Best Kept Secret 2018 Day 2

After a very good first day I am preparing for a very busy one. My time schedule is pretty much impossible so I'm gonna have to go with the flow and see how this day develops. One thing is for sure: this should be a good one. Best Kept Secret 2018 Day 2, June 9 2018

Omni

After that amazing first day we can use a band that will wake us up and put is in the right mood again. Omni are the right band for this. Their post rock with unexpected breaks and changes is a hookier and lighter version of Ought with a bit of Lou Reed in there, that sometimes has a restless feel. Frontman Philip Frobos has a very laid back style of playing his bass and singing. And laid back is exactly what we need right now.



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Bully

Fronted by ‎Alicia Bognanno, Bully don’t look like they are going to be laid back. I like their nineties Seattle grunge sound with a pop coating and their new LP Losing is pretty good. On stage it misses a bit of an edge although Bognanno is screaming on top of her lungs now and then. At the end of their show the band do let things rip for a final climax.



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Johan

Whenever I get the chance to see Johan play I’m gonna be there. Many people have turned up at the second biggest stage of the festival to see this wonderful band. The new songs of their latest album already sound familiar to the fans and the rest of the crowd can appreciate them as well. Old hit songs are greeted with loud cheers. Johan has no problem handling larger stages like this.



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Wolf Alice

On the main stage Wolf Alice return to this festival for the third time. In a few years time this band has grown pretty big, especially in their home country across the canal. The young group shows why they are getting this big with very good songs and a confident performance. Ellie Rowsell is a strong and at the same time charming front woman. All band members show a lot of energy and heart on stage. It is hot in the sun this afternoon but Wolf Alice make sure no one is dozing off. After the show we quickly run over to the other side to see Pip Blom play. The young woman with her equally young band have already started her last song unfortunately but by the looks of it she did very well.

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Mattiel

After seeing Mattiel play London Calling recently I really want to check her out again. Dressed in a red overall she impresses me again with her no nonsense attitude and incredible band. I know some people don’t really like her voice but when you do, it is clear how good her songs are. The compact soul and rock songs with a garage style approach go down pretty good.



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Downtown Boys

Today we kind of stick around stage five mostly since there are so many exciting bands lined up here. One of them is Downtown Boys who released a very good album earlier this year. Live the political songs about living in the USA nowadays sound even more urgent. Singer Victoria Ruiz’ stage presence is full of fire but very positive at the same time. The mostly Spanish lyrics sound fierce while she’s dancing around stage. Backed up by a very focused and lively band the leave a lasting impression.



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Cocaine Piss

Cocaine Piss is keeping the fire going with a aggressive and powerful performance. Singer Aurélie Poppins is a ball of energy bouncing around screaming her lyrics on top of short punk songs that the band fires at us. At the same time this is a very positive show as well, with a band that are heaven so much fun. At the end Poppins runs off stage and lands at my feet halfway the tent with a huge smile on her face and dripping from sweat. It’s a fitting end to the last show of our run at this stage. Time to make our way to the main stage.

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The National

When you’ve seen this band play you know you’re up for something good. By now they are a most wanted headliner since they will always deliver big. Tonight the band is even at their best with a very relaxed Matt Berninger who is in a good mood. While the sun sets the dark songs sound even better than ever. The crowd is totally into it and in the quiet parts of songs you can hardly hear anything as everyone listens to Berninger’s dark voice baring his soul. Traditionally this tour the band ends with an acoustic and unplugged version of ‘Vanderlyde Baby Cry’ at the front of the stage while the whole crowd joins in. It’s an impressive ending to this amazing day, one that was dominated by bands fronted by powerful ladies. Time to hit The Casbah again!



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Best Kept Secret Festival 2018 Day 1
Best Kept Secret Festival 2018 Day 3

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Top 10 Albums 2017

The year is almost over so most end of the year lists have been published by now, except mine. Here it is!

1. Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent
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2. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Murder of the Universe
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3. METZ - Strange Peace
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4. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
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5. St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION
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6. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
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7. The National - Sleep Well Beast
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8. The Homesick - Youth Hunt
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9. Motorpsycho - The Tower
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10. Father John Misty - Pure Comedy
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On Stage: The National @ AFAS Live

The last time The National were touring, they shared updates on what equipment broke during their shows. Microphones had to be replaced the most, which shouldn't come as a surprise when you saw singer Matt Berninger handling them. His intense way of singing included dropping mics, kicking the stand and pounding it against his head. These passionate performances together with their lush songs are exactly the reason why I love them so much.

The National at AFAS Live Amsterdam, October 25 2017

The new LP Sleep Well Beast doesn't really show a drastic change of direction, but it does introduce new elements to their music. Especially the arrangements of the songs are more adventurous and gives their sound more variation and depth. Tonight the band kicks off with four tracks of that album in a row and will end up playing almost the whole album, only skipping 'Dark Side Of The Gym'.

It shows the band is confident about their new album and songs and for a good reason, since it is one of their best. It also brings the same variation into their show where dark and slow songs like the gorgeous 'I Need My Girl' and 'This Is The Last Time' are followed by the more playful 'Turtleneck'. The horns sounds so wonderful in the new songs and you have to give a lot of kudos to the Dessner brothers who compose the songs. It is clear they have some very creative and musical minds.

It could be the Dutch weed, referenced by Berninger when he mentions he loves Amsterdam, but the band looks very relaxed on stage, more loose than I have ever seen them. Maybe it's also because by now they don't have to prove anything any more, after a string of very successful albums. It especially makes Berninger a bit less focused as he messes up his lyrics a few times. On the other hand, I really like this relaxed environment, as it makes their show less serious. Maybe it loses a bit of its intensity but I think the variation in the music makes up for that.

Berninger spends even more time in the crowd, filming with someone's phone and travelling quite a bit of distance. In one of the encores he even makes it all the way to the bar. The roadies are working hard to guide the mic cable when he does. He still looks quite uneasy on stage when he's not singing, walking nervously in circles like a caged animal. His vocals aren't always in tune, but this is kind of part of his style, always singing on the edge.



An acoustic almost unplugged and gorgeous 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks' without microphone, where the crowd massively joins in, proves his amazing voice and ends the night. Tonight we saw a different The National, one that is having fun on stage and is enjoying every bit of it. I like that a lot and hope to see them next year again at one of the summer festivals.



All Pictures

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Setlist:
01. Nobody Else Will Be There
02. The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
03. Walk It Back
04. Guilty Party
05. Sea of Love
06. Bloodbuzz Ohio
07. Born to Beg
08. I'll Still Destroy You
09. I Need My Girl
10. This Is the Last Time
11. Turtleneck
12. Santa Clara
13. Karen
14. Slow Show
15. Conversation 16
16. Carin at the Liquor Store
17. Day I Die
18. Fake Empire
19. Sleep Well Beast
Encore
20. Empire Line
21. Mr. November
22. Terrible Love
23. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks


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Top 10 Albums 2013

What a great music year 2013 turned out to be. This year we saw wonderful albums coming out and the level was very high. Still the top of my list was crystal clear and I didn't have to go through a lot of trouble to be coming up with the top half.

1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
Nick Cave and his The Bad Seeds simply made a gem of a record. Push The Sky Away is a highlight in his catalogue. Does he ever make a bad record?
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2. Arctic Monkeys - AM
Arctic Monkeys announced their new record would be a mix of Dr. Dre and Black Sabbath. That sounds pretty bad, but turns out to be a brilliant combination.
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3. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
There was no way around Arcade Fire this year, so much is clear. With a thought-through pr-campaign they drew everyone's attention. And then that record. Pretentious? For sure. Bombastic? Absolutely. But also very good and surprising.
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4. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
Of absolute beauty is The National's album. It is full of gems, that make you listen breathlessly.
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5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
UMO made an impression with their second record, simply titled II. It is a nice combination of psychedelics and nice guitar playing.
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6. White Denim - Corsicana Lemonade
White Denim show what they're made of again on Corsicana Lemonade. It's full of virtuous rock songs played by great musicians.
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7. Jacco Gardner - Cabinet of Curiosities
There were also many nice Dutch productions again this year. Our own Jacco Gardner even drew attention across the border. His psychedelic baroque pop record Cabinet of Curiosities is an atmospheric album filled with beautiful songs and sounds.
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8. Queens Of The Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
Josh Homme looked death into the eyes and this eventually resulted in ...Like Clockwork. A nice and varied record that not only has pounding rock songs but also leaves room for reflection.
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9. Mikal Cronin - MCII
Mikal Cronin no longer stands in Ty Segall's shadow after releasing MCII, that has nice fuzzy pop songs on it.
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10. Automatic Sam - Sonic Whip
Dutch rock band Automatic Sam shows with Sonic Whip why they are one of the most interesting rock bands in this country. And also one of the most underrated ones if you ask me.
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The bottom half of this list was a lot more difficult. That's why I also want to mention De Staat's I_CON, Floating Coffin by Thee Oh Sees and Parquet Courts' Light Up Gold. They missed this list only by an inch. Looking forward to a new year of releases. Happy New Year!

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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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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!

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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.



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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.

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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.



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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.

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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.



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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!



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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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