The Dandy Warhols - Melkweg, 25 April 2012

Are the Dandy’s still cool after all these years?

“I’m livin’ in the past, I used to be cool” proclaims Courtney Taylor-Taylor on Enjoy Yourself, from the new Dandy Warhols album The Machine. It’s a fantastic line and it begs an answer to the question, are the Dandy’s still cool after all these years?

Pete Murray (and Lior) Paradiso

Paradiso – 10 April 2012

The question of the evening: what makes a better performer - being a more talented musician or being able to write a catchier tune?

Florence and the Machine 1/4/12 @ Paradiso

Sunday April 1st and the most anticipated concert of the year to date had finally arrived – Florence and the Machine @ Paradiso.

On arrival, it became very evident that I was not the only one waiting with baited breath and high expectations. The line to get in was down the street and headed around the corner and out of sight. A scalper was selling tickets at 80 euro (36 euro original face) and was being inundated by punters willing to part with their hard earned cash.

Laura Marling, 18 March 2012 Paradiso

Laura Marling
Paradiso – 18 March 2012

Standing outside the Paradiso on a cold Sunday evening, I had a small moment of panic as to what I had got myself, and my friends into. Now don’t get me wrong – I Love Laura Marling. And in particular I really love her first album Alas, I Cannot Swim, which I can’t recommend highly enough. But apparently everyone else who loves Laura is 5-10 years younger than me, female and more hipster than a 9 Streets thrift shop.

Top 5 song lyrics that are anything but timeless

You often hear of art, and in particular music, being described as timeless. I mean Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor can be just as moving today as I am sure it was in the early 1800’s. Of course when you throw in lyrics it can be a little more tricky, which is no doubt why we see so many songs written about the ‘timeless’ topics of love and loss, and relationships in general.

But every now and then you come across ephemeral moments in songs that seem to date them almost instantaneously. Here’s my top 5:

Leon Russell - 22 March 2012, Paradiso

When deciding if I should head to Paradiso to see Leon Russell I found myself asking the question, how often do you get to witness an artist who has been inducted in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, play at Paradiso? The answer is not all that often, so when the chance comes up, take it with both hands.

The Shins

The Shins - Melkweg 2012

St Vincent: Rock Goddess in the Making?

St. Vincent
Melkweg, 29 February 2012

Two Aussies walk into a bar, on a Wednesday night in Amsterdam in search of a beverage and a band, and hoping for something they haven’t heard before. Let’s hear what they had to say: