Eddie Vedder - Carré Theatre, 25 July 2012

When you are an artist who can announce only a 6 concert European tour and sell out in the blink of an eye, you have to be someone pretty special.

The idea of seeing Eddie Vedder on his own at the Carré did excite me when it was announced. Maybe it is because growing up as a teen, I felt Eddie was singing to me. He, or rather specifically Pearl Jam seemed to write songs that I could really connect with. And although the years have aged us all, and I no longer have the Pearl Jam albums on high rotation, when I do hear a song I still feel a real connection to them.

Glen Hansard - An Amsterdam Triple Treat

Amsterdam – 23, 24 and 25 July, 2012

Usually to go and watch someone perform three nights in a row you have got to be a massive fan, or they have to be an amazing live act. This week I had the pleasure of seeing the magnificent Glen Hansard play three times, with each show getting more grandiose than the next. I use the word grandiose, but it would not be something I would use to describe Glen himself. He is charismatic, caring, thoughtful and a very emotionally interesting character. His songs tug right at the heart strings and his power can encompass a whole room.

The Tallest Man on Earth, Paradiso 4 July 2012

On the 4th of July 2012, a music paradox occurred. Two potentially fantastic shows were being played simultaneously in Amsterdam; one being Metric and the other The Tallest Man on Earth. I had already locked myself into seeing TTMOE before Metric were even announced, as the last couple of times I had seen him had been phenomenal. That being said, the one time I had seen Metric was also very memorable and they bring a real energy to their performance.

So really the decision had already been made…..and back into the breach once more I would go, spending the evening watching just one man perform to a sellout crowd, in a performance that at times is like something bargaining for a soul…… Welcome to The Tallest Man on Earth.

The Hilltop Hoods, Bitterzoet, 12 July 2012

When we spoke to MC Pressure of the Hilltop Hoods before their current European tour (HERE) and asked him about playing a smaller venue like Bitterzoet, he explained to us “whether it’s 50 people or a few hundred, it doesn’t matter, we’ll still put in the same energy, heart and soul into the show and we’ll rock it out. It’ll be good.”

The only part of this prediction that wasn’t on the money was that ‘it’ll be good’. This wasn’t just good, this was unbelievably good!

Yeasayer – Tivoli De Helling

Yeasayer – Monday 9, 2012 at Tivoli De Helling

When writing for VP Music, many people assume our life is full of backstage passes, VIP press cards and a backlog of free albums people are begging us to review. While this might not happen every day, every now and then the stars seem to align and we are given a pre-release of an album we are dying to hear, an interview with a band we love and to top it all off, our names on the door to a show we would have paid double to see.

These days are great days, especially when all three items involve Yeasayer. 

The Brian Jonestown Massacre – the Music and the Myth

Bitterzoet, 27 June 2012

What can you really say about the Brian Jonestown Massacre that hasn’t been said before?
 

Second only to Oasis, they have probably been the most publically belligerent and unstable band seen over the past 20 years. A reputation that was highlighted in the 2004 documentary Dig!, which showcased lead singer and guitarists Anton Newcombe’s volatile personality and the bands love-hate relationship with friends/rivals, the Dandy Warhols.

Although they have never made it into the music main stream, with more than 20 albums to their name they have developed a huge cult following over the years. This was demonstrated fairly accurately in Amsterdam, with Bitterzoet selling out reasonably quickly and the crowd on the night being pretty passionate in their love for both Anton and his band of talented misfits.

Even though I enjoyed the show, I am not sure if I can count myself in the passionate fan category. For me there were two main things I took away from the experience – the Music and the Myth: