This is a heavy touring week. I only got back from London on Sunday evening and got back to work on Monday. On Wednesday, I was supposed to go to Antwerp to see KMFDM at Trix Club, but I skipped that. What lies ahead is too exhausting, especially because I have to drive to work every morning on weekdays. I'm doing all this in between and with the extreme heat that all wheatherforecast are announcing, I decided to focus a 110% on The Gaslight part of this.
On Thursday morning, I felt fully recovered and totally ready for it.
I left work an hour early and started my drive to Amsterdam shortly after 3pm. It was very hot, over 30°C, and July 1, which means a lot of people leaving for their holiday vacation. To my surprise, there was absolutely NO traffic jams from Brussels all the way to Amsterdam. Lucky I'm driving in a north direction. On the opposite south direction of the highway I saw enourmous jams.
I enterred Amsterdam around 5.30pm and there, hell broke loose: I arrived when everybody left work. It took me another hour to do the final 5 miles. I got sick of the traffic and saw on the map that I was pretty close to the venue. I decided to not look any further and just park my car in the first available spot. That took me about 5 seconds. I parked near the water, but hey, in Amsterdam, everything is near the water. I had about 90 minutes before the doors opened. I actually didn't expect arriving so soon here, so I took my lunch and placed myself on a bench near the water to have a city pic nic. Summertime is great. The walk to the venue was a lot shorter than I thought: not even 10 minutes. I decided to take the extra time and do some more walking. I walked around but stayed close to the venue because there's a lot in the neigbourhood anyway: the Paradiso and Leidseplein with all the bars in full World Cup frenzy, only day before the Netherlands Vs Brazil. I had a drink in a rock n' roll bar there, and yes, this toilet is the no 3 on my list (see previous blog).
The venue is called the Melkweg and I've been here before for Bullet For My Valentine and I saw Corrosion Of Conformity in the small room in '96. I love this venue and its location is great, just around the corner of Leidseplein and still it looks like it's in a quiet neighbourhood.
Another thing that wasn't really a luxury today: the airco at the Melkweg was perfect. It was cool and stayed like that pretty much all through the show, even thought the gig was sold out.
I dislike the extra high stage there and decided to go for a great front row view on the balcony. After a while I changed my mind and got back to front row because I that's where I belong and I was already on the balcony at the Brixton Academy. The extra high stage had an advantage too: no crush barriers and no front stage security. Just like Trix Club, the first half meter of the stage belongs to the fans.
Twin Atlantic was support band again, and even though I didn't like them at Brixton, I thought they did a good job here. Still far from a fan though, but hey, respect for the good performance, even though nobody seemed to pay any attention apart from a fan or 3 right behind me.
That all changed after the break when lights dimmed for The Gaslight Anthem. Holland is Springsteen country and that showed: people of all ages and everybody knew the words and sang along to each and every song, even in the first half of the set where the pace was a lot slower than the second half. In the first half, there were a lot more new songs from American Slang and The '59 Sound, but in the second part, there was a lot more from Sink Or Swim, and Senor And The Queen. Hardly anything for the new album towards the end. The second half was one big explosion of energy with its peak during the Pearl Jam cover State Of Love And Trust.
Sweaty smaller club gigs are different from bigger venues and Gaslight seems to get that. It resulted in a totally different setlist from the one at the Brixton Academy. Different order and a lot of different songs. The encreasing of the pace is also something you can do for your hardcore fans only.
My personal highlights: again 'Blue Jeans And White T-Shirts', 'Boomboxes And Dictionaries' and wow to: 'We're Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Diner' and the Pearl Jam cover.
After the gig, there was no time to hang around and just as I was about to turn my back to the stage to leave the front row, a roadie puts a guitar pick of Brian Fallon in my hands. It says 'Spirit Of Jazz', which is a song of the latest album. Thanks a lot, Mr Roadie-Of-Brian!
The drive home went as smooth as the drive to Amsterdam. Isn't it great to drive at night with your car windows down and a strong gas station coffee and some water in the cupholders? Again: hot summer nights are so cool. And this band is the perfect soundtrack to that.
Pics below, scroll down for videos.
All the videos at my Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/frantiek
The city picnic view
Amsterdam: Water and Bicycles
...and football
This is not a church and not a City Hall...
...it's the legendary Paradiso concert venue
Leidseplein
bars at Leidseplein
Melkweg!
support band Twin Atlantic, probably my fav pic of the evening
it's Gaslight time!
...here's lookin' at you, kid
thank you thank you thank you
VIDEO: The Gaslight Anthem: Blue Jeans And White Shirts
VIDEO: The Gaslight Anthem: State Of Love And Trust (Pearl Jam)
VIDEO: The Gaslight Anthem: The '59 Sound
Next Blog: Rock Werchter 2010: Green Day, The Gaslight Anthem, Editors, Paramore, 30 Seconds To Mars and the hottest festival day ever.
Googling for Gaslight Anthem pictures I found your post.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenGreat write-up and great pictures! Was at this show as well and enjoyed every minute of it. Still remember a lot of Sink or Swim songs, which suits a venue like Melkweg very well.