Best Kept Secret 2018 Day 3

The Casbah got the best of me last night so I'm a little slow this morning. But a few litres (yes, we have the metric system over here) of coffee gets me going. So after a while we are heading to the festival site for another glorious day in sunny paradise.

Best Kept Secret 2018 Day 3, June 10 2018

Moaning

Yesterday we spent a lot of time at stage five and we find ourselves back there for the first show of the day with Moaning. Singer and guitarist Sean Solomon looks tiny but packs an amazing baritone. The band have a relaxed and loose way of playing their powerful songs, still the show is very tight. The post-punk songs with fuzzed guitars sound dark and heavy. Once and a while the band goes wild on stage, swinging their guitars around. At the end of the set Solomon balances his guitar on top of his head for the last trick of a very enjoyable show.

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Khruangbin

Since I saw the trio from Houston play the Into The Great Wide Open festival last year the band has created a lot of buzz around them. Their album Con Todo El Mundo is well received and people seem to love the mellow disco and rock n roll sound. I am not that impressed and find it a bit too cheesy and boring. But it has brought them to the second biggest stage of the festival where it has filled up completely, so I'm going to give them another try. Every song is greeted with loud cheers and people are really digging the easy listening tunes. Mark Speer is a skilled guitar player showcasing many styles. I still think it isn't all that special and probably don't really get it.



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Gang Of Youths

I like the Australian band Gang Of Youths a lot better later on at the main stage. It's halfway the afternoon and it's hot in front of the stage at the lake. The band needs to work very hard to keep people going. The band has studied their rock poses well, especially singer David Le’aupepe. In the end it pays off though and people actually start responding to the band's positive energy. Not all songs are great though, especially the mid tempo pop tunes aren't really memorable. But when the band starts rocking heavily, steering close to Bruce Springsteen and The Gaslight Anthem, they actually have something good going on. In the end the band deserves a big hand for energizing the somewhat apathetic crowd.

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Rodriguez

The incredible story about Sixto Rodriguez is the subject of the by now well-known documentary Searching For Sugarman. Although it isn't clear to me if the story was made bigger than it truly is, you really wish the old bluesman the best. But the singer looks lost on stage and isn't really capable of playing a truly good show. The eager crowd really wants to give him everything but the show never really takes off. In the end it is the legend that remains but with a bit of a bitter taste.



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Ty Segall & The Freedom Band

Fortunately Ty Segall lives up to his reputation. The productive rocker even shines in his best matter with an inspired and lively show. With his The Freedom Band he's standing in half a circle so we can only see him from the back from our bad spot all the way to the right of the stage. Segall seems to be going through all his faces today, moving between garage punk, rock, glamrock and some more of his pop tunes. The pit in front of the stage gets bigger and bigger, while crowd surfers keep popping up. His cover of Hot Chocolate's 'Everyone's A Winner' fires them up even more. Segall definitely is a big winner today.

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Spoon

Spoon is one of those bands that simply is made for festivals like this. Their song writing skills are amazing and live those songs sound better than ever. Britt Daniel is a charismatic singer that knows how to play a crowd. Today he has no trouble getting people into their groovy songs. The wonderful 'I Ain't The One' makes everyone hold their breath and this show only has highlights.



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Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Back at stage Two Ruban Nielson and co have started their set. The band has grown bigger and bigger over the years, but they are known for their capricious performances. I've seen great shows by this band, but today they sound a bit messy. Jumping between songs from their entire catalog, the many styles lack coherence and the band seems less focused. Nielson can still rely on his amazing guitar playing though and a string of very good songs. In the end it leaves mixed feelings about this show.



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Father John Misty

Another good album God's Favorite Customer makes me eager to see Father John Misty. He plays a very smooth running set with a tight band, with a lovely brass section. His rich compositions sound lush today with a well balanced set that never goes weary. He is not in a chatty mood but when you have so many great songs, you can let the music do the talking. That's exactly what he does while the sun is slowly setting.

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LCD Soundsystem

After two days of headliners that lived up to their huge reputation, expectations are high for James Murphy and co who are closing the main stage. They played an incredible set of shows at Paradiso last September so I kind of thought what to expect. The band has an out of this world set for us tonight though, one that is aimed at a festival crowd that wants to go all the way one last time at the main stage. All hits are lined up in a smooth running show that never seems to have breaks, except for that short toilet break Murphy announces a few songs too early. The huge disco ball was never more at its place than tonight, which turns into a lovely dancing party filled with good vibes. Murphy is clearly having a lot of fun himself, smiling a lot and cracking a few jokes. This is one of those nights where a band and a crowd totally connect for a wonderful unforgettable party. Last year we saw two dream headliners Arcade Fire and Radiohead on this festival, but LCD Soundsystem was probably the perfect headliner for a close to perfect festival.

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We head to The Casbah one last time that is exploding with energy. This year's edition was one of the best festival experiences I have ever had and one that climaxed with utter joy and positive vibes. The weather turned out to be perfect, the bands were incredible and the crowd was really into it as well. I think I saw a glimpse of paradise this weekend.

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Best Kept Secret Festival 2018 Day 1
Best Kept Secret Festival 2018 Day 2

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Best Kept Secret 2016 Day 3

Finally day three of the festival brings us sunshine and a lot to look forward to. After a crowded and wet day we could do with a little warmth and relaxation.

Best Kept Secret 2016 Day 3, June 19 2016

What better way to start the day with a karaoke? I can think of a few. The Indie Karaoke is actually good fun where people could enter in advance to sing a song with a professional band. So we hear songs from Oasis, The Hyves, Blur and more. The karaoke singers aren't all that good (and they shouldn't be), but put a lot of heart into it and are having a good time. And so are we!

Ryley Walker
We stayed longer at the karaoke than I planned but I manage to catch a few songs by Ryley Walker. I saw him last year and was pleasantly surprised. He's not your regular singer songwriter but brings a lot more to the table. His compositions are well thought through and I like the jazzy vibe his songs have now and then. I'm glad I could catch about 15 minutes of his performance in the very hot stage Three tent.

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Vant
This new band managed to create quite a hype with their catchy poprock songs while they only released a few songs. When you see them play live, it's not that strange that people pick up on them. The young lads are active and energetic on stage and definitely not shy. Their music is catchy but still packs enough meat to chew on. They already look like they have played all the big stages and have studied their rock poses. It results in an entertaining show and the future looks bright for this group.

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Ruban Nielson and his band had quite a year. After their album Multi-Love broke through, it seems they have toured continuously. It didn't wear them out. On the contrary, this is their strongest show I have seen them play. The band sounds tight like always and their set is well balanced. The songs sound even stronger live and it rubs off on the crowd who are greeting the songs with loud cheers. It turns the tent into a festive dancing party.

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Half Moon Run
We end up at the main stage where Half Moon Run wants to start their show, but the stage has a power failure. Only one mic is working so the two singers decide to use that one to do a song with just the two of them. Of course everyone loves this and the band have everyone eating from their hand after that. It's quite nice to hear them play in the sunshine, with their innocent music folk music with beautiful harmonies, but it's not my cup of tea.

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Israel Nash
We head over to the other side of the festival site instead to catch a bit of Israel Nash. Now that's more to my liking. It's good honest Americana and psychedelic rock with lots of character. The band look like they came from the seventies. They bring exactly that vibe to the stage and into their music. Nash's voice is great and the band is wonderful. Really glad to have caught a bit of this.

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Yeasayer
This band from Brooklyn returned with a new album Amen & Goodbye and it's always good to see them play live. I don't know the new album that well yet, but I've always had a weak spot for their mix of catchy electronic music with African and Eastern influences and danceable grooves. I'm glad to find out they still now how to make this mixture sound good on stage. The band looks pretty pleased themselves and especially their hit songs are greeted with loud cheers. Today everybody wins over here.

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Band Of Horses
The right band at the right time at the right spot, that's what happens with Band Of Horses. They are playing the main stage in broad daylight when everyone is buzzing from the booze and in a cheerful mood. The band looks in good shape themselves and their sounds has beefed up quite a bit. The crowd and the band get the best out of each other and when some people bring a life statue of a horse in, things can't go wrong any more. An inspired performance of 'The Funeral' is even moving to hear.

A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!?


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Wilco
Sometimes there are bands that everyone keeps raving about and I simply don't get it. This is the case with Wilco. Yes, they are a good band, but I dont find them that special. I decided to give it another try and although the band plays well I simply don't feel it. According to many it was the best performance of the weekend but I decide to take a look somewhere else.



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Badbadnotgood
We end up at stage Three where Badbadnotgood are playing. It didn't quite grab when I listened to their music but live their mix of jazz and heavy grooves are working quite well. I read a description that called them "crowd surf jazz" or something and that's actually describing it well. Especially the jazzy tunes with great solos are wonderful. It's great to see so many show up and enjoy this explosive show.



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Fat White Family
I try to get a bite to eat but this turns out to take longer than I want to. In the end I make it into the tent way too late and only catch the end of their show. By then the band has already torn the place apart telling from the way the band looks and the way the crowd is going mental. At least it's a good and fitting end of the weekend.

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So there you have it. I end up with mixed feelings about this weekend. We saw some great bands and wonderful music but had trouble finding the vibes we like so much of the pas editions. It seems we are not alone in this and by growing their festival Best Kept Secret may have lost some of their faithful early birds. Sometimes it's better to just keep it a bit of a secret.

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Best Kept Secret 2016 Day 1
Best Kept Secret 2016 Day 2

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Top 10 Albums 2015

Yes, it's that time on the year again where people like to look back and make a best-of-list. 2015 was another great year where I saw many great concerts, heard wonderful music and discovered some new bands on the go. So for what it's worth, here's my top 10 album list. Have a great new year's and let's make 2016 at least as good.

1. D’Angelo - Black Messiah
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2. Tame Impala - Currents
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3. Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect
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4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love
Play in Spotify

5. Daniel Norgren - Alabursy
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6. The Icarus Line - All Things Under Heaven
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7. Ought - Sun Coming Down
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8. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool
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9. Blur - The Magic Whip
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10. John Coffey - The Great News
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Primavera Sound 2015 Day 3

Another glorious day begins with lots of sunshine and smoothies at the beach, followed by some wonderful tapas. There are no "must-see" acts to start off the day, so we can stroll around the festival site for a bit and just take a look at some of the bands kicking it off early.

Primavera Sound 2015 Day 3 May 30 2015

Opatov
The H&M Pro stage is the smallest of all stages and hosts promising new bands or at least bands that are not very well known. There are many Spanish bands lined up here and Opatov is one of them. The young band look a bit timid on the stage where most people are hanging around on the concrete stand and stairs. Their garage rock music is quite catchy though and the boys look like they are having lots of fun. And in the end that rubs off on the people watching so in the end everyone wins.

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Holy Paul
We decide to stick around at the small stage to see Holy Paul. This Spanish band has been around for a few years but the members look quite experienced and professional. Their rock music reminds of Miles Kane, but less "in your face" and with more old style rock 'n roll influences. It still can't persuade many people to leave their spot in the sun and do a little dance but it does get them a lot of applause.

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The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
The couple Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl started this band in 2008 which resulted in a few singles and albums that didn't get a lot of exposure. Their last album Midnight Sun is more widely available and was mostly positively received. Of course with such a famous last name it will draw plenty of people and so they are playing the big Primavera stage. But even without this famous reference the band prove to be worthy of the stage. Their seventies style psychedelic songs are well performed and sound wonderful. Lennon's voice is clear and he has gathered a fine group of musicians around him. There's no way ignoring the big legacy he's carrying with him of course and maybe the late The Beatles more psychedelic period has influenced him. Absolutely nothing wrong with that and I would love to see more of them, preferably in a dark club like Paradiso.



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Einsturzende Neubauten
This experimental German band has been around for many years and nothing really compares to them. Crazy self made instruments like big pvc pipes as drums, drills and a large bin full of big iron pins emptying are used to create their dark soundscapes. Singer Lixa Bargeld's voice reminds of Nick Cave sometimes but that is as close any comparison can get. It is a very interesting and intriguing performance and the fact that the large crowd is not leaving, shows a lot of people can appreciate this remarkable German collective.



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Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Days before the festival I saw Ruban Nielson and his band play many new songs off his great new album Multi-Love. Tonight he's playing in the dark at the Adidas Originals stage and we find him in a good mood. He has all the reason to be in a good mood, since there's a big turn up for their show and the crowd is also very enthusiastic. They sing along to the songs they know and the band is in great shape. The new songs are well received here as well and it underlines the rising star of this band. In the end this is one of their best performances I have seen of them.



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The Strokes
It's time for one of my most anticipated shows of the festival. I'm not alone in this since a huge crowd has gathered in front of the Primavera stage. I love this band and of course their first albums are iconic. We get a greatest hits set that has all the songs you can wish for. There doesn't seem to be a lot of chemistry between the band members on stage, nor do I see a lot of eye contact between them. Then again they always had this kind of healthy British arrogant attitude.

Julian Casablancas doesn't always sound great and doesn't seem to be in great shape. Sometimes it sounds as if he's running out of breath and the newer songs simply can't compete with the monumental older hits like 'Last Nite' and a furious 'Juicebox'. However those hit songs are simply too good to play badly, even an out of shape Casablancas or The Strokes can't screw that up. When you see a show like this, it is remarkable how many hit songs they wrote. It's not disappointing at all, but it's just not the same band as they were a few years ago. I really hope they can return to that super form and come up with brilliant new songs again and kill on stage.



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Sun God Replica
We return to the small H&M stage where Aussie heavy rockers Sun God Replica are playing. Their 70s style heavy rock sounds powerful and it is a lot of fun watching them sweat and rock through their set. It's the right time for such a solid rock band, late at night when the cervezas are starting to get the best of you and it feels like you're in a bar watching a rock band.

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Thee Oh Sees
You can never go wrong with the very productive garage rocker John Dwyer and his Thee Oh Sees. Of course there's a new album Mutilator Defeated At Last which sounds great again. This time he brought two drummers, which in my opinion isn't much useful when they play exactly the same drum parts like tonight. But it looks great on stage and does add even more energy to the never boring Thee Oh Sees songs. The new songs are in line with all the early material and the crowd is going completely mental. I still miss Brigid Dawson on stage though, since she adds a bit of subtlety and a female touch to the testosterone bomb on stage.



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Hookworms
We head to the other side of the site to the Adidas stage again, where Hookworms are playing. I was impressed with their album The Hum, where you can hear a mix of punkrock and psychedelic rock. Together with the sometimes hysterical singing and screaming of singer MJ and the frequent use of drones, it makes for a very interesting show, that is right at its place in the dark late at night. I'm looking forward to seeing them again at the Best Kept Secret festival in a few weeks.



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And so we end this night and the festival on an absolute high. This was definitely the best day and we enjoyed every minute of this wonderful festival and city. Primavera Sound celebrated its 15th anniversary in style with lots of sunshine, an appealing line-up and great memories. The day after we have a little treat with Jambinai and more The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger in the Parc de la Ciutadella, some more tapas and wine, but then we really have to leave lovely Barcelona and head home.

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Primavera Sound Day 1
Primavera Sound Day 2


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On Stage: Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The star of Ruban Nielson's Unkown Mortal Orchestra is rising. The Bitterzoet show sold out pretty fast, at least faster than I expected, so it left me without a ticket. Fortunately TicketSwap came to the rescue and I was able to get a ticket in the end. After listening to the new album Multi-Love I was really happy that I was able to get in since I definitely wanted to hear the new songs live.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Bitterzoet Amsterdam, May 25 2015



The small but cosy venue is absolutely packed and we find ourselves a place all the way in the back. The band is off to a great start with a reborn Nielson who looks like he's in a good mood and more comfortable than the last time I saw them. New songs 'Necessary Evil' and 'The World Is Crowded' sound great where you can clearly hear the Prince and Sly Stone influences. The addition of keyboard player Quincy McCrary is a good one, which adds more soul to the songs. The new songs do sound more soulful and swinging anyway.



Somehow halfway the show the band seems to run out of steam and a couple of songs sound a bit uninspired. I have seen them play 'So Good At Being In Trouble' a lot better before. Fortunately things pick up again with 'Ffunny Ffends' and 'Multi-Love' where the band seems to find their groove again. The solo piano part that leads to 'Ffunny Ffends' is simply sublime and takes the song to new levels. At the end of the show they come back for an encore to play 'Can't Keep Checking My Phone' which is a great choice. The swinging song with it's disco beat is a wonderful way to end the gig on a high. It is typical for Nielson and co. that their shows can have several different faces. But you know it will never get boring. And at the moments where Nielson is working his magic on guitar and the songs totally take off it is pure bliss. Fortunately tonight there were plenty of those moments.



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Into The Great Wide Open 2014 Day 3: Lovely Ending

Time seems to stand still on this island, except it really doesn't. It's the last day of the festival and the sun is treating us to some of its last sun rays this summer. Time to suck up some more festival vibes.

Into The Great Wide Open Day 3, September 8 2014



Mulatu Astatke
By the time we arrive at the main stage, Ethiopian jazz master Mulatu Astatke has already started his set. Jazz may not be everyone's cup of tea but the percussive music of the wonderful Astatke is hard not to like. His band is a delight to watch, as they convincingly play his swinging compositions with lots of enthusiasm. The master himself is looking content and is watching the band, the crowd and the surroundings with a smile on his face.

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The Mysterons
Several Jungle By Night members have formed a side project, The Mysterons, no doubt at the conservatory. It's totally different from their swinging afrobeat band. It starts off with some songs that remind of Portishead, which isn't that surprising since 'Mysterons' is a song by them. I'm not a fan of that Bristol sound, but singer Josephine van Schaik's voice sounds impressive and the band is playing creative music. Then the songs turn more into seventies style rock songs and van Schaik proves she can handle that as well. The band are changing tempo and time measures with great ease. It may prove to be too much for some, but I'm loving this. I'm going to watch this band closely and am looking forward to their EP later this year.

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Ezra Furman
We decide to hang around at the sports field and take it more slow. Ezra Furman is performing there and is playing catchy rock 'n roll songs. Furman's glasses have broken but he decides to keep wearing them, which makes him look like a character from Revenge Of The Nerds. However I don't really like his voice which isn't great and sounds like he's putting too much cheese on it. Also the rest of the band isn't looking exactly inspired. Especially sax player Tim Sandusky seems to be thinking about his shopping list instead of playing music. Probably it's all an act but it is putting me down, which can never be the idea. The best song in their set is The Clash cover 'Train In Vain' which says it all.

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra
It's a surprising spot in the schedule for Unknown Mortal Orchestra on the main stage on the middle of the day. To me this is one of the highlights in the program and Ruban Nielson and co don't disappoint. Nielson is focused and his psychedelic and grooving solos are superb. The trippy and freaky songs may not go down well with everyone, considering the half empty field, but it doesn't really matter. Once again I'm impressed with this virtuoso band. Although I think a spot in the dark in the dunes would have made it even more impressive. I can't wait for their next album and a proper club show.

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Typhoon
Dutch rapper Typhoon had quite a year. He released a highly acclaimed album earlier and totally killed it on the main stage at the Lowlands festival a few weeks ago. The organization are well aware that he's the perfect closing act of the festival. The field in front of the main stage is full of people who want to dance in the sun shine one more time. Typhoon has no problem making that happen. Hip hop and rap simply aren't my cup of tea, so we watch it all from a distance while working our way through a delicious pot of mussels. A magical moment happens when a woman is carried slowly towards the stage, as if she's floating above the crowd. At the end the charismatic Typhoon is totally killing it with his great band.



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This edition ends on a high and before we know it we're on the boat that is taking us back to reality. This festival seems to get better every year. And although it will be hard again to get tickets for next year, we are definitely going to make sure we're there again.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2014 Day 0 + 1
Into The Great Wide Open 2014 Day 2

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