No posts last month as there wasn't anything that I would recommend to go to. There were of course good bands playing in Amsterdam but none that I though it was worth leaving the house and braving the elements to go see. I was very much looking forward to seeing Koop play this week at the Melkweg but it seem to have been moved to February of next year so more on that later. However there are some other great gigs coming up all the same.

Monday December 3'rd - Efterklang @ Paradiso, (7pm and only 10 euro entry).

Hailing from Copenhagen, Efterklang is a band whose name translates literally to "after-noise" but translates better to "reverberation" or "remembrance". Their style is tagged as folktronica by the music press, which seem to be a description given to any band that combines acoustic instruments, electronic(s) and vocals these days. I think their music is better described neo-classical choral electronica with some elements jazz in the direction of the Cinematic Orchestra, now that's probably more confusing than ever.

So really you have to go see these guys live to make up your own mind as to what they are like. They are playing in the Kleine Zaal as part of their European tour to promote their new album, Parades, which received very favorable reviews in the press.





http://www.myspace.com/efterklang
http://www.efterklang.net/

Friday December 7'th Cobblestone Jazz @ Club 11

From Vancover Canada (and now also resident in Berlin as well) this is a live techno act with a jazz tenancies who improvise greatly during their shows. Their influences range from jazz and dub to breakbeat and minimal techno. I expect that this will be quite an exciting live show indeed.

http://www.myspace.com/cobblestonejazzmathewjonson

Tuesday December 11'th - Madlib with J-Rocc & the Supreme Team @ Melkweg

Madlib is rapper, producer and DJ on Stones Throw records from California and has been producing some of the best independent hip-hop in recent years. Last year when the artists from this label played the Sugar Factory, once they managed to find him and get him onto the stage, the headline act Madlib gave an amazing performance. The son of a Soul singer Madlib has been making beats since he was 10 years of age and was hanging out in studios and making music while his contemporaries were were concentrating on school and sports. Mainstream hip-hop is dead and its labels like this that are keeping it real.

http://www.myspace.com/madlib

http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib/