Quarta-feira 3 Set 2008, 10h:47

Mon 1 Sep – Octoberman + Oldseed. Sub071, Leiden.

For the first time in a long period Coach Bertels decided to go see a gig at the Black Tower again. Summer vacations are over now and the music scene is about to return to its normal pace in favor of all the fans out there!! Paul welcomed Bertels by giving an update of the WOTNXT, B&B and Sub071 activities. He wants to organize another edition of the tegendraads festival at LVC… good for the bands and the folks going there, but not that effective for Coach since LVC is like a church for Vampire Bertels!! Better to organize smaller festivals, with like three bands, in the same category. Like the B&B gig earlier this year with We vs Death and Joyfalds.
Tonight’s show is all Canadian, since both acts are from that big country that sit on the states like a madman on a toilet. Some drunk stoner guy tried to have a somewhat strange conversation with Bertels by producing moans, trying to focus every second and standing to damn close!! First thing he said, in a terrible way, was that he is a anarchist for twenty years now and that he had no need for money at all… He could make a whole lot of it if he wanted to, but he wishes otherwise. Luckily Boerenchou arrived and scared the stoner away. Boerenchou told Bertels of his experiences at the Beschaving festival in Utrecht some days before, lots of kids there, going for the bigger names. And small groups of fans for the real good acts like Mogwai. At that point Dickies came to tell Oldseed was about to start, so we and our beers went in to see what would be done on stage. This guy with guitar and long Canadian beard did nice little folk songs sitting on a stool and making jokes between the songs. His style was really Texas like, with this difference; his lyrics are all about real life stuff. All together he was the tempered version of Josh T. Pearson with a better story. Too bad his companion was ill, so he had to do without accordion support. Bertels enjoyed the performance and even bought a piece of vinyl to get the magic back at any time. Small intermission in which Boerenchou tried something new; hand roll a cigarette from real tobacco. He claims that the cigarette industries put chemicals into their tobacco to get folks addicted, so instead of quitting the bad habit of smoking he turns to hand rolled smokes… With filter!! Coach Bertels shortly warned for the annual beermarket in Sassenheim, it was really bad this year! To much people from other towns who have no business there made the atmosphere dark and acted to loud while throwing glasses around.
Allright folks! Take two: Octoberman, one guy with a guitar and harmonica. Bertels checked him out on Myspace (and had a little chat with Tim Holehouse) where very good music can be heard from a entire band, for some reason he left everybody in Canada and tours all alone through the world. Nevertheless his guitar play was damn good, gentle voice and good text. The harmonica on a construction around the neck made it possible to play both instruments simultaneously, creating a Dylan like protest vibe. The Octoberman did songs from their latest album “Run from Safety”, including the title track and “Chasing Ambulances”. One particular song was written in Holland in a place just like the Black Tower some years earlier, the story of squatters, alternative folks and vegan meals. During the last song Oldseed helped him out as second guitar. Good performance and time to buy the Run from Safety album (entire band) to listen in the limo! While Bertels was talking to the Octoberman and buying the CD, he was introduced to this guy who is really a We vs Death band member from Utrecht who provided these Canadian artists shelter for some days. It turned out that the first time Coach Bertels saw a We vs Death performance at Thorbeckelaan Live, it was actually the birthday party of his girlfriend Karen. That was a real remarkable experience with Danielle Liebeskind, We vs Death and Sennen. Paul already announced the We vs Death gig at Sub071 september 11th, and now he told Bertels that very likely Sennen wil come to Leiden also soon. Leading WOTNXT, Paul has so many contacts that he could easily fill a five day festival with just regional bands. Boerenchou mentioned De Kift, a Dutch group who will perform for free during a TV shoot gig in Amsterdam the next day. Paul got all exited, he knows this band and said that they really make a difference. Bertels had never heard of them, but agreed to stroll along and find out for himself. This was yet another cool night at the Black Tower!