[Live Review] The Flaming Lips – TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht

the-flaming-lips-tour-vredenburgFUCK YEAH UTRECHT, Benji was right all along!

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Jameszoo – Fool

Jameszoo - Fool_FRONTEarlier this year I briefly mentioned Jameszoo’s naive, computer jazz record Fool but never got to opportunity to give it a proper review. Nicely enough you’re in luck today, so get ready for a treat. Continue reading

[Live Review] Neil Young + Promise of the Real – Rebel Content Tour 2016, Ziggo Dome Amsterdam

NEILPOTRFRONTPAGE

So what’s still to say about Neil Young? He co-founded Buffalo Springfield, hooked up with Crosby, Stills & Nash, released dozens of studio albums and almost single handedly laid the foundations of the grunge rock sound. At the age of 70, Young is one of the few musicians of old that is still going strong. Last saturday Don Grungio visited The Netherlands as part of his European tour with Promise of the Real and naturally, we traveled to Amsterdam to see the good man at work.

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[Live review] – Jeff Lynne’s ELO – Ziggo Dome

81F5YG6TwrL._SL1500_-1200x600If you’d told people three years ago that Jeff Lynne and Electric Light Orchestra would return to the stage, you’d probably be scoffed at, and rightly so. Sometimes, though, Strange Magic happens (ha!), and ELO is touring throughout 2016. Sounds from the Dark Side attended the gig in Amsterdam. Continue reading

[Live Review] Modest Mouse, TivoliVredenburg Utrecht

Modest Mouse TivoliVredenburg July 3 2015_2 Wander Meulemans

In 2013 Modest Mouse disappointingly cancelled their entire European tour to continue working on their new album which we today know by the title of Strangers to Ourselves. The album did compensate for the band’s absence yet a live appearance to come along with that would truly make up for past events. During their current North-American promotional tour Modest Mouse also made room for a three week ‘make up visit’ to Europe. Last friday it was the turn for the Dutch to re-embrace Brock et al in an overheated and Tour de France-minded Utrecht.

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Alamo Race Track – Hawks

Alamo-Race-Track-Hawks-300x300Under the banner of Excelsior Recordings the Dutch alternative rock scene has been blooming for almost twenty years now. Only on rare occasions Excelsior’s artists achieve some kind of success outside The Netherlands, thus keeping most releases under the radar of the international press. Non-Dutch who are always looking for the best kept musical secrets of tomorrow should therefore watch this label like a hawk. One of those very nice Excelsior secrets I’m gonna review today is a band called Alamo Race Track, that recently brought out their fourth album called Hawks. Ahem, sorry about that…
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[Live Review] Marillion – Christmas Tour 2014, TivoliVredenburg Utrecht

va_marillion-christmasAh, 1988, it was the year the first internet virus showed up on our screens, the first exoplanet was discovered, the United Nations stated it would wipe out polio and a lot of forgettable Hollywood stars were born. Indeed, it was a very good year. Sadly 1988 was also the year leadsinger Fish, left the progressive rock band Marillion due to managerial issues. At the time Fish was a larger-than-life icon and the hole he left seemed difficult to fill up. However Steve Hogarth, who was appointed to be his successor, managed to start a new successful era with Marillion. On Monday, the band visited the sold out TivoliVredenburg as part of their 2014 Christmas Tour, Sounds from the Darkside mingled with a merry crowd and reports. Continue reading

[Live Review] Le Guess Who? 2014, Various Locations Utrecht

LGW art 2014If you leave out the May Day editions, tonight its the eighth time Le Guess Who? will kick off in Utrecht (NL) again. The festival always offers a mixture of unknown and renowned indie acts during the last weeks of November and this year there is no exception on that. Personally, I’m always looking forward to Le Guess Who? because it brings a bunch of interesting artists to my doorstep. Luckily the festival organizers can’t complain about the attention from the Dutch media they’re getting these days and Sounds from the Darkside can’t be left behind on that, so during the coming days we will keep you posted about the festival’s proceedings.

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Amen Dunes – Love

Amen Dunes - Love_FRONTWhat would you do if you were a singer-songwriter and your first album under your own name was marked by the media as one of the worst album’s of the year? Well, I know what I would do: I would flee my home town and get a job as a carpenter somewhere far away and maybe, just maybe I’d go back after while, hoping everyone forgot about my failure. I sure as hell wouldn’t dare the pick up my guitar in the years following. But hey, that’s me and my story is fictional.  Continue reading

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Oddments

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard_FRONTYikes! Here in the Northern Hemisphere the golden days of this years summer are long gone and are slowly replaced by harsh and cold weather conditions. Sudden outbreaks of heavy showers, strong winds and dying trees await us. Therefore, autumn isn’t exactly the best time for most people to be happy about. However, maybe some music from the now warming South could distract our minds from the darkening skies. Hmm, Australia’s ‘60s psych pop rock outfit King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard might just be your imaginative way out of the dull autumn days to come.
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