Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3

Last night's sudden and nasty end of the second day had one advantage: I had a great night's sleep and am totally ready for day 3! Not after we had bacon and eggs of course and a lot of coffee. This is going to be a long day! No, really, it's midsummernight so it's the longest day.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3, June 21 2015

Although I slept a good night I don't make it in time for Johnny Greenwood and the London Contemporary Orchestra, which is too bad because it would have been quite nice.



Marmozets
Instead we end up at the main stage for something completely different. Marmozets are going full force with powerful rock songs and singer Becca Macintyre is screaming her lungs out. It's not really crowded yet and the rain that is falling at one point doesn't help. But it gives us a good spot at the front to see the band put in a lot of effort. Maybe not all songs are really original, but the band adds so much energy it turns into a fun performance.

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



Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice's name has been buzzing around lately and their first album My Love Is Cool that came out this week, is getting raving reviews. I listened to it a few times now and it had to sink in, but now I love it. The group sounds more heavy and less electronic on stage, with the clear voice of Ellie Rowsell. Once and a while they will take it a bit more slow which balances out the set very nicely. It's a very convincing show and the band wraps the crowd around their finger with great ease. Bought tickets to their show later this year right away.

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



Waxahatchee
Katie Crutchfield recorded her first album in her bedroom. She formed a band to play it live and recently released her third album. Her melancholic music is quite interesting and sounds pretty good. But her band are almost invisible and her performance would have made a bigger impression without them. It's simply not enough to keep your attention, no matter how good the songs are.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify



Alvvays
Canadian band Alvvays are all ready for the summer with their positive music. The dreamy indiepop songs are bit rough around the edges giving them a bit of a bite. I do like the sound, with the feel good tunes, but the band with singer Molly Rankin still look a bit shy on stage. Although I really want to like it and music wise I do, the performance is not impressing me.

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



Black Mountain
Time for some dark and heavy psychedelic rock and Black Mountain are the right band for that. The start of their show is a bit slow, where the band looks kind of static and singer Amber Webber looks a bit lost. But once they are warmed up and get in the groove, the songs become longer and sound more dangerous. Sometimes it's leaning towards Pink Floyd especially when the songs have a dark repeating groove. Guest saxophone player René Evers adds a nice touch to the dark rock songs and in the end this turns out to be a good show.



Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify



Rats on Rafts
One of the most interesting Dutch bands still is Rats On Rafts, the band Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos loves so much. And that's for a good reason since the band's no nonsense new wave punk music is working again today. The band grow into their set and have mixed in more surf music. I still haven't listened to their new record properly, but I really like this sound. I'd rather see them in a small dark club though and I have to leave halfway since I want to see Future Islands as well.

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



Future Islands
It's clear you either love or hate this band, telling from the reactions around me. I love their danceable electronic pop music, although the sound is terrible today. But fortunately Samuel T. Herring's performance makes up for that. Some say it's all just an act, but I think this is actually the way he feels the music. He just has to add the silly dance, the expressions and the grunts. I think he really pulls it out of his soul. It's not their best performance and it's too bad I missed my favourite song 'Sun In The Morning'. Herring pulls another stunt today where he ends the show off stage, runs towards the fence and climbs over to get back stage again.



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



Royal Blood
British rock duo Royal Blood are shooting up in the music scene like a comet and are playing every festival there is this year. That's not bad for a band who formed two years ago and released their first album in August last year. Although the songs not always have a lot of variation, the powerful grooves are too damn good. Live on stage they are knocking them out with great force. Big hit 'Figure It Out' is even early in the set and should set this place on fire. Bass player and singer Mike Kerr looks unhappy with the crowd's response which seems to make him even more determined. If you're into this music like me and the people at the front in the big pit, this show is simply irresistible.



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



Alt-J
We stick around for the big headliner of today, Alt-J. Their music is definitely not my cup of tea which I find simply boring. But of course they have become a big name so there's a large turn up. Despite an impressive light show, their performance is very static and combined with the music it can't grab me at all. Too bad for me, however it seems most people are definitely enjoying the show.



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

Instead we end in style ourselves with white wine and great oysters. By the time we finish them, all our friends have gathered there as well and we make sure today and the festival ends on a big high. This was another great edition of this festival with a lot of good performances, great food, wonderful vibes and a lot of fun. Hopefully they can keep this up and I will keep visiting.

More Pictures

Best Kept Secret Day 1
Best Kept Secret Day 2

Read more!

Into The Great Wide Open 2012 Day 1: Happy To Be Back

We were so lucky to get tickets to this little festival on the Vlieland island off the north coast of the Netherlands. After our first time last year, we couldn't wait to get back to this special place. It sold out in not time and we were really happy to be one of the lucky 5000 able to buy a ticket. And even the weather gods were on our side once again.

Into The Great Wide Open 2012 Day 0, September 6 2012

It was a good choice to book our boat ticket for the day before the official start of the festival, since the organization already booked a few acts to warm us up.



Rats On Rafts
And even this great band was included that I was dying to see. And they don't disappoint for a bit. The band is playing the stage in the forest while it's already dark, which only adds to their 80s new wave punk sound. Vocals and guitars full of reverb break the silence that normally can be heard in these small woods. The foursome are looking determined and confident. The repetitive elements in their songs, suck you into the music, like you're in a trance. A great way to warm up for the festival.

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

Into The Great Wide Open 2012 Day 1, September 6 2012

The first full day of the festival always starts a bit late. So we have plenty of time to try out our bikes and have a nice lunch at the beach. The sun is out and is covering us with a feeling of an endless summer. Time to soak ourselves into the festival vibe.



Anne Soldaat
Many years ago this Dutch musician was part of the highly acclaimed alternative band Daryll-Ann. Now he's on his own and releasing his second album as a solo artist. That self-titled album is full of beautiful songs that are a mix of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. On stage he's bringing an all-star band with keyboard player Matthijs van Duijvenbode (Tim Knol, ex-Johan), guitarist and singer Maurits Westerik (GEM), drummer Bram Hakkens (Kyteman, Dazzled Kid) and bass player Jeroen Overman (Tim Knol). This is a good choice. These confident musicians are looking comfortable and are playing very tight. And their faces are showing they are enjoying it a lot too. Soldaat meanwhile is concentrating on his music that goes down very well on this warm and sunny afternoon.

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



Case Mayfield
It's time again for one of my favourite musicians. He released his début album just over half a year ago but is already planning a new release next month when his second album 10 will come out. Today he's playing the full album on the new stage at the lighthouse stage. This stage is set in a beautiful environment in the dunes down from the lighthouse and with a sea view. A perfect setting for Mayfield's impressive and intimate songs.

It's obvious he's making the transition from solo artist to band leader. The new songs are more of a band effort and sound a bit lighter. Although I like his darker songs best, the new material sounds promising and I'll be eagerly awaiting this release. Mayfield is turning the afternoon into a cheerful one with small chats and his unique combination of a shy appearance with a great sense of humor. Every time I see him play he has grown more confident and it looks like he's enjoying the combination with a band. Mayfield doesn't give his best show ever, but doesn't disappoint at all and I gladly buy the limited 10" after the show. Thanks for the small calculation "10 + 1 - 1 = 10" you wrote on it Case! Time for some amazing grilled mackerel. Did I mention the food is great here?

Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify



Ben Caplan
The heavy bearded Ben Caplan from Canada wasn't on my list to see, but we happen to end up seeing him anyway in the forest. His raspy voice and outgoing stage appearance make him an immediate hit. He knows how to play a crowd and has every one eating from his hand within no time. He's enjoying every minute of it. It's easy to compare him to Tom Waits, because of his folkrock songs and sandpaper voice. But that wouldn't be fair to the master himself. Caplan, who's only 25 which isn't obvious from his appearance, can't come near Waits yet. His songs are too light for that and miss depth. But today, on this amazing forest stage, the balance couldn't be more right. Backed up by his band The Casual Smokers, his roar can be heard far beyond the forest. I bet he will be howling to the moon later tonight.

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



Kampvuur (eng: Campfire)
On that same stage in the woods, writers and musicians are proving that literature and poetry match really well with music. The idea is to combine a writer, who's reciting some stories and poems, with a musician who is supporting it with music. First up are writer Maartje Wortel and Anne Soldaat. Soldaat is combining the absurd story about a couple and their dead dog, with tasteful and subtle guitar playing. Only Wortel's story telling is pretty monotonous and she could make it more exciting.

The second writer is doing it a lot better. Dirk van Weelden is a charismatic writer who confidently puts himself behind the mic. His stories and poems are well written and especially the obituary for Dutch writer Martin Bril is giving many goosebumps. The music by Awkward I, or Djurre de Haan, is well chosen and totally fits. When the electricity goes out, the duo continues unstirred with flash lights. The crowd goes dead quiet so every one can hear them, turning it into an more than impressive moment.





Franz Ferdinand
We leave before the last writer and musician to see the return of britpop band Franz Ferdinand. It's a big name for such a small festival, but I believe they wanted to play on this island so badly, that they worked it out with the organization. It turns into a greatest hits show with a few new songs. If these songs are going to be representative for the next album, we can expect a lot of disco. They even manage to slip in a bit of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'. Singer Alex Kapranos is singing quite a bit off-key tonight, but it isn't really disturbing. The band is looking a lot more relaxed than the last time I saw them. Their time away must have paid off. They are enjoying themselves today, where Kapranos even joined Rats On Rafts on the small stage opposite the one they're playing now. Of course hits like 'Take Me Out' and 'Burn This City' go down well tonight. They look like a garage band again, ready for the world and great music ahead of them. Hopefully this will turn out to be true.



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

Time to head for the camping site's bar to do a little more dancing. And drinking.

More Pictures

Into The Great Wide Open 2012 Day 2
Into The Great Wide Open 2012 Day 3

Read more!