Amsterdam Event Guide » paradiso

5DaysOff: Hot Chip @ Paradiso

Charlotte — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:06:07 +0000

Clearly this is going to be one of the highlights of the 10 year 5DaysOff Anniversary week! So do it, do it, do it, do it good and go see the delightful Hot Chip dish out electric disco floor fillers with perfect pop melodies and lyrics that talk about dirty things and fighting.

Watch this, 3mins 20 seconds in they talk about how the last Amsterdam gig @ Paradiso was the highlight of the tour!

Starts at 20.00 and costs 16 euros + membership

Pavement @ Paradiso

Charlotte — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:36:46 +0000

This is one band reformation that we’re actually been wanting to happen since the minute they split back in ‘99. We’ve been scouring magazines, press releases and anything else with Pavement in the title since we found out about their world tour next year and are now ecstatic with the news that .. the rumors are true, Pavement are here in Amsterdam!!

After a recent musical nod to the 90s by lofi bands such as Wavves, Japandroids and Royal Bangs its nice to see that Pavement, the gods of alternative American indie and one of the most influential acts of the 90s, are back to show them and us how its done!

Don’t miss out, tickets went on sale Saturday (5th) and you know how these things go! Check the Paradiso website for how to buy tickets or head down to the box office pronto.

Starts at 20.30 and costs 32 euros + membership

Half the rumor machine in September 2009 reached almost boiling point: there was a Pavement reunion tour? And yes, the rumors proved true: legendary lo-fi indie rockers are back together. Pavement was formed in 1989 by childhood friends Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannenberg, added bassist Mark Ibold and drummer Gary Young, who some time later was replaced by drummer Bob Nastanovich and Steve West. Rock songs with their sloppy, lo-fi set, the band quickly fell, including many discovered by underground artist John Peel. The band never quite broke through to the mainstream, but expressed a significant mark on the indie scene and also after the divorce in 2000 is not forgotten.

Interview: We Were Promised Jetpacks

Charlotte — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:01:03 +0000

A few weeks back Amsterdam Event Guide invited one of our favourite local bands The Stutters to interview one of our favourite non-local bands, the brilliant We Were Promised Jetpacks.

Stutters front-man Mical Noelson met up with Michael Palmer (guitar) and Darren Lackie (drums) just before their phenomenal gig in the Paradiso small hall to talk about making music, creating identities and Tony Adams.

MN (N) – So since you’ve been here, have you had chance to explore the city?

M – Well, the ones that have been here before are out exploring

N – They left you?

L – Yeah to do this interview, ha ha

N – Oh sorry guys

L- Yes you bad, bad people

N – I’m sure you’ll get loads of time after the gig

N – Do you guys get along when you’re on the road?

L – Yeah, we have loads of fun

M- Especially last year, three of us lived in the same flat. So on average we spend about 23 hours a day with each other and on tour its 24, so it’s nothing really

N – So what inspired you to start the band? You already knew each other from when you were young yeah?

L – Well we played with other people. Adam and Sean started off when Sean used to play the drums and then they wanted a new direction. So then I joined, then Michael joined a wee bit later and we played our first gig April 2003. That was our first four-piece gig. We just joined a band because it was fun, we all played instruments, we were all friends, just something to do. We never once thought we’d be coming and playing in Amsterdam, stuff like that.

N – Was your name back then the same as it is now?

M – No, it was changed after about two years

L – Yeah , we had a bad name before that, ha ha. It was The Winkle Experience. There’s a story behind it, it wasn’t just ohhh winkles

M – Just that was what everyone else was like!

L – Ha, yeah. So that’s why we changed it

N – Do you know what that means over here? It means the shop experience

L – But what’s winkle in German? Means small I think

N – But in Scotland it’s your penis?

M – It could be anything you want it to be

L – Nine times out of ten, it’s your penis

N – So how did you come to the name We Were Promised Jet Packs?

M – You know those awesome Ricky Gervais pod-casts? He said something about hover crafts, blah blah blah, Jetpacks and it went on the list

L – We had a big list

M – With things numbered and it got late and we said, lets just pick one and yeah, that was it

L – We really have to come up with a more exciting story. People are always hoping we’d come up with something good and we just say that and you see the interviewer going ‘ah..’

N – So how do you go about writing your songs?

M – Adam will come with a guitar part or just something to start with and we’ll talk about it for a bit, then jam it for a bit and then hate it for a while, change something and then love it

L – Sometimes we’ll be sat there like ahhhh, we just need one bit and someone will come up with something and that’s it, we’re all happy

N – Well I’m a little bit disappointed in that because that’s the way my band makes music and I was hoping you had some sort of magical thing you guys did, ha ha. Bit of my own investigation there sorry

N – Were there specific artists you looked up to when you first started out?

L – We listened a lot to Biffy Clyro, the older stuff

M – The first three Biffy albums really

L – They were pretty big albums for us. Early Kings of Leon and they all listened to The Stokes. A lot of local things too now that we’re actually friends with

N – Well you’ve got a chance to plug them now if you want?

M – Well theres a band called Dupec from Edinburgh , Lyons, ah there’s so many. Over the Wall, especially, especially them

L – There’s so many more out there

N – So that’s www dot myspace slash.. all those bands

L – Ha ha yeah, just like that

M – Just go to ours and it’s just our top friends but make sure you go to ours first!

N – Lets talk about your songs, get a little deeper! They seem quite dark at times, what are they all about?

L – We’re just four depressed people who sit in the dark all day, with the curtains closed ha ha

N – Yeah, shouldn’t you be wearing all black?

L -These are the darkest clothes I’ve got (he’s wearing a light grey t-shirt), should’ve seen me yesterday

M – You were very bright

N – So I had some questions for the singer, as you said he writes most of the songs

M – I’ll answer for him

L – Yeah lets try it

N – OK, so the song Quiet Little Voices, I’ve listened to the lyrics and they seem to be a bit sinister, maybe about a murder or something?

L – When I’ve heard him (Adam) describe what the lyrics are about before. It’s something like, when you go to sleep as a child you have no worries, you just go to sleep and now you have all these things going through your head. That could be completely wrong but I’ve heard him say something similar before.

M – Its not like specific events, its just, you know… stuff, can’t think of the right word

L – He doesn’t really go into it so we don’t go into it

N – Ha ha, like stay away from it.. it sounds weird

M – Yeah I’m out

L – He’s a weirdo

N – So how does it feel when you’re up on stage? Is it a really powerful thing for you?

M – Definitely, if it sounds good on stage it’s just incredible

L – You don’t even need a busy room. If it sounds great, then nine times out of ten we’re having a great time. Actually no, if it sounds great we’re always having fun and if it’s busy its twice as good, a good feeling as I’m sure you know too

N – Well I usually have crappy sound so no, ha ha.

L – We now have a sound guy

N – Manager / sound guy?

Andrew – tour manager

L – Friend. Shepherd.

M – Friend first

N – So he holds the bucket when you’re puking at two o’clock in the morning?

N – You’ve just released your album to critical acclaim and urm, there was no question there ha ha

L – It’s a good statement. It’s true, we released an album.

The rest of the band, lead singer and guitarist Adam and bassist Sean join the interview.

N – To me, the songs of the album feels quite big and the sound feels more intimate

M – Well we didn’t think it sounded like that, we wanted it to and if you say that’s what it sounds like, that’s amazing

N- In my band, I’m the lyricist and whenever I’ve been in an interview situation they never ask about the lyrics . So is there an underlying thing between the songs? We were talking before about the lyrics and I might have got it wrong but in Quiet Little voices it sounds like it’s about a murder and a victim

A – I think every song I have people can think it’s about a murder, I don’t really mean it like that. Sometimes I read about domestic abuse and stuff like that but its not like that. I’ve never had any domestic abuse issues or anything like that, ha ha.

L – A wee skeleton there

A – There was that time I gave my mum a dead leg! Ha ha. No, it’s just the way it comes out. Usually I write lyrics and sometimes they’re about things that annoy me, that I can’t really do in real life or something that I can’t handle. A lot of the songs are about the really simple, get up, eat, play, pretty much what I do now.

N – Well they mentioned the band name’s about being a kid

A – Yeah. But not everything’s black and white, especially as you grow older

N – Did you make a conscious decision to sing in your own accent?

A – No, but there was definitely a point. When I was younger I used to sing a lot more posh, like really posh and then I started to relax a bit more and feel a lot more comfortable and started pronouncing things. So a couple of years ago I started to lean that way. A lot of Scottish bands, well every Scottish band now sings that way. It’s all a bit sickly

N – Soon you’ll get English bands with Scottish accents. But in a way, through that you’ve given yourselves your own identity

N – What can people expect from your shows?

Sean – Adam sweating

A – A big red head and face. Lackie does the windmill

L – Sean staying perfectly still. He can stay perfectly still whilst wearing a really warm jumper on stage and not sweat a drop

S – I stay to a half meter radius

N – Like old defenders in football that wouldn’t go past the half way line

L – He’s Tony Adams

N – Well it’s been great talking to you, good luck tonight. Look forward to seeing you and good luck with the tour

We Were Promised Jetpacks are back in Amsterdam for the London Calling Festival at the end of November so make sure you don’t miss them.

Chew Lips – The Lost Interview

Charlotte — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:51:18 +0000

Back in April when Amsterdam Event Guide was still being born and most of Holland was dressed in orange and celebrating the Queen’s Birthday; we caught up with electro-pop sensation and aptly named Chew Lips who were over for their first Dutch concert at the fantastic London Calling Festival.

Sitting in the delightfully sunny and beautiful Vondel Park, Long Live Rock and Roll’s Owen spoke to the London trio about music, beer bikes, utopian dreams of the future and fighting moves.

Dan Deacon / Pains of Being Pure at Heart @Paradiso

Chris Castiglione — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:54:37 +0000

In the supporting slot before Dan Deacon, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart came on stage to a packed Paradiso. Having spoken to lead singer Kip earlier in the day about their love of bands like Jesus and the Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine we were expecting to be literally blown away when they picked up their guitars; but that didn’t happen, at least for the first few songs anyway. Either there were some issues with the sound technically or they chose to open with some weak and rather drab numbers. Luckily though it didn’t last, by the fourth number in they found their sound and belted out ‘Don’t Take Me Out’ to a great response and we breathed in a breath of relief.

Every song that followed including ‘Young Adult Friction’ and ‘Hey Paul’ Filled the main hall with sweet sweet distortion like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart mean to do and although there is nothing particularly original in the bands make-up or sound it awoke sugary feelings reminiscent of 80s John Hughes films where everything turns out ok at the end. I wonder if they’ll ever cover ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ by Simple Minds… think that’d be new wave, New York music heaven.

Photos and video from the Dan Deacon / Pains of Being Pure at Heart show at the Paradiso on Monday.

Photo Gallery

Dan Deacon Video

Beautiful synth-pop from Chairlift

Charlotte — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:18:49 +0000

After just one album (2008‘s ‘Does You Inspire You’, which has recently been reissue on Columbia) Chairlift have already established themselves with their brand of sensitive and atmospheric synth-led indie-pop. Their minimalist style transfers itself to the live environment extremely well, the group becoming a power trio for the modern age.

That’s not to say they can’t do the slow stuff either, as those that have heard the 80s wistfulness of ‘Planet Health‘ or the majestic etherealness of ‘Territory’ will testify. Their gig at the Paradiso was part of a whistle-stop tour of Europe that has already seen them play London, Glasgow and Dublin before moving onto Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm – despite hailing from Brooklyn they have a real European sound and went down a storm here.

Listen here: www.myspace.com/chairlift

Or have a look here

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Paradiso

Charlotte — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:18:05 +0000

We love this band, they oooze cool, they sound beautiful and we can’t get enough of them. Flying in from New York, this hottly tipped band are playing in the Paradiso small hall at 19.30 for a mere 10 euro sheets (+ membership).

Check out the review from the guys at Drowned in Sound:

‘The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have crafted an impeccable debut way beyond their years, and any misconceptions about them being mere revivalists will surely be diminished instantaneou

sly upon hearing this most accomplished of long players’

Their mix of meloncoly post punk and atmospheric pop make for a truely great show, catch them before they get huge!

www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

Jarvis Cocker @ Paradiso

Charlotte — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:49:56 +0000

As if his incredible body of three decades work wasn’t enough to convince you, here’s an excellent chance to catch Jarvis Cocker perform songs from his new album ’Further Complications’. Jarvis has teamed up with legendary lo-fi producer Steve Albini to create a record that’s sometimes abrasive, sometimes aggressive but always fascinating record. The blunt, stark instrumentation surprisingly compliments Cocker’s typically perceptive and emotional vocals to great effect.

Of course they’ll also be the opportunity to hear many of his timeless classics: from the whimsical kitchen-sink dramas and teenage diary angst to the utterly unclothed and bleak observations on everything negative in society, Jarvis has covered it all with aplomb. Starts at 19.30 and costs 20 euros + membership

The Maccabees @ Paradiso

Charlotte — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:35:42 +0000

Unfortunately we’re a little late in the game for this gig, it apparently sold out ages ago but we thought we’d give the Brighton based group a shout out anyway because we’re huge fans! Check out song ‘Bicycle Rush’ a perfect accomplishment to summer cycle rides around Amsterdam!