Clash of the Amsterdam Titans - Rudeboy (& the Phantom Four) Vs Def P (& Beatbusters), Melkweg Amsterdam, 22 December 2012

Two legends in Dutch Music history collide.

How is my Dutch? Well the answer is rubbish, then what was my expectation for an evening of Dutch music icons? strangely pretty high. I will prefis the following description of the show with the fact that this is purely my interpretation of what occurred on the evening and no facts have been researched whatsoever regarding names of performers etc.

For the record I had previously gone to watch Def P play with his hip hop crew known as the Osdorpe Possie and been very impressed, so when my beautiful Dutch girlfriend indicated that the clash of the titans would be something she would like to go to I strapped myself in for an evening of both Dutch culture and a musical education.

As expected the Melkweg filled to the brim (well the old stall at least) before the stage was taken.

This was a massively fun night.

The performance that both “teams” put on individually and collectively was really good. The energy from Rude Boy accompanied by Dick Dale style guitar was a strange compilation but somehow it just worked. And Def P can work a crowd and spit lyrics better than most, his pairing with a scar style band worked but unlike the Rude Boy compilation it just tended to sound all the same after a while.

Now what I can’t tell you about is what the tracks they played were, nor can I tell you anything about the individual band members but what I can tell you is that the Amsterdam crowd came out on this night in December to see some previously notable performers and thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening and it is easy to say that I fit into that category.

Sometimes when you go to see live music you notice that it doesn’t matter what language they are speaking or what background they have come from, what matters is the talent and the music, and all these boys had that is spades.

A night or two later I would find myself at the same venue watching Macy Gray perform her Tribute to Stevie Wonder along with most of her “hits” and it was strange to find myself thinking that the evening I had had watching the Amsterdam Battle of the Titans had easily blown MG out of the water and that these Duchy’s stacked up against a bigger name in the music industry and their passion and energy took them to not only a level above her but a whole sky scrapper above her.

I would be happy to see any of the four (acts) perform on their own or collectively together in Amsterdam again sometime soon.

JV