Sunday, January 29, 2012

damien jurado

damien jurado and his stories, that's what i like. and his songs of course, but primarily his storytelling, and the banter in-between songs. and i wasn't disappointed when he took to the stage at the solo gig in haarlem, a taster for what is to come in a couple of months when he is back with a full band to tour his new album, maraqopa (due out towards the end of next month). and herein lies my dilemma: i never know if i prefer the solo act - just one man and his guitar - or the full-on band version (see my similar quandaries with chad vangaalen last year, here). turns out i guess that i can like both equally and, in which case, this gig was an exciting taster of what is to come when he's back in march.

damien jurado

damien jurado
 damien jurado
 damien jurado 

at some point, i would like to come back here and try and put into words the impact of one of his songs (before the encore) which, with its so-vivid-storytelling, transported me into the situation of the tale being recounted... i can't tell the story as well though, so maybe i'll just keep it in my head.

//full set of photos on flickr here; bamshakalah blogpost here; in-photos gallery set on drownedinsound here

laura gibson

a few days before the damien jurado show, i saw laura gibson at paradiso in amsterdam. her voice is something special, and i now need to check out her album. 

laura gibson

 laura gibson

 laura gibson

//a few more are on flickr here

x


Tuesday, January 03, 2012

looking back over 2011

happy new year! let's hope it is as music-jammed as 2011 was. according to my collection of gig-shot sets on flickr, i pretty much saw the equivalent of one band per week. that might sound a lot but i think there is room for improvement! ;) so now i've got one full year under my belt living in the netherlands, it might be a good time to reflect. i am so happy living in amsterdam and i am extremely happy with my decision to move here. i moved for the music, and it hasn't disappointed. a friend said to me before i moved that paradiso would become my second home and, although yes i do see a fair number of gigs there (more in the small room upstairs i think, altho i also see lots of great gigs in the big room - see below), actually it is not my favourite venue...

fave bits of 2011:
-gigs: see below...
-venue: de nieuwe anita (fave gig at this venue here)
-festival: iceland airwaves (full set of photos here, so many favourite moments!)
-musical family: belmont bookings (my fave bamshakalah blogpost here)

so... favourite gigs? i'm rubbish at choosing, but think i'd plump for these top five dutch gigs:

1. tv on the radio (paradiso, amsterdam)
// link to original blogpost here, and full flickr set here
tv on the radio


2. band of horses (paradiso, amsterdam)
// link to original blogpost here, in-photos gallery on drownedinsound here, and full flickr set here

band of horses


3. olafur arnalds (500-year-old house in nijmegen, as part of de affaire)
// link to original blogpost here, and full flickr set here.

olafur arnalds @ de affaire


4. no age (ot301, amsterdam)
// link to original blogpost here, in-photos gallery on drownedinsound here, feature on belmont bookings blog here and full flickr set here

no age - ot301


5. tallest man on earth (paradiso, amsterdam)
// link to original blogpost here, in-photos gallery on drownedinsound here, and full flickr set here

the tallest man on earth


in 2011, i saw so many good bands and met so many good people who i know will help to make this new year just as good if not better. exciting things are hatching, look forward to seeing what emerges.

x