Best Kept Secret Festival, Tilburg, 23 June 2013

We walked into the festival "venue" in Tilburg and it started to rain, and I don’t mean just a couple of drops, I mean this was let's build an ark this shit is about to get real kind of rain. What this did do was force us straight into the first tent that presented itself to us. This then allowed us to see the last three quarters of the Black Lips show and they were cranking. They automatically reminded me of why I had wanted to see them play when the band line up for the day was announced.

The National, Forever Cemetery, L.A., 12 August 2013

You know a band has made it when their World Tour is announced and you receive not one, but four invitations to see them across the globe on the one day. In my case I received various requests to see them at shows in L.A., Helsinki, Amsterdam and London and I settled on the L.A. gig.

The first thought that I had when I knew that I was heading to L.A. was that I needed to get to a live gig in this town, I mean there is such a rich music history here that I needed to at least see one show there. I also wanted to see something at the famous Greek Theater or the Hollywood Bowl but alas this was not to be this trip. But where I did get to see a band was at a venue that I think my have been as infornatly spectacular and that was the Forever Cemetery.

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.

The Avett Brothers. Tivoli Utrecht, 22 August 2013

An evening of ballads of love. And maybe half a one of hate.

Last time I got to see the Avett Brothers play in Amsterdam was at the Paradiso following the release of their previous album “I and Love and You”. The show was amazing (see JV’s Top 5 Shows of 2011) and they nailed every one of the songs, however the energy from the band wasn’t always evident.

Filter, Melkweg Oude Zaal, 29 August 2013

So I am not going to lie to you, I am not sure I would have ended up at the Melkweg watching these guys if I was left to my own volition. It took a mate to convince me to go, and when I say convince me, I mean he bought me a ticket and told me I was going.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Paradiso Amsterdam, 17 July 2013

I was excited to see this band, but to be honest this came out of no where. I was not sure at which point that the excitement switch turned on for me but it was certainly not when I did the obligatory Youtube the band moment, in fact as time after purchasing the tickets passed my interest and excitement began to wane and I found myself getting less interested in seeing them.  Then, the night before the show I found myself talking to two different people about what they liked about the YYYs. One (JP) the lover of the old albums and Angus the lover of the new, and then me, the lover of none. But the debate started to re-spark my enthusiasm and the day of the show JP came over to my place pre show and played me a few more songs and these were pretty good, and I was back on board.

Ed Kowalczyk, The Concertgebouw, 16 September 2013

I guess what I need to remember is that sometimes a gig is not all about me.

When I thought of what may be install for the EK gig at the Concertgebouw I had higher hopes and expectations than what would eventuate with the actual performance. But what I did love about the evening is that it highlighted what one “mans” disappointment, may also be another “women’s” enjoyment, we are all different and I am far from the gospel according to music. That being said here is what the show meant to me……