Indulging in Dutch
A naive but hopefully entertaining look at the Dutch Music Scene from the outside...
Having lived in the Netherlands for 6 months now, I have been contemplating an article like this to share some of my musical experiences. I love Dutch music as it’s new to me and doesn’t follow the same commercial rules that I am used to. It really is refreshing in many ways.
However, I sometimes get the impression that other expatriates living here don’t get the chance to experience proper Dutch music. Even stranger, I have met numerous natives who did not like music simply because it is Dutch, instead assuming it can only be good if it’s foreign. That situation isn’t helped when you go into a record store and the Dutch artists are priced 5 euro higher than the latest mass produced tripe from America.
So I just wanted to take the time and write about my experiences of the Dutch music scene in the cheesiest way possible. If you aren’t Dutch then hopefully you may learn something new. If you are Dutch, chances are you will find me weird but will hopefully find my outsider point of view interesting.
One last disclaimer though. This is not the definitive guide to the Netherlands. I am not the complete expert of every band here. I simply like living in the Netherlands and music is a big part of my life. If you are seeking complete information about the history of music here then you should visit http://www.hollandrocks.com. What you will find in this article is purely my own opinions and misses out lots of cool bands sadly through lack of time and space. If I was to include everything then I may as well just join the hollandrocks website.
Now let’s go…
A is for Audiences
In case you are confused, I will admit that audiences can be found at any concert all over the world; or at least the good concerts. However, I do feel the Dutch audiences are unique or are in the very least different from any other place I have experienced before.
I am not talking Nacht van Oranje and the ability for 20,000 people to get together in Ahoy singing patriotic pieces fit enough to grace a David Hasselhoff back catalogue. No, simply the typical concert crowds you can find any night in the smaller venues and clubs all over the country.
These are the audiences who walk a thin line and depending on their mood will either stand in complete silence with a look of awe in their eyes, or will simply talk loudly and ignore the performer altogether.
The former has the ability to freak out an artist new to the country as they cannot understand if the politeness is based on enjoyment or boredom. Typically in these situations the audience finally goes mental when the band vanishes for the encore break; confusing the artist who had written off the gig when they figured no-one cared.
The latter case is more prone to upset your heroes onstage as well as the real fans in the audience. Thankfully the ‘talkies’ are a minority in most audiences, ruining it for the majority rather than vice versa. If only they would stay home and talk over their TV whilst reading their subtitles.
Every so often things will balance out perfectly though, with the audience and the artist on the same wavelength; rocking the house.
We love live music in the Netherlands at Incendiary Mag. Just be prepared for unusual atmospheres sometimes.
B is for Biertje
Let me include a very brief lesson in Dutch if you don’t mind. Apologies if you are already more fluent than the average Incendiary writer.
“This -je suffix can also be -tje, -etje or -pje (often after an m) and is called 'diminutive', or in Dutch verkleining. It's used quite a lot in Dutch, either to make things smaller or to make thing look more innocent.”
Okay, pop quiz time – Raise your hands if your previous experiences of beer actually involved it being small or worse… innocent?
In the land that I come from (strangely enough regarded by the Dutch as a land of alcoholics), beer comes in big glasses and is used regularly as a tool to remove innocence.
Well, I cannot say that beer in the Netherlands is very innocent either but it is definitely much smaller. There should always be a photographer present to capture the look of horror at that moment when a foreigner receives their first tiny plastic cup of alcohol. It is like asking for a large steak in your favourite restaurant and then discovering a McDonalds hamburger when your plate is brought out.
Beer is beer though, and an integral enough part of music in Holland to claim this spot in the article.
C is for Cuby + Blizzards
‘Cuby and the Blizzards’ is the first venture into Dutch classics for this article. They have been and still are the prominent blues band originally from the 60’s and 70’s that are now going strong again and touring regularly.
It is definitely worth checking out their back catalogue if you want to look for something a little older and Dutch.
Visit http://home.wxs.nl/~dbron/cubyuk0.htm for more info.
D - Daryll Ann
Daryll Ann are the guitar pop heroes of the Netherlands who have been in it for the long haul. Sounding like a cute combination of early REM and the Beach Boys they sound as un-Dutch as you can get. It’s pretty pleasant stuff though, and there are some real treats on their last two albums, Trailer Tales and Happy Traum, both often found at very reasonable prices.
They are signed to Excelsior Records and tour the country regularly so you have no excuse for overlooking them.
E is for Eindhoven
Eindhoven may be the fifth largest city of the Netherlands and home to Philips but it isn’t exactly the bustling cultural experience that people relate to Amsterdam. Don’t write it off though as touring bands do stop off there at times.
In fact the live music scene stretches all over the Netherlands and gigs are not purely restricted to the Randstad trio of Amsterdam / Rotterdam / Utrecht. Smaller towns and cities have their fair share too so be sure to check the gig listings for what’s happening in Eindhoven, Groningen, Den Haag, Dordrecht or any other town near you.
F is for Festivals
It may appear to people who live in the UK that they are the rulers of the festival season with numerous large festivals happening all over summer. After living on the outside, I have reached the conclusion that they are wrong.
The Dutch are the real masters of the music festival. From early spring to late autumn there are festivals happening all the time and in the strangest of locations. Rarely will a public holiday or a sunny day pass without a random gathering of bands outdoors.
They can normally be recognized in the gig guides by their ‘pop’ titles such as Paaspop, Graspop, Parkpop, or if the lineup is much heavier then ‘pop’ will be replaced by ‘rock’.
The larger festivals of Pinkpop and Lowlands may be the famous attractions but music lovers would be foolish to overlook the smaller and sometimes even large free festivals happening every weekend. I can only assume it is easier to get a festival license here than other countries as occasion is almost irrelevant.
Each time I look at the schedules I’m half expecting to see Mykittenwasbornayearagotodaypop, though maybe they already say that in Dutch and I missed the translation.
To keep on top of the festival scene in the Netherlands, use http://www.festivalinfo.nl
G – Gathering, the
The Gathering is another Dutch band that has been going for quite some time. Conceived originally as a death metal band, their destiny was to change forever when Anneke van Giersbergen joined the band as vocalist and they recorded their popular Mandylion album in the mid 90’s.
Since then the band have slowly evolved away from their Doom Metal backgrounds and now provide one of the most interesting musical soundscapes in the country. Current album, Souvenirs displays their ability to mix nice melodies with rock, electronica, complex song structures, and shares more in common with artists such as Massive Attack or Sigur Ros than any current metal band.
H is for Herman Brood
Please don’t try and debate whether Herman belongs in the B section. If that was the case I would have to remove beer and no-one really wants to see that happen.
Mr Brood was originally connected to the blues rock scene in the 60’s and also with Cuby + Blizzards, but eventually was to become famous in his own right with his band the Wild Romance.
His most popular song tends to be “Saturday Night” fitting into the classic rock genre as strong as anything else from the 70’s. Over the decades though, the band members changed, experimentation took over, and his back catalogue ranges from straight out rock to reggae.
Sadly the Herman Brood legacy ended in 2001 when he killed himself but there is a lot of music left to be explored over many albums or compilations.
I - Ilse DeLange
On the front of her website Ilse DeLange may be looking like Avril Lavigne but in reality she is the Shania Twain of the Dutch music scene. That may equate little relevance to Incendiary overall but everyone is entitled to stray from the hip path if they desire.
J is for Junkie XL
He may be famous now after his antics with Elvis in 2002, but Junkie XL also has a prolonged history in the Dutch scene. In fact during the late 90’s he was being heralded as a pioneer of the rock-techno hybrid with a much harder sound.
Things change though and he has fallen into pop status in many ways. Everyone has to make a living I guess and if you want to experience some Dutch dance, he is certainly an option.
K is for Krezip
I feel I could have been more predictable with my K as Kane are currently the K of Holland. They have their arena and stadium gigs going on and they seem to desire to be the U2 of the lowlands.
Krezip on the other hand are smaller, younger and generally more rockin’. Hailing from Tilburg in the south, they have already released two albums, the latter Days Like This being one of my favourites of 2002.
Perhaps they also may seem uncool in some people’s eyes. At least that’s the impression of many natives I have spoken to. From my position as an outsider their sound can be compared to Skunk Anansie or Foo Fighters, they can play their own instruments, write their own songs, and they’re fun live. That makes them alright in my books.
L – Lidmaatschap
Picture this, your favourite band is playing in the Netherlands and you bought your tickets online.
Hmm, expensive ticket price, I must be getting old.
Oh no! You must be joking! How can they add a booking fee of over 4 euro?
Wait! Postage costs?
Argh! Now they’re charging me extra to pay by credit card?
It all feels so harsh but the tickets arrive quickly and you eventually forget the anguish. That is until you get to the venue on the night of the concert and they want you to buy a lidmaatschap ticket. That’s got to be a joke, right?
My grasp of the concept is still shrouded in confusion. Basically, certain venues expect you to pay them to let you in using the form of a membership fee even though you already have a ticket to see the band inside. What tends to confuse me most about the matter is that not every venue carries this policy so I cannot quite figure out if it is part of a licensing agreement or just another way to rip the music fans off.
Until now, no Dutch person has managed to explain it to me so we all conform and pay up when we have to. If you know the real reason, please let me know... or not. I guess i'd hate not having it to moan about.
M is for Melkweg
The Melkweg is one of the most famous venues in Amsterdam and has been host to thousands of world famous touring bands. Add the fact that they have been very kind to our magazine then it's fair to say we like them a lot.
Like all good Dutch venues it is multipurpose, with a range of different halls to cater to any band's needs or popularity. This method means there is certainly no need to pass up on hosting a concert when there is a solution that suits everyone.
N is for Noorderslag
Noorderslag is a group of concerts taking place every January in Groningen. The aim of the series being a chance for established artists to showcase new material as well as letting newer bands get their music heard on a bigger stage.
As Groningen is a student town with a different cultural feel to that of Amsterdam it is the ideal location to bring the music industry together, offering seminars and lectures as well as the concerts.
O is for Oor
Oor (translated as ear in English) is the premier music publication of the Netherlands. Produced fortnightly they are not our enemy. In fact, I kind of enjoy reading it now and again as they cover a nice variety of music and sometimes give away fun compilation CD’s.
If you would like to enjoy this glossy magazine be prepared though. You will need a better than basic understanding of the Dutch language or just an ability to be very impressed by looking at the pretty photographs.
P is for Paradiso
The other rock venue in the centre of Amsterdam.
Converted from an old church the Paradiso is now host to one or two concerts per night using the main hall and the smaller hall upstairs.
Additionally it holds club nights so it is one of the busiest venues in the city.
Q is for Queues
Actually, of all the concerts I’ve been to in the Netherlands I can’t remember ever having to queue to get into any. I think it is partly down to good organization but mainly due to the fact that the Dutch like to arrive as late as possible before a gig starts.
Leaving the venues at the end of the gigs however, has resulted in some of the longest queues and at times, dangerous crushes I’ve ever experienced as a music fan, so like many other aspects of the concert going experience, it all balances out.
R is for Riot Grrl
Girl bands are all over the planet and the Netherlands is no exception. Here it includes The Riplets, Bunnies on Strike, Bettie Serveert and many more.
The latter may not be of the screamy-girl-rock type but they have been a very successful export across the world with Palomine, their most famous album and are back to being a world music presence in 2003 with the album Log 22.
For more information on the Dutch Riot Grrl scene and the many bands check out Riot Grrl Linksl
S is for Spinvis
Spinvis = Spider Fish but I guess that’s irrelevant. After storming all of the ‘best of’ polls for 2002 the Spinvis album became quite a success and the tours began to sell out. I have yet to find a way to suitably describe the music though, so watch whilst I try and fail.
The lyrics may be in Dutch but there’s a dry humour to them both in content and execution, be they about being abducted by aliens or baggage handlers at the airport. The music stretches from some trip hop beats to indie guitar and is basically a very eclectic but endearing mix. I cannot say for sure that anything in the world of Spinvis is completely stable but it has been an interesting ride so far and I can highly recommend it to anyone willing to brave the Dutch lyrics.
T is for Tivoli
The Tivoli is the rock venue of Utrecht alongside the pretty Oudegracht and was converted from an old style theatre.
With a capacity of only 1000 it is the ideal place to catch your favourite band as it is the perfect size: Big enough to achieve a great atmosphere yet remaining small enough to be intimate.
However, it is the only venue in the world that I have encountered that has a man circling the floor demanding that no-one wear a jacket even if it is a bit drafty. That was certainly weird. However, if you insist that it’s not a jacket, it’s a shirt he will eventually leave you in peace.
U is for Urban Dance Squad
Perhaps they are not as urban nor dance nor even a squad now, but during the 90’s they were down with the innovators at mixing rap, rock, funk and hardcore. Technically they fit into the ‘I had no idea they were Dutch’ drawer, as when I was younger I only cared that music sounded good, not where it came from.
Like all good music though, it’s never too late to go back and revisit, so while the members may be involved in various other projects now, their history is awaiting you at your local CD store.
V is for VPRO
I have to be honest and say that I have yet to find a daytime Dutch radio show that pleases me. I don’t feel it is an attack on the Netherlands, rather a problem with radio anywhere I go. However, it was a delightful discovery when I found how much of an improvement occurs once the sun goes down (Note: this sentence works best in summer. When the sun goes down at 3pm the radio is still polluted with dire crap). Well I was even more ecstatic when I found the VPRO 3voor12 website and all the music I can desire.
The average Dutch music lover will know all about it, but if you haven’t been there, it is an online archive of radio shows and modern music. Do not let the Dutch language put you off the exploration. If all else fails, type the names of your favourite bands into the search box and see what you can find.
I remain completely impressed by this archival system and I am sure there is something good for everyone stored there in the form of concerts, sessions, interviews or just normal radio shows.
W is for Within Temptation
Sometimes bands exist in Europe that achieve success that just would not be possible in stuck up countries like the UK. One of my favourite examples is always Within Temptation.
Before we continue, I shall remember not to make the mistake of calling them goth rock. They prefer to be addressed as fantasy and who am I to upset them?
Sonically, they mix chugging guitar parts with operatic style female vocals and as ludicrous as it may seem, I find it fun as it goes against everything commercial that I had ever experienced before. The trousers are tight leather and the dresses are converted from parachutes it seems. They even dare to take on Kate Bush with their latest single. Oh the bravado!
All the alarms are going off warning about how uncool it is. You should really stay away but I’m a sucker for a bit of cheesy rock.
X – Xymox, Clan of
Clan of Xymox are a goth legend primarily for their name. Originally signed to 4AD in the 80’s, I had no idea they still existed let alone were Dutch. It just goes to show that even I can learn something new because of my desperate fear of reaching X.
Y is for Ygdrassil
As this article is drawing to a close, I really am clutching at straws. I’ve never heard the music of Ygdrassil, but that is really their band name, not your scrabble letters. To be honest, I have no idea how to even pronounce it, yet I kind of like it purely for defying all language laws that I know.
After some research I have discovered they are two female vocalists who perform acoustic folk songs and released 3 albums over the past 8 years. If you think you may like this style of music then feel free to look into them some more.
Z is for Zita Swoon
Okay, I am really pushing it now. I confess. Zita Swoon is from Belgium but I feel it is important to love thy neighbour. Just remember to not luurve thy neighbour. Anyhow, they play live in the Netherlands a lot so that makes up for it.
On that traitorous note,
here endeth my 2003 A to Z.
Steven McCarron
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