Anne Haigis at the Harmonie 01.04.2011

Anne Haigis will be presenting both her new CD and a new music partner when she takes the stage on 1 April at the Harmonie.  The guitarist is Jan Laacks and her new CD is titled ‘Wanderlust’

Having seen Anne Haigis on a number of occasions I recommend catching the show.  She is a wonderful vocalist with an interesting repertoire of songs old and new.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Julian Sas – Musical Master of Mystery

Julian Sas really is a mystery.  You would have needed a shoe-horn to get any more bodies into the Harmonie on Saturday evening – so how come he’s not mentioned in the same breath as Mr Joe Bonamassa or Mr Walter Trout when it comes to Bluesrock guitar heroes? How come he plays such mean Blues and remains such a friendly guy?  How come he still has another day job?  And above all – How come he plays like he’s loving every moment night after night?

Bonn is, as Julian admits during the show, a ‘second home’ for himself, Bassist Tenny Tahamata and drummer Rob Heijne.   If you live near Bonn and love rock music then you will have visited the ‘Mr Music’ shop in the City Centre and  found it impossible to miss the posters that went up for this years show – barely after the last cable was packed away following last years great gig.  Posters for next year, the bands 10^th in Bonn, will undoubtedly be at the printers even as I speak.  It’s another conundrum – how does Sas get the attention here in Bonn that others can only dream about?

It doesn’t hurt that the owner of the said shop is a die hard Rory Gallagher fan of course.  It’s also true that when Sas plays his Gallagher cover ‘I Take What I Want’ dedicating it to “One of the greatest ever”, his version  does Rory proud and indeed, Julian Sas could make a good living playing covers of the genial Irishman as ‘Nearly Gallagher’, ‘Glory Rory’ or some other name (although given the number of Gallagher cover bands in existence even these improbable names are probably already gone).  Thankfully he doesn’t do this as it would be a criminal waste of talent – Julian Sas is very simply one of the best Blues-Rock guitarists in the world and on Saturday he played the second best guitarists set that I’ve seen in at least the last five years.  (to beat Jeff Beck’s amazing performance of playing notes without seemingly touching his Fender strings, Sas would have had to play solos with both hands tied behind his back).  It’s no surprise then that Sas was recently voted best Blues-Rock guitarist from the Benelux Countries in a recent poll.

“We’re gonna play for a few hours,  we’ll have some old favourites and a bit of jamming in there too” smiles Julian almost from the off – and then there is no looking back. Whether a Gretsch, a Fender or a Gibson.   Whether played with fingers or with a pick.   whether a haunting ballad like ‘Blues for the Lost & Found’ or a righteous Rocker like “Take What I Want”;   Julian and his band attack every song as if it might be their last – as if some disgruntled promoter has threatened to pull the power plug on them suddenly, painfully,  and forever. In amongst the smiles and the grooves Sas shows appreciation for the people who have shaped or followed his career.  Rory of course, but local ‘heroes’ like Bernie at Mr Music and Music Photographer ‘Eckie’ Pech who died recently.  Each gets a dedication during the show.

As always, big Rob ‘Animal’ Heijne almost towers over his drumkit as if it’s a tonka toy he’s about to destroy.  I’d reckon by the aggression on his face at times that he gets through a new drum head every show and possibly a whole new drum every week.  Bassist Tenny Tahamata on the other hand looks as if he’s seen it all before and bought the Tshirt too, but the grin that cracks over his face when he meets Sas’ eyes gives the game away – he’s having as much fun as they, and we, are this evening.

This was the bands ninth appearance in Bonn over the years and many of the audience have seen all nine shows.  As a result, there is a cameraderie as much offstage in the audience as on it.  ‘Rorys Friends’ Fansite Head Karl-Heinz is here as always, and as always the Gallagher Tshirts almost outnumber the Sas ones.  Peter, Fansite Head of Julians German Website is here too, and so is Mr Music Bernie Gelhausen whose Shop arranges the Shows every year.  They’ve all seen Julian Sas a good many times over the years and they are all in agreement – he’s playing better than ever.  Usually with a rocker who has a just become a father (Mother/Ana Popovic!) I’d say it was the calming influence of fatherhood.   Julian though was always calm.  Whatever the reason though Julian Sas is following ever closer in the giant musical footsteps of  Rory Gallagher and one day some kid will go onstage dedicate a tune to “One of the greatest ever” and he will be refering to a Dutchman.

Before that happens though I look forward to many, many more killer concerts at the Harmonie to brighten the November nights.  Now, Julian is back on 26 November 2011.  it’s time  I headed down to Mr Music for my ticket…

LINK TO MORE PHOTOS

Popularity: 29% [?]

Oli The Kid Hits Town!

He’s not American, he’s not black, and he’s not old.  Despite these Blues ‘handicaps’ Oli Brown came out onto the Harmonie stage ‘guns blazing’ and quickly shot down all those critics who claim a young, white Englishman can’t play the Blues.

My first sight of 20 year old Norfolk born Oli Brown on Wednesday was a fitting one.  He was leaving the hall after sound-checking.  Hung over each shoulder was a guitar and he was holding them steady like they were in the holsters of a western gunslinger.  A musical Billy the Kid.  Okay,  Billy never wore a belt-buckle with the Batman logo emblazoned on it (as far as I know!) but when it comes to the ‘killer touch’ Oli’s Vanquish signature guitar should have more notches than Billy’s Colt.

Also very un-Tombstone like – Oli thanked me politely for the souvenir Bonn fruit gums I presented him with.  Graham, Oli’s Manager and father, said any food was especially welcome.  This was the first date of a short German Tour and they’d travelled over via Dunkirk and had been up since 3am – Motorway jams however meant they still barely had time to set up and soundcheck in Bonn.  Dinner was on hold until after the show.

Inside the hall there are a number of confused people.  I hadn’t seen seats and bistro tables in front of the Harmonie stage since Louisiana Red was here last year.  Many of the audience today had never seen them here before full stop.  Maybe the Harmonie Management put in the seating out of politeness and the expectancy of a higher than usual female contingent for a Blues show (there are never this many women at Walter Trout!) more likely, this being a Wednesday, they were being conservative about the turn-out. I remember rebellious Thin Lizzy fans throwing seats aside at a Portsmouth concert many years ago.  Here too the audience is rebelling.  Well, sort of…  I see a middle aged (ex-Thin Lizzy fan?) heading up the stairs of the hitherto closed off balcony.  When after five minutes he still hasn’t been forcibly removed, others throw caution to the wind and join him.

When ‘Oli the Kid’ fires off the first notes of  ‘Evil Soul’ at the crack of 8pm the seats are pleasantly full both downstairs and up, but without the swaying mass of heads there seems a lack of atmosphere.  Despite large marketing banners each side of it, the stage seems a bit empty too.  Oli has a mike in the wall corner, drummer Simon Dring is at the back, and bassman Roger Innis is in the other front corner so stage centre is oddly empty, as if  the vocalist had failed to turn up.  As it turns out, the vocalist is most definitely there as Oli Brown proves he is more than just a guitarslinger.  In the course of the show he also manages to not only cover every inch of the stage but also most of the auditorium when he goes on a Buddy Guy style walkabout with guitar in hand.

I’d wanted to see Oli with his own band since last years appearance with the RUF Blues Caravan Tour.  No offence to the Caravan musicians who are superb, but a musician should be judged on their own band.   So I was a bit disappointed to find Bassist Freddy Hollis has just left the trio.  In his place for the European dates is – you guessed – Blues Caravan bassist Roger Innis.  This is a man I would like near me at a nuclear catastrophe.  Innis exudes calmness onstage.  “End of the World? Bummer eh? Stay cool!” would probably be his pre catastrophe advice.  He even remained calm when I mistook him for an American (he’s a Brit) and did I mention he is also a fine bass player who does what all bass players should – keeps the beat rather than beat it to death – which can also be said of young drummer Simon Dring.  Both men keep things simple, allowing Mr Brown to take his signature Vanquish electric (a British Firm I might add) where he wants it to go – whether thats deep into his soul or deep into the audience.

Oli Brown’s music is a curious mixture of boyish charm and enthusiasm with the musical sound of a seasoned veteran.  This is quite amazing when you consider that the first gig Oli did was in March 2007.  This coming June will see The Oli Brown Band playing at the revered Glastonbury Festival – yes, that’s little more than three years of gigging.  Can anyone really be THAT good THAT quickly?  Mike Vernon thinks so.  Mike produced such illustrious names as Eric Clapton’s Bluesbreakers, Freddie King, Peter Green and David Bowie in the 1960’s/70’s until retiring.He was so impressed by Oli Brown’s music that he ended that retirement to produce the new CD ‘Heads I win, Tails You Lose’.  Vernon believes Oli is a part of the future for Blues Music.

Signing autographs after his super show Oli Brown is polite to a degree that you have to admire.  He not only asks who to sign to, he thinks about a few words to add and even asks exactly how names are spelt.  He even showed calm when, asking how to spell a tricky name, he got the answer “with an ypsilon” (Y).  He seems to have a genuine interest in what people say to him.  Ah, I’ve been looking for a word to sum up Oli Brown.  Genuine seems to fit perfectly.  Give him a haircut and any mother would be glad to have their daughter bring him home (whoops, sorry Oli, I promised no hair jokes!).

This boy is going to be enormous – in the words of a song from his new CD “No Diggity!”

Popularity: 29% [?]

The Brew – Strong Stuff

When the mighty Joe Bonamassa pulled the plug on Rockpalast last year it was good news for British trio ‚The Brew’ who subsequently had their entire set broadcast across the Nation.  They made a lot of fans who in turn made for a  crowded but enthusiastic crowd at the Harmonie on Wednesday.

A witty Festival organizer in Holland once referred to ‘The Brew’ as “The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit”.  Maybe that was just a little bit ‘über enthusiastic’ but it’s a pointer to both the band’s identity and it’s driving force so let me introduce this ‘Holy Trinity’:

The Father is Manager Tim Smith and The Son  is his son drummer Kurtis.  ‘The Holy Spirit’ is literally the spirit of the band – guitar virtuoso Jason Barwick.  That Kurtis and Jason are barely out of their teens is something you couldn’t tell from hearing the band on CD though since both have talent beyond their tender years in shovelfuls on their respective instruments.

If you read my report from that previously related to fateful show with Joe Bonamassa in Cologne last year you’ll know that I had lots of praise but also a few reservations about the band;  so one year and one new CD later how do they fare?

A mini tour of Cologne last year explains how the enthusiastic fan next to me has already seen them seven times.  He’s also had Jason sign his guitar – a true mark that someone is a guitar hero and some indication of just how highly rated this youngster is.  I’d seen it before but still it was a jolt to my senses to see Jason Barwick come onstage with the air of a keen to please schoolboy – and weave his guitar magic.  The sound is loud but, in contrast to last weekends at times ear shattering tone that had Crossroads fans running for earplugs, it’s not TOO loud.  In fact it’s perfect for Rock n Roll.

The sound was good last time in Cologne though.  What has changed since then is certainly the songs themselves.  Previous album ‘The Joker’ had a to my ears rather burdensome ‘Prog Rock’ sound out of the early 70’s.  It said “We have a great guitarist in our band, and a hard hitting drummer.  Close your eyes and we could be Led Zep”.    Well, this time around I could close my eyes and they were ‘The Brew’ which was a big step forward in my book.  Except that closing your eyes when ‘The Brew’ are onstage would be to miss half the show.  Had  Barwick’s parents known he would be bounding around the stage with such energy I’m sure they would have christened him ‘Tigger’ instead of Jason.  I came back from last year in Cologne very pleased with a shot of the lad caught leaping in mid-air.  Pleased until I checked the Internet that is and discovered everyone and their dog has a shot like it – even the posters show a grainy black and white airborn guitarist.

Here we come to my major concern about the band last time.  Pete Townsend’s mid-air leap, Jimi’s behind the back guitar, Jimmy’s violin bow, Stevie Ray’s initials on the guitar,  Tommy Aldridge with his bare handed drum solo…  They don’t set fire to the drum cymbal anymore “It caused some problems” was all Jason would admit later.  The point is, they don’t need all this theatre.  They have some excellent material now with catchy rockers like opener

“Every gig has a neighbour”, the CD title track “A million dead stars” and the moving “Kam”.  I’ll even forgive the continued use of a violin bow though on the strength of it’s use on “A smile to lift the doubt”.

A huge leap forward was also noticeable in the vocals from Barwick.  He reminds me physically of a young Gary Moore but the young GM had a singing style to frighten horses with (think ‘Murder in the Skies’ or ‘Fanatical Fascists’).  This was about the sixth straight gig in a row so I hope he uses it sparingly, but that voice is another reason to be cheerful for the future of The Brew and indeed for Rock music.  A thundering version of ‘Voodoo Child’ brought thunderous applause and no one would have condemned them for not coming back for a further encore even though it was only 10:15.  Return they did though  even if the previous number was un-toppable they continued because quite clearly they love playing rock n roll together.

The tour schedule looks pretty daunting with this Harmonie show coming in the middle of ten shows in succession.  There’s a long haul through Poland where the bands last CD was a chart success and not even room until September for the UK or the USA.  If these guys keep improving they will need to invent the 500 week year to keep up with demand.  I just hope the springs in Jasons heels can hold out.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Dana Fuchs

Now in it’s 7^th year at The Harmonie WDR’s Crossroads Festival is always a great place to discover rising talent.  This year was no exception as I caught Blues Rocker Dana Fuchs and Country Roots Rocker Cory Chisel onstage.

WDR introduced its Crossroads Festival into Rockpalast in 2000 but it’s become something of an institution at the Harmonie in Endenich since it moved there in 2003.  It’s where I discovered Novastar – big in Belgium but relative unknowns outside.  Where I first heard  Karl Lagerfeld darlings ‘Moke’ and finally got to hear Eric Sardinas play his killer slide guitar riffs.

This year’s highlight was earmarked early on.  Dana Fuchs made her name in the Bluesrock world in 2007 co-starring in the Golden Globe winning ‘Across The Universe’ – a film centred around the late sixties and the Beatles back-catalogue.  It put her name out there in the States as guitarist and co-writer Jon Diamond told me later.  But ‘Out there’ was The States and it’s only now with the release of her acclaimed ‘Live from NYC’ that Europe is discovering the power of DF’s vocals.

As always at Crossroads gigs there are two acts on the bill and as always the audience passes time arguing over who should be on last.  It would certainly be unfair to dismiss the evenings other act as a ‘support slot’.  Cory Chisel was listed as one of the Bands to Watch in ‘Rolling Stone’ in 2009 – so let battle commence, and may the best man/woman win…

As it turns out Cory Chisel and his band Wandering Sons are first up.  Chisel came to music via Baptist preachers in Wisconsin and admits that ‘The gospel of Johnny Cash’ was also a major influence.  Actually Cory Chisel himself has been a musical influence too as a fan wrote to his forum: “There’s a kid who works at grocery store I frequent… He got into playing music because Cory came to his elementary school class and inspired him. P.S. That same kid couldn’t come to Cory’s show the other night because he was playing one of his own”.
Cory Chisel puts Johnny Cash and his own Gospel past to good use in producing a distinctive Country Roots Rock style that tips its hat very strongly to Tom Waits too – and he includes a fine rendition of Waits’ ‘Rosie’ as an encore to tonights show.

Chisel also owes a debt to Dylan’s musical influence and admits that maybe you can sing almost any lyric in a Dylan way and it sounds profound.  When he actually does a ‘Dylanesque’ number afterwards I am left wondering if indeed he did make it up on the spot -  it was good, and sounded deep and meaningful in that “What was THAT all about?” way of all Dylan’s best material.  It’s an easy going set that is enjoyable without quite catching fire as  Chisel sips red wine between numbers (what would his Preacher Father make of that?) but I suspect the CD is more rewarding.  The band have an easy charm about them but when I find myself thinking more about their hats than their music then I realise I’m not being grabbed by the sound the people under those hats are making.  Nice band, probably a very good CD but…

Dana Fuchs also has her roots in a Baptist Gospel Choir but in her case other family members played Rock music in their New Jersey garage and it shows.  She moved to New York and in a City not short of useful musicians established herself as a regular act in major Clubs.  Then came the ‘Across The Universe’ film and fame, Stateside at least.  Finally interest is happening in Europe, thanks to a live CD, so hearing Dana Fuchs live would seem a good bet and here I am at the Harmonie.

Dana Fuchs is also very popular with cameramen (yes, ‘men’ is definitely the correct term here!).  There’s a row of WDR Video cameras, then a row of photographers and, somewhere behind all these heads are the audience – although if they are able to see anything I’m none too sure since every time DF strikes a Rockmusic pose she seems to be engulfed in seconds by Rockpalast camcorders.  These people must end up with one shoulder six inches deeper than the other with those monsters in tow!  Whilst I have to shoot between the bodies I can at least hear the music at all times.  Last time I saw someone pose so gracefully with long flowing hair onstage it was David Coverdale so I would like to have seen more for longer.

It’s an evening of great rock numbers done proud by a powerful vocal that got Fuchs a part playing Joplin in the off-Broadway ‘Love-Janis’ Musical and rightly so.  ‘Almost Home’ is an anthem about driving – a much loved topic for American songwriters it has a tinge of sadness and longing about it.  This air of sadness floats delicately in the air around many of the songs Dana Fuchs sings and she jokingly admits to it even as she introduces “My love song” which is titled ‘Misery’…

I’ve recently been reading ‘Last Man Down’ by Richard Picciotto.  It’s the harrowing story of what happened on 9/11 in New York as lived by one of its senior Fire Chiefs.  When Dana announces ‘Moment Away’ as her homage to fellow New Yorkers on that awful day it is particularly moving to hear the song tonight.  A woman who recalled kissing her husband goodbye never to see him again.  A song that could easily seem schmalzy but Fuchs carries it off beautifully like it was a star track from Springsteens 9/11 opus ‘The Rising’.  A clue to how Dana Fuchs findes her soul in the song comes later when she dedicates ‘Songbird’ “To my sister who took her own life”.   The family that taught her Rock music in the garage also taught her to dig deep emotionally and that’s what makes Dana Fuchs music so compelling.   That emotion also purs out in the pure rock numbers and created an incendiary finish with ‘Helter Skelter’ and ‘Whole Lotta Love’.

Dana Fuchs is still signing autographs and chatting to fans long after the show is over.  I mention reading ‘Last Man Down’ and she is genuinely moved that fate has me reading it right now since“It’s really ages since I last sung it”   I suggest to Dana that maybe it’s Kismet which has me reading it this very week of her show and I’m thinking that maybe Kismet had her discovered for her role in ‘Across the Universe’ where she met Joe Cocker, who now has her down as support act for his Museumsplatz show this year.  Or maybe someone up there is looking after Dana Fuchs – thats how you start thinking after an avening of gospel inspired Rock I suppose.  Thank the Lord for Music, for Blues and for Dana Fuchs.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Elli/MiaoMio CD’s and Parties

Bonn’s own all girl band MiaoMio and Cologne’s Elli both had new discs to sell and both offered a ‘CD Release Party’. Visions of making smalltalk with a plate of cocktail sausages in one hand and a champagne flute in the other made me curious, so I shaved, showered and hit the big City twice this month.

Long time readers of my concert reports here on English-network might remember my enthusiastic review of a young lady who supported Anne Haigis at the Harmonie a couple of years ago. Since then Anika Auweiler’s career has been steadily building momentum. Her first CD the largely acoustic ‘Lauf’ (‘Run’) appeared recently with top local musician Jens Filser more than ably supporting on guitar, but whilst ‘Lauf’ is a very agreeable folk/pop mix it’s The Indie Pop band MiaoMio fronted by Anika which is receiving a lot of attention and praise at present and which recently presented it’s first ever CD Release at Kult41 on the Hochstaden Ring in Bonn.

Cult41 is a bunker of a building close to the main Railway line and a main road intersection in Bonn Centre. I get off of the tram and it immediately starts raining. When I greet Anika in the aptly termed ‘winter-garden’ my hair is dripping rain on the floor and the leaking roof is dripping rain on my head. My hopes of a canape or even a small thimble of Bollinger also drip away, but as I’d promised my stomach something special this evening I help myself to a licorice black cat from the dish on the bar, order a ‘Bio Kölsch’, head inside’ and take up position beside the concrete stage, or below it to be precise since it is raised several feet above floor level (no danger of fans rushing Robbie Williams onstage here)

MiaoMio

To put it politely, IndiePop isn’t quite my area of musical expertise ( impolitely, I have NO IDEA quite what IndiePop is) Support band Kassette were bright and poppy with a somewhat whacky presentation that made them charming. Anika and band quietly took the stage and then put in a smoothe and solid performance for the evening. Since their first show at Klangstation two years ago they have grown in confidence, stage presence and musicianship, and with Anika’s voice and songs they have a head start on a good many wannabe successful bands. Add a bit of the promised ‘band coaching’ to the lot of talent they already possess and watch them fly up the IndiePop chart – although I’m not sure if there is one.

It’s clearly going to be a busy rest of year for Anika, Sarah Brasack (keyboards), Eva Marxen (Bass) and Sarah Tauscher (drums) – but having seen them a couple of times now, spoken to them and most importantly, heard their first CD, I think this could be the start of something big for the girls and hopefully for Bonn’s young music scene too. Not long after forming, the band secured a prestigious place on the live stage at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Bonn. This year they won out against fierce competition from 70 bands in the NRW wide ‘popupNRW’ band competition to be selected for advice and coaching in the music business. Just as importantly, their success guarantees them slots at some major festivals and concerts in the NRW area.

My verdict on the CD ‘MiaoMio: Intelligent songs concealed behind a pop backing. They require engaging brain and ears together but are well worth the effort. For ultimate tingling of the spine though try Anika’s solo ‘Lauf’ CD.

Final note on the evening – dress down for the next CD Presentation event, which is…

Elisabeth Erl, better known to the music Biz as Elli and best known as the winner in 2003 of DSDS (Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar). Elli’s CD Release Party is at the MTC Club near Cologne South Station, but being next to a railway station is where the similarities with Kult41 end. For a start it was SUNNY this time and students were sitting outside of pubs and clubs the length of Zülpicherstrasse. Inside MTC though there were still no canapes or champagne flutes to be found – in fact it was difficult to find anything in the pitch darkness. Do students have special optical abilities now that I didn’t have when I was propping up bars at Portsmouth Polytechnic? I recognize Elli herself in the gloom purely because of the trademark ‘pork-pie’ hat on her head. Said hat was actually stolen during a concert recently but returned to the local television station who duly filmed its eponymous return to Elli’s head the next day.

So Elli quite clearly has a bit of media spin already on her side – not least due to her appearances with Dieter Bohlen. The new CD ‘Human’ though is a result of time spent in America and away from Bohlen. Lyrics are all in English and it is clearly a very commercial platter. “The first CD that’s really me all the way through” as Elli describes it – although the booklet credits assign the music and lyrics to others with the rather mysterious additional assignation each time of ‘Elisabeth ‘Elli Erl – Manuscript’.

Both support acts are worth a mention: ‘AlexAmsterdam‘ were a quirky keyboard/guitar duo who actually came from Düsseldorf (The name ‘AlexAmsterdam’ sounded good explained their guitarist – who surprisingly is actually named Alex) later. Still more interesting was the set by Adrienne – a feisty girl with acoustic guitar and thoughtful lyrics from Los Angeles who’s band ‘The Rescues’ have made several musical appearances on episodes of ‘Greys Anatomy’. Also notable in an odd way was that it was the men (from AlexAmsterdam) who had the long hair, and the women (both Elli and Adrienne) who had short hair and tattooed arms.

And so to Elli‘s performance itself. Things got off to a jerky start musically with Adi the guitarist – Elli later admitted to changing the set order without telling the poor man. When soon after a broken guitar string caused delays, her showmanship talents came to the fore and she had the audience singing acappella for a couple of minutes. In fact the most memorable aspects of the evenings show for me were the excellent power Pop songs from the new ‘Human’ CD, in particular ‘Shadows’ , but most of all Elli’s control of the audience. Anyone talks whilst she sings and she calls out ‘Schnauze!’ (‘shut up’, as she explained to Adrienne who wondered what she was saying). These were fans of course and all was spoken and taken in good humour.

My verdict on the CD ‘Human’: Great vocals and well crafted pop/rock songs. maybe a bit too ‘hit formula’ structered for my taste but then I’m not the target audience. A very listenable./enjoyable disc.

On the crowded midnight train back to Bonn I found myself thinking that my very first CD Release shows were total contrasts to one another, with two up and coming acts that could each do with a mix of the others talents to add to their own. The songwriting and band atmosphere of MiaMiao and the showmanship/commercial appeal of Elli duly sprinkled onto both bands, leave to simmer and add a glass of champagne – on second thoughts, strike the champagne, it’s a myth along with the cocktail sausages on sticks. This might be called Indie/Pop but really it’s Rock n Roll.

MiaoMio

Elli

Popularity: 67% [?]

Standing at the Crossroads

Platinum  selling award winning Albums and nominations for Band of the Year – but who IS Joost Zweegers?  A Dutch Band with an Irish lead singer described by Paul Weller as playing “‘F***ing smashing tunes”, but who ARE Moke?  The Rockpalast ‘Crossroads Festival’ was back in Bonn this week and as usual, every show sounded worth attending and every show was different.

I arrive at the Harmonie to find a group of Dutch citizens arguing about being asked to leave the concert hall. They went in too early and were told ‘The doors don’t officially open for another four minutes…’ German ‘Genauigkeit’?. Only trouble is, practically the entire audience is Dutch or Belgien and they want to go inside! I discover later that the Novastar fansite has been offering a ‘buy one, get two’ bargain on tickets for the show just to holders of Dutch or Belgien passports. Well, it seems to have filled up the Hall nicely (hopefully it’s filled up the Harmonie cash box too!)

So the show gets underway with Novastar and it’s rather strange to be surrounded by people singing every word of every song to songs you’ve never heard before in your life. Singer Joost Zweegers is obviously used to it though. A small guy with cherubic, rounded face, Zweegers has seemingly boundless energy as if he’s been cooped up indoors all day and wants to jump around a lot. As it is, the stage is so cramped with equipment and video cameramen that the only direction he can move freely is upwards – which he does by jumping at every opportunity. He holds an acoustic guitar as if it’s just about to burst free from his grasp and run offstage, and he is almost always either leaning forwards or backwards.

In other words, perfect visual material for a live video concert. Oh, and he also writes cracking pop songs. Matchng this ability to a Paul Mcartney voice, weegers is well worth lending an ear to.

Novastar – Big in Belgium and Bonn

He takes a while to get really into gear though and his Opener ‘Bangor’ typifies the early set – a warm, softly rhythmic ballad with strumming acoustic guitar accompaniment. ‘Weller Weakness’ follows in this vein but on piano. ‘Tunnelvision’ is more poppy and could almost be Sir Paul singing. The show steps up a gear when piano and acoustic are replaced by Rickenbacker bass. ‘Where did we go Wrong?’ pumps along and has the fans jumping almost as much as their hero. Two bars into ‘Mars needs Woman’ and ‘PLUNK’. No thats not a song, its the sound made by a cameraman inadvertantly hitting a keyboard with his elbow.

Zweegers stops mid line, asks a technician for his Rockpalast Mobile. “Yes, your man messed it up – so we’re doing it again!” barks Zweegers, a glint in his eye, the audience applaud and the temperature in the hall doubles with all the heat emitted from red faced Rockpalast technicians. He gets his own back on Rockpalast later by adding a song not on the setlist and by the time his new single ‘Because’ fades from the speakers everyone is smiling – which is just as well because there’s a piano to be taken down from the front of the stage that is going to take all the humour the Harmonie backstage crew can muster considering all the TV cables hanging spaghetti-like from every corner of the stage.

When the piano has been removed and a ‘Moke’ backdrop slung behind the drumkit I begin to percieve other dramatic changes around me. The audience is still largely Dutch/Belgien but hang on – they seem to have discovered an elixir of youth. seems like the Harmonie backroom changed not just the piano but the audience too – cool trick guys!

The name Moke allegedly comes from Amsterdam’s nickname of ‘Mokum’ and most of the band members are indeed Dutchmen – oddly enough playing BritPop music. You might just have heard them without even knowing it – their single ‘This Plan’ was used for a Toyota commercial. They’re good looking lads for sure with stylish haircuts and a look that says – we’re on the way up, watch us go. That high profile image is no accident either: they have a ‘top tailor’ for their stage costumes – Karl Lagerfeld is a fan and chose the band to style his ‘K for Karl’ collection. So Moke are looking forward – only everything about them seems to be looking back: Orange speakers with stickers saying ‘Please Please Me’, epiphone semi acoustic guitars, mod haircuts and as a finishing touch – a picture of Dean Martin on one of Maginn’s guitars.

Serious stuff – Moke

Musically they are pretty retro too. Maybe it’s partly because lead singer Felix Maginn is from the Emerald Isle, but every second song sounds like the intro to U2’s ‘New Years Day’.  I keep thinking I’m seeing Liam Gallagher too – maybe it’s just the haircut and the moody dark eyes. Speaking to Bernie from Mr Music after the show I’m assured they are very nice guys. He should know; they did an acoustic show in the shop earlier in the evening. It has to be said though that smiling is not something the band do a lot of. Maybe that’s down to the songs themselves. They would have been a perfect backdrop for ‘Looking After JoJo’ that wonderful television movie starring Robert Carlyle and depicting drug racketeering in Ireland at the height of ‘The Troubles’ – which oddly enough was actually musically underpinned by tunes from Paul Weller and The Jam. The bands song “Here comes the Summer” is certainly Irish Powerpop at it’s very best as Maginn sings “No Pope here watch opinions run – down the barrel of a loaded gun”. Very Irish, very 70’s, very retro.

‘This Plan’ is also retro in feel. A bleak story of a troubled mind – in the ‘70s it would fit a troubled Belfast teenager, in 2009 it makes me think of isolated teenagers who take guns into schools. Times changed, but troubled minds do not it seems. Even singing “You and I are beautiful, together we’re gonna rule the world” there’s a doomed timbre in the vocal. Moke were described by one magazine as “The return of 80s guitar rock” which on Fridays evidence seems somewhat bizarre. Lots of hard pumping rock rhythm, but not a solo in sight.  Come to think of it, I missed that with both acts on the night – a screechy, emotive solo.  It was an evening for chords rather than notes.

If I’ve sounded harsh on either of the bands here then I hasten to add both were enjoyable in their own ways and had a shared ability to tap into mainstream music demands. Novastar deserve their success and Moke deserve to succeed. They do what they do well and look good doing it. I was glad though to get home and listen to Walter Trout’s new release “They call us the working class – but we ain’t working anymore” – Also pretty depressng stuff , but finally a heavenly guitar solo to savour…

Photos: Novastar

Moke

Moke live at ‘Mr Music’ in Bonn

Popularity: 23% [?]