to see them some day when they are at their best.



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New Sounds: Parkay Quarts - Content Nausea

It's them boys of Parquet Courts again, this time as Parkay Quarts, with some new music. And every time they deliver, you want to listen to it. So here you go and listen to Content Nausea:





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Rock Werchter 2014 Day 4: Dancing In The Rain

On the last day of the festival we wake up to a nice sunny day. But the forecast is one that expects heavy rain storms. We'll just see about that. Nothing our friend Joe Piler can't fix. Here we go!

Rock Werchter 2014 Sunday, July 6 2014



Reignwolf
On the main stage a small band is opening the day. Reignwolf is the project of Jordan Cook. It starts out as a three man band, while Cook is climbing a loose bass drum at the front of the stage. His music is blues and classic rock and indeed he can howl like a wolf. Then the other band members leave the stage and Cook gets freaky. He's playing guitar while at the same time holding his microphone. Or he's playing the bass drum at the same time. Or, sure why not, he's actually behind the drum kit playing it, while playing the guitar and singing. This guy is a one man band! It's pretty impressive and quite entertaining. Still I want to see other bands so I leave before the end.



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Oscar & The Wolf
I want to see the Belgian band Oscar & The Wolf, who make nice dreampop songs that take you away to tropical islands. And the stage looks exactly like that with palm trees scattered around and mostly red and green lights. Their music is the kind where you close your eyes and let it carry you away. It may not sound too exciting or energetic but the band succeeds in creating that tropical atmosphere, the high temperature inside helps too, with sultry versions of their music.



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Parquet Courts
And now for something completely different. No tropical atmosphere with Parquet Courts, but excellent punk rock songs. Their new album Sunbathing Animal shows more depth and melody while it still sounds powerful. The four guys play them quite convincingly, although it doesn't light the fuse as you would expect. That's because the band doesn't exactly go wild on stage. Still because of their strong repertoire it is a nice show, but could have been a lot better.



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Royal Blood
There are only two musicians in Royal Blood and still they know how to produce a very big and solid sound. Singer and guitar player Mike Kerr uses a heavily distorted bass guitar to lay down heavy riffs where drummer Ben Thatcher is putting very tight grooves on top. The duo from Brighton are convincingly playing their blues rock songs and have no trouble entertaining the full tent. It's remarkable how these two can create this sound by just the two of them.



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Bastille
We take a break and have some food outside the festival side. While we're inside a tent to eat, a heavy rain storm passes by. We're lucky that we can sit this one out. We return to the main stage for Bastille, where the side has turned into mud and everyone is soaking wet. It's still raining, but not that bad anymore. No one is letting the rain get them down. It seems as everyone is eager to party anyway and Bastille has no trouble making the people dance. Their music isn't that brilliant or special but it's the right band at the right place at the moment.



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Franz Ferdinand
Although we have seen Franz Ferdinand twice in the last couple of weeks, we decide to go see them instead of Foals anyway. Not because we don't like Foals, on the contrary, but because we don't want to go inside another full tent. And of course because Franz Ferdinand never disappoints. It's the same set as the previous time, which is a perfect festival set. Again it doesn't miss its effect at all. The build-up in the beginning with some hits, then the middle part with some more down tempo songs, followed by the big blog at the end where the field explodes. Any festival should try to book this band.



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Kings Of Leon
We want to have a look at MGMT, but the tent is too full. We stand outside for a bit, but then decide to go check out Kings of Leon. The band is bigger than ever and you know what you're going to get. They play a decent set with many of their hits and some songs of their successful but quality wise poorer last few albums. We can even see Caleb Followill smile a few times. But the band just doesn't add a lot to the live experience. There are no surprises, no improvisations, everything is well rehearsed. It is actually quite boring. I wish they would spice it a up and look for a bit of adventure.



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Interpol
It looks like Interpol have found their balance again. After Carlos Dengler left the band, it was as if Interpol was somewhat disoriented. Today they prove there's still enough fire in them to play a convincing set. Their songs sound dark and threatening again, full of tension and power. The new song the band is playing, sounds promising and I'm really looking forward to their new album later this year.



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Stromae
Although it looked as if Kings of Leon were the headliner today, actually Stromae is the one to close the festival. And although some people were questioning it, no doubt he deserves it. It may be a risky choice by the Rock Werchters programmers, but one that works out great. From seemingly nowhere he rocketed into the spot lights last year with his hit 'Formidable'. And he proves to be a wonderful entertainer. I don't like his music too much, especially the songs that are more or less eurotrance, but boy what a great artist. His mimicry is great, the way he acts on stage, everything looks magnificent. He's a worthy ending to another great edition of this festival.



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What a blast it was again. I wonder though, why the festival didn't really celebrate their 40th anniversary or give it more attention. But maybe they wanted to let the line-up speak for itself, since it worked out in a great way. The crowd is always lovely here, full of energy, and many bands did feel this and played great sets. But next year we won't be there. We can't handle the four day camping anymore and we want to try out some new festivals. But I'm sure we will return some day to this wonderful place.

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Rock Werchter 2014 Day 1
Rock Werchter 2014 Day 2
Rock Werchter 2014 Day 3

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New Sounds: Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal

Rockers Parquet Courts already dropped a few tracks including the title track of their upcoming album Sunbathing Animal that is due out next week promising another energetic and aggressive album. Now you can already stream the full album. It actually sounds less aggressive and more melancholic. Listen and judge for yourself below.



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ITGWO 2013 Day 2: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Today it's less hot and sunny. I'm in doubt whether to go for a swim, but decide not to, since it feels too chilly. We still have time for some breakfast in the small village at the harbour before we make our way into the woods for the first band.

Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 2, September 7 2013



Elephant Stone
Front man Rishi Dhir of Canadian band Elephant Stone has Indian roots. You can hear this in their psychedelic music. He's also playing the sitar which he brought along with him. For a while he sticks to playing the bass though. Their music couldn't sound better between the trees. The songs are full of reverb and fuzz and take you away from this planet. It reminds of The Beatles' psychedelic period at the end of their career. Halfway Dhir is finally sitting down on the small riser to play the remarkable Indian instrument, his legs crossed. It's the perfect instrument for this psychedelic music and a very nice twist.

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traumahelikopter
We go to the stage in the dunes, for a series of bands playing here in a row. You don't expect a punk band on this relaxed and idyllic festival, where small kids are experiencing their first live shows. But traumahelikopter don't care and will play any stage. And once again do a great job with their short and energetic punk songs. Kids are watching in awe, while their dads pogo in the mosh pit. One dad is even teaching his son how to join in. Singer Mark Lada is joking this is oldest crowd they ever played. He's trying out the length of his mic cable, jumps off stage and into the dunes. He is going to the top of the slope where small paper windmills are spinning in the wind. Two are pulled from the sand for the way back. Later guitar player Daan van Dalen jumps off stage as well, hands his guitar to a flabbergasted young lad and makes for his usual round of crowd surfing. The threesome prove that even punk music has its place at ITGWO.



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Parquet Courts
And why not continue that way with more punk music? Parquet Courts made a great record with spiky vigorous punk and garage rock songs. However in the beginning the boys seem a bit detached from the crowd, despite a small group at the front going mental. It gets better during the performance. Guitarist Austin Brown is singing some songs, but his vocals aren't really strong. The angry looking Andrew Savage (what's in a name) is a more convincing singer. His vocals are more aggressive and give the songs the right amount of bite. It's not a perfect performance, but it does show the band is capable of writing good rock songs.

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Dawes
Time to take it slow now. Dawes are playing rootsy country and blues songs. It actually is quite pleasant, but after a few songs it all sounds alike. The band isn't exactly charismatic either and after a while I'm getting quite bored with it. With this kind of music it could have been so much better on this stage in the dunes.

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Daniel Norgren
Swedish blues musician Daniel Norgren is doing a lot better later on with intense blues music. While picking his guitar, he's working a few pedals for the bass and snare drum. The only other band member, Anders Grahn, is adding contrabass to it. They both look like to be coming from some farmer's state in the US, with their lumberjack shirt and baseball caps. Norgren is mostly singing with his eyes closed, completely feeling his music. They both manage to keep most of the rain out and in the end get rewarded by a big round of applause and a beautiful rainbow.

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The Black Angels
When the dark sets in, the dune stage transforms in an even more atmospheric place. It turns out to be the perfect setting for The Black Angels. Their dark psychedelic songs are not missing impact. Red and purple lights are keeping the band in the shade. Vocals full of reverb are echoing across the dunes, while the band dives into lengthy jams. We're happily drifting along and slowly get lost in the gloomy sounds.

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Miles Kane
You wouldn't expect Miles Kane to be playing this festival. Although the program so far proved that louder rock bands can work well too. But the crowd on the sports field is a hard one. It is willing to party, however aren't typical rock fans. Kane is working hard like always. There just isn't a connection with the people tonight. Instead of trying to adjust to the more relaxed and intimate vibes, he seems to turn it up even more. Normally I like his music and performance a lot and don't mind his typical British arrogance. But tonight it just doesn't work. Hopefully he will be more convincing next month for his club show in Amsterdam

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Tonight we decide to take a look at the beach, where there are some camp fires lit. There's even a DJ playing on an improvised DJ desk. The music is faltering a lot due to some power restrictions I assume. The growing number of people doen't seem to mind. We have beer at one of the camp fires and then decide to call it a day. I'm pretty sure the rainbow we saw earlier struck gold right on the island today.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 1
Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 3

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