Kid Koala played an amazing set at the Melkweg recently. This time it was just the kid + two web cams projected onto screens behind him and not the band/cabaret performance that we were treated to the last time. Not that we are in any way let down by his performance as he put out so much energy that he had the (packed) venue hopping to his block rocking beats. His new material is definitely more influenced by hard rock and he even dropped a Slayer track for the metal heads in the audience. The set was peppered with quality old school hip hop as well as some nice bluesy numbers that he scratches in the style that he first used with drunken trumpet.

Balkan Beat Box also played a good gig on Thursday of last week at the Melkweg. There is some very nice ska in their Balkan fusion sound. With lots of energy on stage they certainly got the crowd going. Towards the end of the gig I got a bit bored with the sameness of the sound and perhaps this is why I stopped buying this kind of music a few years ago.

Some gigs coming up this week.

Wednesday, June 6 @ Bimhuis - Interplay 4

Thomas Köner vs Max Eastley

Iris Garrelfs vs Si-cut.db

dj sniff vs Keir Neuringer

Courtesy of the Bimhuis mail list:
"STEIM's artistic co-director dj sniff (Takuro Mizuta Lippit) and Keir Neuringer will perform at this collaborative event in the Bimhuis. dj sniff and Keir Neuringer share a passion for expanding their respective instruments beyond cultural preconceptions and musical conventions. Since they met in 2005 they have played together in various constellations with other musicians---and have curated each other's work---but this is their first appearance as a duo. "

I've been to some of the STEIM gigs before (including DJ Sniff) and they are quite interesting if you are into experimental (and sometimes challenging) music.

http://www.sprawl.org.uk/interplay04.htm

Thursday June 7 @ Paradiso - Israel Vibration

More dub reggae vibes to enjoy with this great summer weather we are currently having.



Website
Myspace
Wikipedia


Sunday June 10'th @ Sugar Factory - Giles Peterson

Legendary DJ from BBC Radio 1 who plays Jazz styles that cross all the music boundaries. There's not much else I can say really. If you know him then he needs no description and if you do not know him then get down to the gig and check him out if you like this kind of music.

Website
Myspace
Wikipedia

Post Gig Note: He was not very good live. His format does not translate well to a club. He played some great tunes and some awful ones in my opinion, but I guess it just a matter of taste.

Tonight @ Paradiso

Late but not forgotten. Tonight in the small room will be Black Cab from Melbourne, Australia.

It starts at 8pm and costs 8 euros so you cannot complain about that (unless of course you hate them). Psychedelic rock they will play. And afterwards you can sneak into the main hall and see The Fray, if you really have to.

You will like these guys if you like Spaceman 3
New Order
Primal Scream


Myspace
Website

Coming up this month lots of great gigs.

Coming up soon so buy ticket now if you want to see them are Dinosaur Junior (Original Line-up) (June, Paradiso), The Bravery (June, Paradiso), DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist (July, Paradiso), Black Rebel Motorcycle club (July, Paradiso), The Streets (August, Melkweg).

Thursday May 10’th - Coldcut PRESENTS Journey By VJ @ Paradiso

From London, these guys (who founded Ninja Tune records) create the most astounding live performances seamlessly blending audio and video samples that bring the audience on a wild trip through space and time. These guys have been so cutting edge that they wrote their own VJ software, as there was not anything on the market that they could use to achieve the results that they envisioned. I don't really like their albums, though I did like the remixes of the last single. But live these guys are just something else entirely.

You may like these guys if you like Ninja Tune, Hex Static, British Hip-Hop and a damn good night out.

homepage
wikipedia

Friday 11’th May - Hell Is For Heroes @ Melkweg

Melodic post punk & rock band from the UK currently touring to promote their third album.

You may like this band if you like Bloc Party, The Bravery, Sonic Youth, Pavement, Fugazi and nu-indie music.

They should be good live.

myspace
homepage
wikipedia

Sunday 13’th May - The Young Gods @ Melkweg

Hailing from Switzerland, and not so young any more, this band has crafted a unique industrial sound that influenced a whole generation of music. Regularly a feature on the John Peel show in the 80’s they played in Amsterdam last year in the Paradiso and gave a bombastic show showing that they are as fresh and vital as ever. The light show was amazing.

You may like this band if you like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, KMFDM, Swans, Einstuerzende Neubauten and proto electro-punk industrial.

If you value your hearing for the future it may be beneficial to bring earplugs.

myspace page
home page
Youtube acoustic set
Russian Article

Wednesday 23’rd May - Shellac @ Paradiso

Founded by legendary producer Steve Albino who was previous in Big Black, Rapeman.

As a recording engineer he has worked with and helped shape the sound of Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Mogwai,, The Jesus Lizard, The Breeders , High on Fire, Fugazi, F-Minus, Superchunk,The Wedding Present, and a host of others…..

You will like these guys if you liked Big Black and Rapeman and loud post punk minimal dark noise stomp.

myspace
wikipedia

Thursday 24’th of May - K-Os @ Melkweg

Hailing from Toronto Canada his sound is a diverse mix from hip-hop to reggae and funk with some rock.

from London’s Jazz Café web site:

Canada’s number one Hip Hop artist & Grammy nominee

We've seen him on TV. We've heard him on the radio. We've watched him accept three Juno Awards, four MuchMusic Awards, six Canadian Urban Music Awards, a Source Award, garner a Grammy nomination, perform hit singles and reach platinum-plus status with Joyful Rebellion and the '?Publicity Stunt?' DVD. And while these accomplishments brought k-os great pride, he hopes that with his new album ATLANTIS - Hymns for Disco, people can focus on the music rather than the accolades

I'm not so into this guy but I think he will be good live.

myspace
wikipedia

Friday 25’th May - Kid Koala @ Melkweg

From Montreal Québec and on the Ninja Tune label Kid Koala has played in Amsterdam many times over the past years. A DJ and turntablist and showman Kid Koala never ceases to entertain especially with his Drunken Trumpet where he scratches Trumpet sounds over a jazz beat.

From Wikipedia

(Kid Koala) popularized a method of playing the turntable like a melodic instrument, where a long, single note is dragged under the needle at different speeds, creating different pitches. Since this method of adjusting pitch is imprecise, the resulting notes waver and bend. Thus, in the song "Drunk Trumpet," San uses this method with a trumpet note to simulate a drunken trumpet player, interspersing drunken vocals to complete the effect.

Great live but does not always translate well to recordings.

You may like this guy if you like experimental hip-hop & jazz, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist and of course Ninja Tune records.

myspace
homepage
nufonia
wikipedia

Wednesday 30’th May - Abyssinians & Ras Shiloh @ Melkweg

70’s Jamaican Rastafarian roots Reggae group. Sweet sweet dub sounds to take you into summer.

myspace

Thursday 31’st of May - Balkan Beat Box @ Melkweg

From NYC this Balkan beats band should be lots of fun live.

homepage
myspace
wikipedia