#music venue groningen

[ceolforthesoul]

The Soy Boys swap classic covers for their very own anthems for lovers

Helloooo lovely people and fáilte go dtí Ceol for the Soul -  The podcast that puts the warm and fuzzy feelings received from live music into words. For those of you who are new here, my name is Aisling — a singer-songwriter from the West of Ireland currently living in Groningen, a city in the north of the Netherlands. I am constantly in awe of artists succesfully managing to pierce my heart and bring me with them into their whimsical inner worlds while performing live. Ceol for the Soul is a space where I attempt to transfer the essence of the musical experiences I encounter to you through reviews, interviews and opinion pieces.

As usual, before I begin the episode - I invite you to pause this here for now and rejoin me after you have listened to a song from this week’s spotlight artist… The Soy Boys! This is the first time I get to introduce one of Groningen’s local gems to the podcast — and what a gezellig group to guide you into the city’s vibrant music scene. 

A new side to the once-cover band was unveiled at a sunkissed Noorderzon performance last August. With a Spotify release of two original songs a few months later, The Soy Boys revealed the unexplored musical destinations they wanted to reach. So go ahead and follow the path they have begun to pave by listening to one or both of their released tracks --- which I hope stop you in your tracks to dance your heart out.....

What struck you most about The Soy Boy’s sound? Did your mind wander to any unexpected places while listening? Can you imagine the electricity produced by these songs while being played live? 

This liveness and the band's continued discovery of sounds can be envisioned while I reflect on The Soy Boy’s most recent concert...

--------------------

A band’s name that matched countless stickers painted on my student house walls appeared on the Instagram story of Simplon, a popular music venue in the city. Every Thursday Simplon UP gives its stage to UP and-coming artists in Groningen — the 14th of March was The Soy Boy’s turn. There was no doubt that I wanted to go and support Wout, the band’s lead singer who I’ve gotten to sing alongside myself several times over the years. His bandmates whose friendship outside that label is evident are guitarist Tom Horowtiz, drummer David Hübner and bassist Luuk van Keeken. This was the first time I got to experience a Soy Boy set full of originals and the band's evolved identity was quite literally written all over the performance. 

The Soy Boys swapped classic covers for their very own anthems for lovers. For forty-five attentive minutes, we were transported into the minds and lives of the band like never before with no emotions being spared. Arriving to an already captivated crowd at the end of their first song reflected the soulful and sentimental atmosphere that lasted the entire night. The second song 'Lucky" was a charming and warm welcome --- I felt exactly like its title for being able to catch it. Tom’s rising guitar riffs amplified the meaning of Wout’s words as he sang “Tomorrow’s gonna be a bit better, it doesn’t have to be this hard” — the first glimpse into the playful call-and-answer conversations that Tom and Wout would have between voice and guitar throughout the show.

This joyful chatter thrived in ‘New Shoes’, one of the grooviest numbers of the night - letting loose and surrendering to the move and flow of the absorbed audience was the only option. Then David abandoned his drumsticks for a guitar and brought the band (Tom especially) to an incredible bluegrass-inspired melody. The Soy Boys' commitment to experimentation and having fun with the endless musical capabilities that can reveal their hearts was bleeding through every note.

Aiste, The Soy Boy's manager blessed us with the lyrics of ‘Bright & Blue’, “We used to think dreaming too big was too small” and many more of her heartfelt lines floated longingly beside Wout’s soothing synth. The words of someone close to The Soy Boys radiating through the band captured a deeply personal feeling that the lyrics of a stranger could not.

'Everything a Little Bit’ was a well-chosen way to wind down the evening while simultaneously winding it up with the heightened energy this song created. A very impressive extended ‘looooooveeeeeee’ from 'Only a Weekend Though' closed the set and encapsulated the overarching theme of the night. The Soy Boys' breakthrough into original material has put all of their hearts on the sleeves of their colourful shirts.

[rapaljemusic]

https://www.rapalje.com/rapalje-em2-groningen/

Video: EM2 Live Music Venue in Groningen - Rapalje Show 57

Welcome at EM2 in Groningen at 29 of September this year 2018

Playing at the bagpipes while jumping around!

The doors open at 5 o’clock – Be there!

And there’s gonna be performing a great band: Rapalje!

And a lot of more bands like Flannery and some more bands.

We’re working at it..

TICKETS https://www.yourticketprovider.nl/events/24026-live-in-concert-rapalje-support

SUPPORT US AT PATREON

SUBSCRIBE FOR OUR  MAILINGLIJST

RAPALJE MERCHANDISE

ALL RAPALJE SHOW EPISODES:

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Artist Presale: Thursday November 4th at 10am- 10pm local

Artist Presale Password: YOUNGGUNS

Public On Sale: Friday November 5th at 10am local

More information on all shows and tickets for all dates can be found at: https://younggunstour.komi.io

UPDATED 01.12.21

To all present ticket-holders and future ticket-buyers for the YOUNG GUNS TOUR:

We take the health and safety of the bands, road crews, local venue staff and especially our fans very seriously. Due to an abundance of caution regarding the recent COVID surge, we have decided to postpone the start of the YOUNG GUNS TOUR to February 20, 2022, in Denver Colorado. Any performance that was scheduled prior to February 20th in Denver has been rescheduled until after March 5th. The shows scheduled from February 20th through to March 5th will remain as previously announced. The show in Portland, ME originally scheduled for January 28th is canceled and all ticket holders for that event can receive a refund at point of purchase. The revised tour schedule has allowed us to add a few additional shows to the itinerary and those shows will be on sale on Friday, January 14th at 10AM local time. We can't wait to see everyone on tour and bring you an unforgettable evening of rock n' roll.

*Mammoth WVH & Dirty Honey shows on February 24 and 25, 2022 are being flipped. As such, February 24th will now be Las Vegas, NV at House of Blues and February 25th will now be Sacramento, CA at Ace of Spades.

All tickets will be honored on the respective new dates.

• 01.28.22 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre

• 02.20.22 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

• 02.21.22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

• 02.22.22 - Boise, ID @ Revolution Concert House

• 02.24.22 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues

• 02.25.22 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades

• 02.27.22 - Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort

• 03.01.22 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

• 03.02.22 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern

• 03.04.22 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

• 03.05.22 - Indio, CA @ Fantasy Springs Resort

• 03.09.22 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

• 03.10.22 - San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre

• 03.12.22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom

• 03.13.22 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater

• 03.15.22 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

• 03.16.22 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

• 03.18.22 - Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone

• 03.20.22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre

• 03.21.22 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere's

• 03.23.22 - Royal Oak, Ml @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

• 03.24.22 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall

• 03.26.22 - Boston, MA @ Big Night Live

• 03.27.22 - New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place

• 03.28.22 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall

• 03.30.22 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

• 03.31.22 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

• 04.01.22 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live

• 04.05.22 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz

• 04.06.22 - Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore

• 04.08.22 - Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works

• 04.09.22 - Dothan, AL @ The Plant

• 04.10.22 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Orlando

• 04.12.22 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle

• 05.15.22 - Springfield, MO @ Gilloz Theatre

• 05.17.22 - Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal

• 05.18.22 - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

Young Guns Tour tickets here!

More info here!

• 05.10.22 - Billings, MT @ First Interstate Arena

• 05.11.22 - Casper, WY @ Ford Wyoming Center

• 05.13.22 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Cove - Harrah's

• 05.14.22 - Wichita, KS @ Wave

Get your tickets here!

Get tickets for Welcome to Rockville here!

Get tickets for Point Fest here!

European '22 Tour Dates!

• 06.04.22 - SWE, Gävle @ Atlas Rock Festival '22

• 06.06.22 - BEL, Wilrijk @ Sportpaleis Antwerp#

• 06.08.22 - GER, Stuttgart @ Schleyerhalle*

• 06.10.22 - GER, Munich @ Olympiastadion München*

• 06.11.22 - GER, Freiburg @ Jazzhaus Freiburg

• 06.12.22 - GER, Frankfurt @ Festhalle*

• 06.14.22 - GER, Leipzig @ Hellraiser

• 06.15.22 - GER, Berlin @ Mercedes-Benz Arena*

• 06.17.22 - GER, Hannover @ TUI Arena*

• 06.19.22 - GER, Dortmund @ Westfalenhalle 1*

• 06.21.22 - ENG, London @ Islington Assembly Hall

• 06.23.22 - NLD, Groningen @ Stadspark †

• 06.25.22 - FRA, Paris @ Elysee Montmartre

• 07.01.22 - CHE, Zürich @ Dynamo

• 07.05.22 - FRA, Nîmes @ Festival de Nîmes#

• 07.07.22 - CHE, Zürich @ Hallenstadion#

* w/Scorpions # w/KISS † w/GnR

[cardest]

Ireland playlist

Feck!

Pog my thoin! It’s my Irish playlist. My precious treasure has been opened! Inside my pot of gold lies an Irish playlist of songs I put together. Forget the diamonds in Antwerp! It doesn’t matter if you are from Rhode Island or South Korea, this is the only Irish playlist you need and for your travels across the green hills. Play the songs here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1_4UCcVH8Jcka-whydlPzH6 So load up your iPods and whatever you use and enjoy this with a pint of Guinness! Stay safe. Stay at home. Wash your hands. Burn a bra.

IRELAND PLAYLIST

001 Carrentouhill - Welcome to Ireland 002 Thin Lizzy -  Do Anything You Want To 003 Makem & Clancy - The Rocky Road To Dublin 004 Ash - A Life Less Ordinary 005 Absu - Tara 006 Type O Negative - Be My Druidess 007 Dexy’s Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen   008 Horslips - Dearg Doom 009 Boomtown rats - Banana republic 010 Dublin City Ramblers - Dicey Reilly 011 Simple Minds - All The Things She Said 012 Cruachan - The Brown Bull Of Cooley 013 Ween - The Blarney Stone 014 Primordial -  Where Greater Men Have Fallen 015 The Pogues - Dirty Old Town 016 Van Morrison - Cyprus Avenue 017 Wings: Wild Life - Give Ireland Back To The Irish 018 Devin Townsend - Irish Maiden 019 The Rumjacks - An Irish Pub Song 020 Dominic Behan - Biddy Mulligan 021 Waylander - Brú na Bóinne 022 John Lennon - The Luck Of The Irish 023 Gary Moore ft. Philip Lynott - Out In The Fields 024 Whiskey on a Sunday - Irish Rovers 025 Týr - The Wild rover 026 Sleep - The Druid 027 The Waterboys - Fishermans Blues of Gael Bay 028 Clannad - Siúil A Rún 029 Leprechaun in the Hood - The Leprechaun Rap   030 Leaves' Eyes - [feat. Carmen Elise Espenaes] 031 Thin Lizzy - Dublin 032 Cruachan - The Marching Song of Fiach Mac Hugh 033 Fairport Convention - She Moves Through The Fair 034 My Bloody Valentine - Soon 035 Steve Earle - Galway Girl 036 The Wolfe Tones - A Nation Once Again 037 Mael Mórdha - Cluain Tarbh 038 Celtic Legend - Irish Drinkin Song 039 Therapy? - Auto Surgery 040 Bob Geldof - The Great Song Of Indifference 041 Makem & Clancy - Little Beggarman 042 ABSU - Of Celtic Fire, We Are Born - Terminus (...In the Eyes of Ioldánach) 043 The Nolans - Gotta Pull Myself Together 044 Johnny Cash - Danny Boy 045 Dropkick Murphys - Fields Of Athenry 046 Ahab -  Red Foam (The Great Storm) 047 Omnia - Fee Ra Huri 048 Banba Óir - Clannad 049 Maighread & Triona Ni Dhomhnaill - The Spanish Lady 050 Gary Moore - Over The Hills And Far Away 051 Slomatics - Electric Breath 052 The Irish Rovers - Finnegans Wake 053 The Cranberries - Dreams 054 Orthodox Celts - Star Of The County Down 055 Mamas Boys - Mama Weer All Crazee Now 056 The Dubliners - All for me Grog 057 Gems of Ireland - The Last Of The Irish Rover 058 Paddyman - The Leprechaun Song 059 Primordial -  Heathen Tribes 060 Beithioch - Ghosts of a world long forgotten 061 The Wolfe Tones - Come Out Ye Black And Tans 062 Diddler on the Hoof - Some Say The Devil Is Dead 063 Planxty - The Bonny Light Horseman 064 Sinéad O Connor & The Chieftains - The Foggy Dew 065 The Berry Swine Liners - GO ON HOME BRITISH SOLDIERS 066 Scath Na Deithe - Unrecognized disease 067 No Spill Blood - White Out 068 Irish Music - Ancient Druids 069 The Corrs - Toss the feathers, go braless 070 Cruachan - Diarmuid And Grainne 071  The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Blarney stone 072 Gama Bomb - Three Witches 073 VAN MORRISON      - Bright Side of the Road 074 Rory Gallagher  - Bad Penny 075 Feargal Sharkey - You Little Thief 076 That Petrol Emotion - Hey Venus 077 Absu -  Manannán 078 Mike Patton - Catholic Tribe 079 Skyclad -  The Widdershins Jig 080 Tom Waits - Rain Dogs 081 Virolac - Masque 082 Phil Lynott - Old town 083 Leaves' Eyes - Amhran (Song Of The Winds) 084 Cruachan -  The Sea Queen of Connaught 085 Dread Sovereign - Cathars to their doom 086 Pagan Altar -  Dance Of The Druids 087 Planxty - The Jolly Beggar/The Wise Maid 088 The Kilkennys - Will You Go Lassie Go 089 Anneke van Giersbergen, Árstíðir - Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) 090 The Dubliners - In The Rare Old Times 091 Louis Armstrong - Irish black bottom 092 Wolfe Tones - The Boys Of The Old Brigade 093 Primordial - Fuil arsa 094 The Undertones - My Perfect cousin 095 Therapy? - Acellerator 096 Cheap Trick  - O Claire 097 Malthusian - across deaths 098 Absu -  Bron (Of the Waves) 099 Mourning Beloveth - Theories of old bones 100 Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the jar 101 Zom - Tombs Of The Void 102 Scáth Na Déithe - This Unrecognized Disease 103 TEN TON SLUG - Unit 104 Altar of Plagues - God Alone 105 DEVO - I'm a Potato 106 Beithíoch - Ghosts of a World Long Forgotten 107 Mahavishnu Orchestra - A Lotus On Irish Streams 108 Sacrilegia - Beyond the Fouler's Snare 109 Dread Sovereign - Cathars to Their Doom 110 Corr Mhona - Dair 111 Coscradh - Disappeared 112 The Undertones - Julie Ocean 113 Sirocco - Lambay 114 Mourning Beloveth - Theories of Old Bones 115 VAL DOONICAN WITH HIS GUITAR - THE AGRICULTURAL IRISH GIRL 116 Malthusian -  Remnant-Fauna 117 The Wheels - Road Block 118 Rudimentary Peni - Ireland Sun 119 SOOTHSAYER - Cephalopod 120 Vircolac - Tether-Wane 121 Thin Lizzy - She Knows 122 Zealot Cult - Spiritual Sickness 123 Killing Joke - Wardance 124 Walpurgis Night - Ghost of Dublin 125 Absu - Bron (Of the Waves) 666 The Irish Rovers - Finnegans Wake

May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load. May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road... and many thanks to James (Groningen) , Garaidh & Lynda (Sydney), Nathan (Brisbane), Arto (Helsinki)  for your awesome contributions to this playlist. Feck yeah! Hit play: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1_4UCcVH8Jcka-whydlPzH6 What songs did I miss? What bands are missing from this list? Let me know! No matter where you are on Earth. Stay safe Clíona!

[findasongblog]

New favourite venue: Melodica Festival Trier (DE) – Janine & Sebastian, Paula Tebbens, Bartleby Delicate – 26.04.2019

I mean, look at it!! 😍 It’s the Frankenturm, a fortified residential tower built in the 11th century.

(complete photo set here)

The only tiny disadvantage is the limited size – while I hope that everyone got to see the artist(s) they wanted to, I’m also guilty of ignoring the promoter’s request to take turns in attending the performances 😳

From the Facebook page: The Melodica Acoustic Festival celebrates local music scenes around the world as an international community of and for singer-songwriters. Melodica Acoustic Festival is a non profit event organized by musicians and music lovers for musicians and music lovers. Melodica currently operates in Melbourne, Sydney, Reykjavik, Aarhus, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Groningen, Paris, Vienna and New York City. All Melodica Festivals share a strong sense of community and aim to develop and strengthen the network between both local and international independent acoustic artists.

So obviously, this was written before Trier started taking part (for the 5th time this year). Given that it can’t compete with the other cities when it comes to size, I think that’s a reason to be especially proud of hosting the festival.

The first act of the evening was announced as Janine, a singer-songwriter from Trier, but she brought a friend (Sebastian) with whom she had recently recorded an EP which they performed together. I couldn’t find anything about/of them online, so all I can offer you is the video below. The music is very meditative, to a point where the audience was asked to not applaud in between the songs (five) of the EP so as to not interrupt the building of tension.

Next up was Paula Tebbens from Copenhagen/Berlin. It wasn’t her first time performing at a Melodica Festival, and while I hadn’t heard of her before, I was under the impression that she wasn’t unknown to at least part of the audience. Compared to the first act, her music is more „down to earth“ with relatable lyrics. The song I recorded e.g., Walking Past Those Lines, was written for a (British, if I remember right) friend who had to leave Copenhagen because he couldn’t find a job and thus not afford the high costs of living in that city. It’s also the title track of an EP released in 2014. Later releases, including the debut album, can only be purchased at her gigs. None seem to be scheduled atm, but if you want to host a living room concert, you’re welcome to contact her 🙂(Facebook).

My plan had initially been to see Bartleby Delicate at Café Momo (also in Trier) on May 4th, but when we went to see Seed To Tree in Mainz (review), Georges told me that date would be rescheduled as he got an invitation to play at a showcase festival in Denmark that day – way to go! (Any Danish readers? It’s Spot Festival at Aarhus, also with other artists previously featured on Find A Song, like Alcabean, Chinah, Fufanu, M.Rexen, NEØV , Simon Alexander and more - actually starting to regret I can’t be there!). I’m now convinced that Melodica Festival was the better choice anyway, as at a bar/café/restaurant, you can’t be sure to be among fellow music enthousiasts which was definitely the case last Friday.

Georges told a few stories, like how he started to play guitar because of his three sisters and now he’s the only who still does (apropos of his song Sibling which, however, has nothing to do with that story LOL) and also how he was impressed at a Flaming Lips concert by a statement of the singer who said that many people with heavy hearts come to their shows and that it is their goal to make them smile, which is something he also aspires to. So, if you want to smile (because you will), check the dates of the imminent Beyond Good And Evil tour (also the latest single which, btw, can be found & purchased online 😉) through Germany and go to a gig if you have the chance.

As you can see from my photos and videos, a stunning light show accompanied the music. When to everyone’s disappointment the end of the evening was announced, it was sweetened with a final light show set to Honig’s Golden Circle. I didn’t film it, but here’s a life performance of the song I recorded almost four 😮 years ago (alas, the band has announced its farewell tour for the second half of 2019 – dates here – but I’m sure the members will go on making music in some way). 🎼The songs that we sing, they turn our arms into wings.💞

After this experience, I sure felt tempted to go to the two other days of Melodica Festival as well, but after three gigs in three days, I needed time to sort my photos, write my reviews... whom am I trying to fool, my poor body just needed some rest 🤣 But next year!

[nuclearblastuk]

BATTLE BEAST | Band release official video for title track + launch pre-orders

When recently announcing their fifth studio album No More Hollywood Endings, which will be unleashed on March 22nd via Nuclear Blast, Finnish heavy metallers BATTLE BEAST promised fans a taster of their new offering at the beginning of 2019 - and the group has kept true to their word! Packed with extravagant melodies, the official music video for the new album's title track provides the perfect visuals for the song's meaningful message. Directed by Markus Nieminen and produced by Oy Routafilmi AB / Tuotantoyhtiö Legenda, the official video for 'No More Hollywood Endings' can be viewed over on YouTube here: youtu.be/SZzhUPe-Bck Keyboardist Janne Björkroth comments on the track, "The song tells a story about living up to other people's expectations and becoming a kind of a sidekick in one's own life. Hollywood conventions and media set unrealistic expectations and narrow ideals about such things as beauty and happiness, and it's easy to get lost while trying to fit the mould. The song claims that there isn't a universal pattern for happiness, but everyone has a right to be respected as they are and live a life that suits for themselves. It's a hymn to individuality."

Pre-order No More Hollywood Endings now: All formats including Limited Edition Coloured Vinyl - nuclearblast.com/battlebeast-nmhe CD - nblast.de/HollywoodCD Vinyl - nblast.de/HollywoodVinyl Pre-order the album digitally on iTunes to receive the title track instantly: geni.us/BattleBeastNMHE Pre-save via Spotify: geni.us/BBSpotifyPreSave 

No More Hollywood Endings track list: 01. Unbroken 02. No More Hollywood Endings 03. Eden 04. Unfairy Tales 05. Endless Summer 06. The Hero 07. Piece Of Me 08. I Wish 09. Raise Your Fists 10. The Golden Horde 11. World On Fire Bonus Tracks (DIGI and 2LP only!) 12. Bent And Broken 13. My Last Dream 

No More Hollywood Endings was recorded by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, Viktor Gullichsen and guitarist Joona Björkroth at JKB Studios; with the record also being produced and mixed by Janne. The cover artwork was created by Jan Yrlund (KORPIKLAANI, MANOWAR etc.), who created the cover for the band's last album, Bringer Of Pain.

BATTLE BEAST live: 18.01. NL Groningen - ESNS w/ CYHRA, ARION, TYRANTTI 22.03. FIN Helsinki - Black Box 23.03. FIN Turku - Logomo 29.03. FIN Tampere - Pakkahuone 30.03. FIN Oulu - Club Teatria

No More Hollywood Endings European Tour 2019 w/ ARION Presented by Metal Hammer, EMP, metal.de, Rock It!, piranha, Start 02.04. D Bielefeld - Forum 03.04. D Leipzig - Hellraiser 04.04. PL Warsaw - Proxima 05.04. PL Krakow - Klub Kwadrat 07.04. PL Poznan - u Bazyla 08.04. D Berlin - Lido 10.04. D Bochum - Zeche 11.04. D Saarbrücken - Garage 12.04. D Nuremberg - Hirsch 13.04. D Mannheim - Delta Metal Meeting 14.04. A Vienna - Szene 16.04. CH Pratteln - Z7 17.04. I Milan - Legend Club 18.04. F Lyon - Ninkasi Kao 19.04. E Barcelona - Razzmatazz 2 20.04. E Madrid - But 21.04. E Sevilla - Custom 23.04. P Lisbon - Lisboa ao Vivo 25.04. E Bilbao - Santana 27 26.04. F Toulouse - Le Connexion 27.04. F Clermont-Ferrand - La Coopérative de Mai 28.04. F Paris - Le Trabendo 30.04. UK London - The Dome 01.05. NL Leiden - Gebr. De Nobel 03.05. D Munich - Backstage 04.05. D Stuttgart - Im Wizemann 05.05. B Vosselaar - Biebob 07.05. D Hanover - MusikZentrum 08.05. D Hamburg - Markthalle 09.05. DK Copenhagen - Pumpehuset 10.05. S Gothenburg - Pustervik 11.05. S Stockholm - Klubben 12.05. N Oslo - Parkteatret 

17.05. RUS St. Petersburg - Opera Concert Club 18.05. RUS Moscow - Station Hall 19. - 22.06. FIN Nummijärvi - Nummirock 10.07. D Balingen - Bang Your Head!!! Warm-up Show 11. - 13.07. D Neukirchen-Vluyn - Dong Open Air 11. - 14.07. CZ Vizovice - Masters of Rock 01. - 03.08. D Wacken - Wacken Open Air *SOLD OUT* 09. - 10.08. NL Leeuwarden - Into the Grave 16. - 17.08. A Graz - Metal on the Hill 

The Shadow Tour - North America 2019 w/ KAMELOT, SONATA ARCTICA 10.09. USA Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore 11.09. USA Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts 13.09. USA Worcester, MA - Palladium 14.09. USA New York, NY - Terminal 5 15.09. CDN Montréal, QC - Club Soda 16.09. CDN Québec City, QC - Impérial Bell 18.09. CDN Toronto, ON - The Phoenix Concert Theatre 19.09. USA Detroit, MI - Harpos Concert Theatre 20.09. USA Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre 21.09. USA Chicago, IL - Patio Theater 23.09. USA St. Paul, MN - Amsterdam Bar & Hall 24.09. USA Kansas City, MO - The Truman 25.09. USA Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 26.09. USA Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex 28.09. CDN Edmonton, AB - The Ranch Roadhouse 29.09. CDN Calgary, AB - The Gateway 01.10. CDN Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub 02.10. USA Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre 04.10. USA San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts 05.10. USA Anaheim, CA - City National Grove 06.10. USA Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre 08.10. USA Dallas, TX - Canton Hall 09.10. USA St. Louis, MO - The Ready Room 11.10. USA Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade 12.10. USA Tampa Bay, FL - Jannus Live 

BATTLE BEAST is: Noora Louhimo | vocals Eero Sipilä | bass Joona Björkroth | guitars Juuso Soinio | guitars Janne Björkroth | keyboards Pyry Vikki | drums 

More info: battlebeast.fi facebook.com/battlebeastofficial twitter.com/battlebeast instagram.com/battlebeastband youtube.com/battlebeastband nuclearblast.de/battlebeast

[joshuahyslop]

EURO TOUR: JAN-FEB, 2019

Well, 22 days, 15 shows, 13 trains, 10 flights, 8 countries, a lot of Ubers, a couple Taxi’s and 1 rental car later and I’m back at home. This was another great tour but not without its challenges. I got to bring my good friend, Zachari Smith (zacharismith.com) on the road this time and that made a huge difference. Not only was it terrific fun to get to play the shows together, it also made the low moments seem not quite as low. Everything started off great. I flew to Montreal a few days before the start of the tour to rehearse with Zach. It went smoothly and it was wonderful to get to spend time with some of my dear friends in that city before hitting the road. SCOTLAND: We flew to the UK a few days later and started things off in Glasgow. We played in an underground club called Stereo. It was a good first show. There was a good crowd and it felt great to go from rehearsing to actually playing in front of people as a duo. ENGLAND: The next day we took a train to Manchester. We played in a lovely little spot called The Castle Hotel. Jet lag was hitting us pretty hard but we were able to nap before the show. We travelled to London the next morning and after arriving at the wrong hotel, walking with all our stuff to the right hotel, checking in, having a pint and grabbing dinner with friends, we played an incredibly fun show in a very full room at The Old Blue Last. FRANCE: The next morning we got up early and took the train from London to Paris. I remember feeling a little off when I’d gone to sleep the night before, but I assumed it was just the jet lag. We’d both started coughing on the train but I tried to chalk it up to the cold air. By the time we’d arrived at our hotel we knew something was wrong. We managed to grab some food and get back to the hotel room where we spent the next 34 hours sick in our beds. I don’t know if it was food poisoning or the flu, or some awful combination, but we were knocked down. Unfortunately, this meant we had to cancel our show in Paris. I felt (and still feel) horrible for having to cancel the show. I can’t wait to come back and make it up to everyone. When it happens, it’s going to be fantastic! THE NETHERLANDS: We were still feeling awful the next morning. We had to catch another early train and when we eventually arrived in Groningen we went straight to a Pharmacy where we bought everything we could think of. The show that night was in a beautiful old church called the Lutherse Kerk and it was sold out. I drank as much tea and hot water as I could, had what might’ve been a dangerous amount of Advil, cough drops, vitamin C and echinacea and then went ahead with the show. It was an amazing night even though we were feeling sick. The crowd was fantastic and the show went well. DENMARK: After a good night’s sleep we woke up to a much needed day off. We had a lot of travelling to do, but were thankful for no show that night. It was going to be a couple of trains to Amsterdam and a cab to the airport where we’d be catching a flight to Denmark. We were supposed to arrive in Copenhagen around 5pm. Unfortunately, while we were jumping from train to train, I managed to leave my backpack behind. It had my passport, my money and all my information in it. I panicked and ran up and down the train looking for someone who could help. I couldn’t find anyone and I was very close to giving up. Zach called the lost and found and explained the situation to them. Within the hour they’d located my bag and told me I could pick it up at Den Haag Centraal - about an hour train ride from Amsterdam Centraal, where we were. I left Zach with our gear, took the train to Den Haag, grabbed my bag, got on another train back to Amsterdam Centraal, ran with Zach to a cab, raced to the airport and promptly missed our flight to Copenhagen. We had to purchase another flight that would be leaving later that evening. We got to our hotel a little before midnight and crashed hard. The next day we played in a nice little spot called the Ideal Bar. It was a good show and I was glad to play it, but we were both feeling exhausted. NORWAY: We flew to Oslo the next day and took the train from the airport to downtown. The show was in another awesome bar called Krøsset. It went very well and I was so thankful for a smooth night. I got to see some old friends and get to bed before midnight. It was great. GERMANY: We flew to Zurich the next day, and were met at the airport by Zach’s friend, Timo. Zach booked all of the shows in Germany on this run so I was excited to see what was in store for us. We were playing in a cafe/barn in a small village called Wintersulgen right outside Heiligenberg. Timo drove us to his place in Airach for dinner before he drove us to the venue. We had two shows in two days at the cafe and we were happy to be in one place for a little while. Both nights were sold out and both nights went very well. After the show on the first night our host, Martin, took us outside in the snow to his own personal sauna. Between sauna sessions we had snacks and beer and finally felt relaxed. It was like pressing a giant reset button.  SPAIN: Timo drove us back to the Zurich airport the next morning where we caught our flight to Madrid. I’d never been to Spain before and I was very excited to check it out. I had no idea what to expect from the venues or the crowds. We played in an underground cave called The Costello Club and we were blown away. The crowd was fantastic and were singing along to the songs! It was an amazing night. We travelled by train to Barcelona the next day where we played in another underground bar called Sidecar and had another amazing night. After the show I spent a long time chatting with people at the merch table. Two people gave me watercolour paintings they’d done of the album artwork from In Deepest Blue, and another woman told me she’s a photographer and she uses my music while she works. I felt so much support from the people at those two shows. I can’t wait until I can come back to Spain again. GERMANY (again): We flew to Frankfurt the next day and then took another train to the city of Erfurt. We had a series of house shows booked in Germany for the next week but, thankfully, we had the night off. We stayed with the hosts of the show in Erfurt. The next morning we picked up our rental car and then we got ready for the show. It was in an office building and they had professional lighting and sound. Zach opened on all the German shows and he did a fantastic job. We had a bit of an after party that night, which was a lot of fun, and then got some rest before heading out the next day. I’d never driven in Germany before but Zach had. He gave me a lot of much needed warnings and explanations before we hit the autobahn. There are long sections on the German highways were there is no speed limit. On average, most people drive between 130-140 km/h. There were many times when I was driving around 160 km/h and a car going over 200 km/h would come out of nowhere and just fly past us. It was crazy. We made it to Dresden and played in a beautiful place called the Castle Röhrsdorf. It was a full room and it went very well. It was the first show I’ve ever played where everything I said to the audience had to be translated (thanks again, Sarah!). We had a great time but were off again before we knew it. This time we drove to Ulm where we played another wonderful show. We had lots of great food before ending the night with a jam session, some absinthe and a little pear schnapps.  We headed out the next morning and drove back to our friend Timo’s house. We were staying with him and playing in his village that night. It was another great show and we ended up staying out late connecting with the people there. We had a short drive the next day so we slept in as much as we could. After some coffee and breakfast we drove to Ravensburg for our last show. We were playing in a beautiful old farmhouse. There were over 70 people at the show and it was the best way to end the tour. Zach played a great set and then he and I had a fantastic time playing for everyone. We did two encores and hung out afterwards. We got to bed just before midnight and slept as much as we could before getting up at 3am to drive back to Frankfurt and catch our flights home. Thankfully, everything went smoothly. We drove through rain, snow and fog but managed to arrive on time at the right place with all of our luggage.  This was another incredible tour. I’m so incredibly thankful to everyone who came out to the shows and to everyone who had a hand in making this tour possible. A special thank you to: Dan Fraser - my manager who helped organize all our travel arrangements and was always on call despite the crazy time difference, Nettwerk, CAA, Live Nation, Mojo Promotions, Mercury Wheels, Herman, Martin & Alex (and their sauna), Darius & Marion, Dave, Sarah, Arno, Monika, Timo & Sonja, Carmen, Gabi & Alex. And a very special thank you to my friend, Zachari Smith. Touring isn’t easy, but Zach is an absolute pro. He made a difficult job much easier and it was a pleasure to get to play with him, to hear him perform and to just hang out. He’s an amazing songwriter with a new album currently being released. Do yourself a favour and check it out on Spotify or Apple music! Thanks again, everyone. I’m back at home resting but I’m so excited for what’s to come. more soon, -joshua

[isoisolated]

Exportujte se a množte se!

aneb Czeching 2017 z pohledu vítěze

Disclaimer: Tenhle post rozhodně nenapadá žádné konkrétní osoby. Jsou to moje upřímné pocity, které mi působení v této soutěži přineslo. Jsem puberťák, dělám elektroniku a nikdy jsem nespolupracovala s někým tak velkým, jako ČRo. Berme v úvahu full context. Text píšu za sebe, subjektivně. 

“Czeching je hudebně exportní projekt, který se snaží fouknout do plachet českým kapelám, producentům a umělcům na jejich cestě do evropského éteru, na evropská pódia a k zahraničím posluchačům.”

Czeching je projekt Radia Wave, které spadá pod Český Rozhlas. Projekt pořádně běží od roku 2014 a jeho předchozími vítězi byli například VR/NOBODY nebo Himalayan Dalai Lama. 

Najednou s Anežkou stojíme před garážema ČRo, a naše pohledy ve stále tišším a tišším závoji říkají jen “kurva, ne, prosimtě, to nemůžu vyhrát, tyvole, ne.”

Don't get me wrong, po Startéru jsme byly správně nastartované vzít věci do vlastních rukou a začali plánovat vývoj ZJ, jehož jedinou “překážkou” mohl být Czeching. 

Takže se div nerozbrečím, když běžím na stage a fakt nevim, co si o tom všem mám myslet, protože je to super a něco, co jsme nechtěly zároveň. 

A to byl samozřejmě jen začátek. Psát to všechno chronologicky by bylo na dlouho, byť by to třeba mohlo být zajímavý. Pro praktičnost jsem se rozhodla můj post o Czechingu napsat v bodech. Bohužel během naší spolupráce nastalo pár momentů, kdy jsme si říkaly, proč jsme to prostě nedaly někomu jinýmu. V jiných momentech jsem byla neuvěřitelně greatful, že můžu být součástí toho všeho. 

Seznamovák na základce

Pár dní po vyhlášení následoval rozhovor ve Wavu. Častým a šlechetným tématem na tohle téma je myšlenka spolupráce s ostatními nominovanými, nebo ostatními z local scén/y. Neberte mě špatně (tuhle frázi asi budu točit často), ale o žádných z nominovaných jsem předtím neslyšela, pravděpodobně proto, že jejich hudba mě nebaví, nebo to není můj žánr. Tenhle pocit je předpokládám sdílený a je to úplně v pořádku. Proto otázka, jestli bych chtěla spolupracovat s někým z moninovaných vyústila v lež, protože by to asi znělo blbě, říct, že s nikým, protože prostě proč? 

Když nad tím přemýšlím, vlastně jsem znala HRTL, se kterým se pěkně kamarádíme, nicméně music-wise by mě spolupráce asi taky nenapadla. Přece jenom naše hudba se trochu liší.

Tohle nebyl jedinej moment, ještě pár se jich naskytlo, kdy měl člověk pocit, že je na seznamováku na základce a učitelka ho popostrkuje, děti, hrajte si spolu!

Zobrazeno

Komunikace vázla. Intenzivně a často. Myslím, že by nebylo vůbec od věci pro příště vybrat tým lidí, kteří se budou věnovat jen Czechingu a kteří to hlavně budou chtít dělat. Jednou se neodepisovalo vůbec, podruhý jsme byly po dnu naháněny, kde to vázne. Jsme lidi a máme práce, školy a nervy. My jsme jich měly dost. Dovolím si říct, že ze strany Czechingu nebylo komunikování vždy úplně profesionální a efektivní, s/o všem, kteří se věcí zodpovědně chytli a ve finále vlastně s/o úplně všem, protože věci nakonec dopadly dobře. 

Změny a změny

Trochu jsme si změnily pravidla - Výhra v Czechingu zahrnuje nahrání EP od ČRo. Ale vzhledem k tomu, že jsme počítaly spíše s variantou nevýhry, měla jsem v hlavě už dávno připravené v hlavě druhé album, včetně artworku, názvu a zvuku. Což zřejmě bylo překvapující, že někdo svoje nápady nechce moc diskutovat, pokud má jasnou vizi. Soutěž jako Czeching, se prezentuje jako podpora umělce. Podpora umělce se nerovná vyvolat pocity ohrožení, pokud se ostatním nelíbí původní nápad a více či méně okatě se ho snaží předělat. Znovu, všechno dopadlo tak, jak jsem si představovala, ale lowkey drama okolo toho bylo absolutně zbytečné.

Změna 2

/dodáno později/ 

Věc, která mi úplně vypadla bylo natáčení videoklipu, které v předchozích ročnících nebylo. Což je věc, která je určitě atraktivní pro budoucí výherce. Ale o tom bylo řečeno již mnoho. Co k tomu asi můžu říct je jen to, že jsem nečekala, že můj dětskej sen by se splnil tak brzo a takovýmhle způsobem. Bylo to úžasný, stejně jako finální produkt. 

Flexibilní výhra a nahrávání ve studiu

Na tuhle myšlenku mě přivedla až konverzace ze zvukařem na Wavu a to je velká hlavní výhra, kterou je nahrávání v profesionálním studiu. Pro kapelu úplně perfektní, pro bedroom producenta noční můra. 

Z 5 nahrávacích dní jsem využila 3, po cca 3-4 hodinách. Nahrávaly se vokály do nekterých skladeb a piano do dvou. Tahle věc mi došla až takřka po měsíci - bohužel pan zvukař ve studiu profesionální rozhodně nebyl a jeho background, byť hudební, má k nahrávání ještě nějakou cestu. 

Navíc jsme velkou část vokálů přenahrávali u mého kamaráda Daniela Kvaka, který se na albu podílel jak takto, tak i masteringem a pomocí s mixem. Uvolněný prostředí zajišťuje kreativní a flexibilní workflow. U Dana jsem tak nahrála zatím nejlepší vokály vůbec. 

U vokálů z Reginy byla rozhodně poznat moje nervozita a jejich workflow bohužel zabíjí jakoukoliv kreativitu, protože vše musí být dopředu naplánované. Což samozřejmě dává smysl a je úplně v pořádku. Jen ne pro hudebníka jako já. 

Udělat výhru flexibilní, protože ne vždycky to vyhraje kapela/producent, by mohlo být pěkným řešením a přidalo by to velké plus k samotné výhře, protože někdo vám sestaví výhru na míru! Kdyby se v ceně nahrávání pořídil mikrofon, na který bych si mohla nahrát vokály v klidu doma, asi by to všechno šlo mnohem víc snadněji a ladněji. Myšlenka pro budoucí ročníky

Groningen a první koncert v zahraničí

Dalším velkým bodem výhry je zahrání si na největším evropském showcase festivalu v Groningenu  (malebné městečko 2 hoďky od Amsterodamu) - Eurosonic. K tlaku z ČRo/Wavu se přidal ještě tlak od České exportní kanceláře, který samozřejmě vždycky působí kontraproduktivně. 

Ale ten festival samotnej! Organizačně naprosto úžasné, všichni byli velmi milý a helpful. Zvukaři na mojí venue byli naprosto perfektní, stejně jako stage managers a vlastně úplně celý personál a org team. 

O mém samotném koncertu řeknu jen to, že pro mě osobně to byl jeden z nejhorších, ačkoliv objektivně to prý bylo super! 

Co mi Eurosonic ale dal bylo hodně myšlenek a podnětů a vnitřního tlaku, že takhle by to dál nešlo a že všechno se musí od základu předělat a tak podobně. Se ZJ jsem díky tomu zase na začátku, ale tak to asi chodí. 

A co letenky? 

Ještě když se vrátím k Eurosonicu, náklady na cestu a honorář je vyplácen PO akci, přesněji po únorovém zúčtování. Tenhle systém mi přijde šílený, protože se může snadno stát, že výhercem bude někdo, kdo na náklady reálně nemusí mít, natož finanční support rodiny/přátel. Nemluvě o zpětném vyučtovávání. 

Konec dobrý, všechno dobré! 

Sečteno, podtrženo, podle šlechetných new-age myšlenek, všechno dohromady byla velká, VELKÁ zkušenost. Ani pozitivní, ani negativní, jen pure experience. Jsem více, než vděčná za výhru a že porota ve mě uzřela potenciál a materiál na export. Album je venku, z Eurosonicu jsme v pořádku doma, na Wavu a Gridu jsme album dojemně pokřtili a mně nezbývá nic jiného, než poděkovat všem, kteří se mnou a námi během toho všeho spolupracovali. 

A pro příští vítěze? 

Od nominace aspoň torchu počítejte s tím, že to vyhrajete a začněte si v hlavě, ještě lépe fyzicky, připravovat EP. Na nahrávání a post-produkci je necelý měsíc a šíleně rychle to uteče

Pokud máte jasnou vizi, hudební nebo obrazovou, rozhodně si za ní stojte a nebojte se odmítnout diskuzi. Pokud vizi nemáte, vůbec si nedělejte hlavu, Wave dává dohromady velmi šikovné lidi, kteří dělají super věci a jsou připraveni s vámi vymyslet perfektní image

Na Eurosonic se PŘIPRAVTE. Já to nechala na den před odjezdem a podle toho to tak dopadlo. Vůbec se nebavíme o nějakém zklamání ostatních, nebo publika, bavíme se hlavně o osobním zklamání, pokud byste eventuálně nechali utéct takovou příležitost a show odflákli. 

To je asi vše, co jsem chtěla na toto téma říct. Jsou to myšlenky a věci, které mé okolí slyšelo nejmíň tisíckrát, ale chtěla jsem to předat i lidem, kteří nejsou v mé úzké sociální bublině a rádi by se dozvěděli, jaké to vlastně je, jako ZJ vyhrát Czeching, ha-ha.

[violasbabygirl]

I ❤♥ Becca!! She da bomb 😍. Reposted from @beccastevensbsb (@get_regrann) - Posted @withrepost • @polyartsmanagement We can't wait for these two huge Netherlands dates this November as part of @beccastevensbsb' European Tour! First up will be #rockit Fest in #groningen on the 9th & live music venue @bimhuis in Amsterdam on the 13th 🇳🇱 For the full list of European tour dates check out the link in our bio now! (Further dates incoming 👀🤐) #beccastevens #europeantour #amsterdamlivemusic #netherlands #polyarts #bimhuis #festival - #regrann https://www.instagram.com/p/B1OrC3CDKsn/?igshid=vy6mbug1pa42

[abductionradiation]

Philadelphia, PA -- Earlier this week, (Sandy) Alex G announced a slate of tour dates for his upcoming album House of Sugar, due September 13 via Domino. The second single to be released from the album is “Hope,” a lush track that’s just around 2.5 minutes long. There’s certainly a fervent energy to this track, from the heavy strumming of the acoustic guitar to the synthy layers. There’s an urgency to “Hope” that feels like anxiousness, especially with the heavy lyrics.

Tour Dates Sat 08/03 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (Lollapalooza Aftershow) Sun 08/04 - Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Thu 10/17 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat Fri 10/18 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall Sat 10/19 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle Sun 10/20 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West Tue 10/22 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk Wed 10/23 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Fri 10/25 - Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater Sat 10/26 - San Diego, CA @ The Irenic Sun 10/27 - Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre Tue 10/29 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall Wed 10/30 - Oakland, CA @ The New Parish Fri 11/01 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom Sat 11/02 - Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial Sun 11/03 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos Tue 11/05 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue Wed 11/06 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater Fri 11/08 - St Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall Sat 11/09 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon Sun 11/10 - Detroit, MI @ El Club Tue 11/12 - Toronto, ON @ The Opera House Thu 11/14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel Fri 11/15 - Burlington, VT @ ArtsRiot Sat 11/16 - Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts Sun 11/17 - Boston, MA @ Royale Sat 11/30 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer Fri 02/07 - Liverpool, UK @ Phase One Sat 02/08 - Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory Sun 02/09 - Glasgow, UK @ St. Luke’s Mon 02/10 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Wed 02/12 - London, UK @ Evolutionary Arts Hackney (EartH) Fri 02/14 - Bristol, UK @ Thekla Sat 02/15 - Brighton, UK @ The Old Market Mon 02/17 - Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof Tue 02/18 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Rotonda) Thu 02/20 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow (SkyBar) Sat 02/22 - Berlin, DE @ Lido Mon 02/24 - Prague, CZ @ Underdogs Ballroom Tue 02/25 - Zurich, CH @ Bogen F Thu 02/27 - Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz (Sala 3) Fri 02/28 - Madrid, ES @ Sala El Sol Mon 03/02 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere Wed 03/04 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn Thu 03/05 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Fri 03/06 - Groningen, NL @ Vera

Connect with (Sandy) Alex G:

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[ceolforthesoul]

Let’s gather around Kitty Florentine’s Coffee Company Cauldron

Hello lovely people and fáilte go dtí Ceol for the Soul -  The podcast that puts the warm and fuzzy feelings received from live music into words. For those of you who are new here, my name is Aisling — I am a singer-songwriter from the West of Ireland currently living in Groningen, a city in the north of the Netherlands. I am constantly in awe of artists succesfully managing to pierce my heart and bring me with them into their whimsical inner worlds while performing live. Ceol for the Soul is a space where I attempt to transfer the essence of the musical experiences I encounter to you through reviews, interviews and opinion pieces.

As usual, before I begin the episode - I invite you to pause this here for now and return after you have listened to a song from this week’s spotlight artist - Kitty Florentine. She marks the first episode of a three part series aiming to unpack the most heart grabbing moments of Eurosonic 2024. Kitty’s performance feels like the fiery inauguration that this soulful series deserves. 

After testing the waters of Kitty Florentine’s debut album, can you describe where it transports you? Is there one word that you think encompasses her approach to musicality? Where do you think Florentine may draw her inspiration from? 

I will be taking a more theatrical approach today but I will try not to leave any of these stones unturned while exploring the mystical realm that Kitty created during her short stay in Groningen…

---------------------

When it is cold outside, the music feels even warmer. ESNS, a four-day music conference and festival in the middle of January every year makes sure to wrap its guests in a blanket lined with Europe’s rising artists. The host city of Groningen comes out of hibernation and awakens its wintered streets so the music can bloom. Intrigued by the newly enlivened city, my friends and I wandered through the bustling centre. Without an itinerary, we roamed from venue to venue --- in search of a sound to take hold of us. 

From a fogged café window - an effervescent shadow peeked through the cracks and we were drawn to gather around Kitty Florentine’s Coffee Company cauldron. She stirred spellbinding songs into a setting that could just about handle the potency of her potions. The Estonian singer-songwriter's performance was extremely intermedial. Like an ongoing experiment into the various capabilities that theatre and music could afford, Florentine carefully interweaved core elements of both art forms into a performance that often would be perceived as solely musical.

Kitty Florentine was certainly not a stranger to the stage ---commanding it with a regality that matched the extravagant black gown and golden crown that she was wearing. These costume-like elements hinted at the theatricality of the evening and it felt like we were beholding a complete artwork before we even heard the first song. Her expression of identity through clothing was part of the overall character formed throughout her 30-minute slot.

Florentine's vocal narrative began with 'True Story' - her signature spacey soundscape and eerie electronic backdrop were established. It wasn't the lyrics of Florentine's songs that made this performance so emotionally impactful to me, but the charismatic and magnetic atmosphere surrounding them. Her mindful movements were bewitching and my friends and I couldn't help but emulate them. The intimate setting meant she could easily break the fourth wall and thank us graciously for the "good vibes" we were bouncing back to the stage.

The recordings of Kitty Florentine's music do not reach the same parts of my soul as the live renditions. The synergy of music and theatre created during her ESNS showcase displayed her full mystical artistic potential. A café transformed into a proscenium arch - all in a day's work for Florentine.

[newsongoftheweek]

The 5 Best Songs We Heard At ESNS17

It’s been exactly a month since we attended the great candy shop for new music which goes by the name of Eurosonic Noorderslag. Present were over 380 acts traveling across whole Europe to get to the city of Groningen in the Netherlands. Being an university city pur sang, over 25% of its 200.000 population are students, you can smell the teen spirit running through the venues. Between the eierballen, a local delicacy of a deep fried egg with ragout, we also heard some incredible music and five of the songs which have been stuck in our heads ever since.

1. Be Charlotte - Machines That Breathe

This Glaswegian songsmith did’t hide her accent, but why should she when it suits Charlotte’s quirky looks so perfectly? When Anne-Marie had to cancel her highly-awaited performance on Thursday night Charlotte saved the day by filling up her spot at Simplon with her lovely indie pop. The world be so much better if everybody would be a little more like Charlotte. 

2. HAUS - Two Minds

HAUS form London turned the front hall of Huize Maas into a great house party with their danceable indie pop. Two Minds was a great ending of their set on Thursday evening. We saw a couple of promotors and festival directors in the front rows dancing along, so we think they’re pretty sure of a great festival summer. 

3. Declan McKenna - The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home

Declan McKenna was crowned the overall winner according to almost every media outlet covering the festival. Often compared to a one-man-band Arctic Monkeys, he swayed us over with a setlist filled with only killer tracks. At the moment he’s still supporting Blossoms (one of last year’s ‘winners’ of the festival) on their European tour, but we’re pretty sure he could’ve done it on his own as well. Come on, he’s already playing both Coachella weekends and one of Japan’s biggest festivals, do we need to say more?!

4. ADNA - Overthinking

The originally Swedish singer-songwriter blew us away with her 2 Meter session on the day programme, where she showcased some of the tracks of her astonishing third album Closure (which will be released on March 17 by the way). We tried to catch her in the evening again as her angelic voice would not be out of place at the Lutherse Kerk, a beautiful yet tiny church with two rooms. As the church was so crowded we skipped the queue and went on to be surprised by the next act on the list...

5. Sløtface - Angst

As we’ve tipped this lot from Norway before we’re dying to see what they’re like live. So we entered De Spieghel around midnight, which turns out to be the perfect timing for some feminist punk-pop. Frontwoman Haley Shea makes a great performance for a full-house and maybe it her name but she even reminds us of her almost namesake Hayley Williams. Not the worst example to be compared to. Ending the set with an engaged audience singing along to one of their Shave My Head they made a great ending of our Eurosonic adventure.

[ducybandz]

VLOG: The Netherlands and ESNS, Part Three | Exploring, Live Music, and Crazy Markets!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of teaming up with a festival in The Netherlands called ESNS — one of the hottest festivals in Europe which showcases up and coming European talent across dozens of amazing and unique venues in a small village called Groningen. The experience was unforgettable and I... from AMBY http://bit.ly/2HI3INJ via IFTTT

[jeanatem]

VLOG: The Netherlands and ESNS, Part Three | Exploring, Live Music, and Crazy Markets!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of teaming up with a festival in The Netherlands called ESNS — one of the hottest festivals in Europe which showcases up and coming European talent across dozens of amazing and unique venues in a small village called Groningen. The experience was unforgettable and I... from AMBY http://bit.ly/2HI3INJ via IFTTT

[thedreamslo]

VLOG: The Netherlands and ESNS, Part Three | Exploring, Live Music, and Crazy Markets!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of teaming up with a festival in The Netherlands called ESNS — one of the hottest festivals in Europe which showcases up and coming European talent across dozens of amazing and unique venues in a small village called Groningen. The experience was unforgettable and I... from AMBY http://bit.ly/2HI3INJ via IFTTT

[jayyemarquise01]

VLOG: The Netherlands and ESNS, Part Three | Exploring, Live Music, and Crazy Markets!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of teaming up with a festival in The Netherlands called ESNS — one of the hottest festivals in Europe which showcases up and coming European talent across dozens of amazing and unique venues in a small village called Groningen. The experience was unforgettable and I... from AMBY http://bit.ly/2HI3INJ via IFTTT