too many concerts, too little time

On Tuesday, The Moon Invaders were backing up rock steady-legend Pat Kelly in my hometown. A friend just told me that the show was wonderful. I missed it however, because yesterday night, I choose to drive 200km to see Venomous Concept. Since the Brutal Truth show earlier this year might be my concert of the year and as Venomous Concept = ½ Brutal Truth + ½ Napalm Death, I absolutely didn’t want to miss this show. I didn’t like the first two bands but Belgian grind masters Leng Tch’e had some real strong moments and besides, how can you not love a grind core band with an afro-American singer? Venomous Concept fulfilled my expectations. Probably not as mind-blowing as the Brutal Truth show, but still a blasting sound of furious grind core & punk rock. Another kick-ass show for sure!


If you look to the left, you will notice that before the end of the year, there are still a bunch of exciting concerts on the way. Unfortunately, that means less time for reading & watching movies. It’s probably my biggest frustration these days: too little time to enjoy the pleasures of life. On the other hand, I’m not complaining: the idea that artists really brighten my days with their great shows, amazing records, wonderful movies and fascinating books, makes me a happy dude. Life’s what you make it but without the artists, mine would be terribly bleak. Honor where honor’s due.

COMPILATION OF THE YEAR !!!

I think I just found the compilation of the year in my mailbox. I ordered this attractively-priced 3cd directly from the label and I urge you to do the same 'cuz it's absolutely genius! Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!

DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT

I have always been a big fan of Djelimady Tounkara, the “Guitar Hero” of Manding music. His playing is colorful, elegant and downright fascinating. Yesterday, this African virtuoso came to the Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp to introduce the DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT. The show was mind-blowingly good!

Djelimady was born in a family of Griots in the heart of the Malinke; the cradle of the great dynasties of Griots in Mali. At a young age, he had already learned the majority of traditional instruments (balafon, kora, ngoni…) and fairly rapidly discovered a passion for the guitar. Soon, Djelimady started accompanying the Griots at weddings, baptisms and circumcision ceremonies. After contributing to the Orchestre National “A” and “Pioneer Jazz” – Mali’s first modern dance bands - he joined the Super Rail Band at the start of the 1970s and in this way accompanied the first musical steps of Salif Keita and Mory Kanté. The critically-acclaimed “Belle Epoque” series on Sterns Music (three double CDs) tells the story of the band from 1970 to 1983.

In 2001, Djelimady released his first solo record Sigui on the French Label Bleu and 3 years later, the follow-up album Solon Kôno was released on Marabi. Both CDs showcase his brilliant guitar style, heavenly female vocals and wonderful accompaniments on the djembé, doundoun, calabash gourd and ngoni.

Yesterday, Djelimady was surrounded by Moussa Diabate on guitar, Aboubacar Diombana on electric bass and Abou Cissoko on ngoni. The foursome’s playing was subtle and inspiring and all four gave the others the opportunity to show off their virtuosity. Abou Cissoko’s ngoni playing was very intense & challenging while Aboubacar’s bass gave the songs a genuine drive. At times, Moussa Diabate’s guitar almost sounded like a kora and it really felt like a musical heaven to me!

During the whole concert, Djelimady switched between acoustic and electric guitar and one could hear a lot of different styles in his playing: Cuban, Hot Swing, Flamenco… Djelimady masters all those genres! At times, Djelimady & Abou stood up and started an improvising duel with their instruments. The way they used the call-and-response concept of blues music was absolutely thrilling. No wonder the concert finished with a standing ovation and a rousing cry for more!


Together with Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate, Djelimady Tounkara forms the holy trinity of Malian music. Let’s hope the DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT will do some studio recording in the very near future because from what I heard & saw yesterday, this is a totally unique band that has the potential & talent to record a masterpiece!

Scandinavia Rocks!

Here are 3 Scandinavian bands from the nineties that I really liked at the time but never made a big fuzz outside of their homelands.


First is a Swedish band called SOUL PATROL that I know very little off. The CD inlay doesn’t reveal any info about the band or year of release and I don’t even know if they only made one album or more. The only album that I own - ‘Use…’ on CBR Records - features a track called “Slowmoving Revolution” that was a real underground hit at our local youth club at the time. The irresistible drive of the song and the passionate vocals always made me and my friends spill our beers and bang our heads like fools on the dance floor. I include this track although I must admit that it’s pure nostalgia to me and probably sounds terribly outdated or boring to you. The other 2 tracks that I include are the opening song “Heart of Gold – Soul of Ice” and the scorcher “Your Friend For A Day”, tracks that I still cherish today. PLAY LOUD!


Heart of Gold – Soul of Ice – SOUL PATROL mp3
Your Friend For A Day – SOUL PATROL mp3
Slowmoving Revolution – SOUL PATROL mp3

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ANAL BABES were a Norwegian band that released a split 7” with BRAINBOMBS on the Belgian Demolition Derby/Pit’sbull Records way back in 1995. The year before, the band had released its second album on Big Ball Records and “Shoot The Hostages” is the opening track of said album, nicely called ‘Delirium or Diarrhea’. ANAL BABES made quite an impression on me when they played at the Democrazy club in Ghent in support of the album. They didn’t want to play on the big stage and choose a dark corner of the club instead. With the exception of 2 black leather gloves, the singer was bare-naked and the band spit out a wild bunch of nasty & hate-driven punk tracks. Don’t miss their wild cover of The Electras’ “Action Woman”!


Shoot The Hostages – ANAL BABES mp3
Action Woman – ANAL BABES mp3

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Last but not least is RADIOPUHELIMET from Finland whose lyrics are in Finnish and who sound like The Jesus Lizard making an appearance in a Kaurismäki film. Their album 'Maalla' from 1993 was – like most of the band’s output – released on the Bad Vugum Records label, one of the most interesting labels in Europe during the nineties.
Lãhiõssã – RADIOPUHELIMET mp3
Tee se kotonasi – RADIOPUHELIMET mp3

© Fazal Sheikh

"Ten oosten van Erzurum is de weg leeg en verlaten. De dorpen liggen ver uit elkaar. En zo kan het om een of andere reden gebeuren dat je de auto langs de kant van de weg zet en de rest van de nacht in de openlucht doorbrengt. Warm ingepakt in een vilten jack, een bontmuts over je oren, hoor je het water koken op de primus, die beschut staat achter een wiel. Geleund tegen een aardhoop kijk je naar de sterren, het golvende landschap richting de Kaukasus, de lichtgevende ogen van een vos. Je verdrijft de tijd met hete thee, af en toe een woord, een sigaret, en dan wordt het licht, het breidt zich uit, kwartels en patrijzen laten zich horen… en je haast je om dit ultieme moment in je geheugen als geheel op te slaan, waaruit je het op een dag weer zult opdiepen. Je rekt je uit, je zet een paar stappen, voelt je heel licht en het woord ‘geluk’ lijkt plotseling veel te mager en beperkt om te beschrijven wat er door je heen gaat.
Want de kern van je leven, dat is niet je familie, je carrière, wat anderen over je zeggen of van je denken, maar dat zijn dit soort momenten, waarop je wordt opgetild door een sublieme kracht, serener nog dan de liefde, die het leven ons slechts karig toebedeelt, omdat ons hart er niet te veel van verdraagt."

Gelezen in De wegen van de wereld (L’Usage du monde - 1963) van Nicolas Bouvier (Uitgeverij Bas Lubberhuizen 2009)

36th GHENT International FILM FESTIVAL

PERIPHERIQUE EST @ the Pit's

Last Friday evening turned out to be yet another legendary R&R night at the mighty Pit’s! Although KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND 3 had to cancel their show at the last minute (due to bad management if you ask me), Kortrijk’s own THE GOHARDS were a great replacement. Although it looks like these kids have just come out of the basement, they have a convincing sound of their own, somewhere between CIRCLE JERKS, FLIPPER and BRUTAL KNIGHTS. Certainly a band to keep an eye open for!

All my prejudices against French punk rock were blown away as soon as PERIPHERIQUE EST hit the stage. The band, which consist of 4 Belgians and a Parisian, was a joy to watch with 3 wild rockin’ guitar players, a hyperkinetic drummer and a super dynamic singer. Like The Lazy Cowgirls backing up Plastic Bertrand! Because the first two songs were mind-bogglingly good, I was afraid that the band wouldn’t be able to maintain this super-high level. No need to worry though, as PERIPHERIQUE EST blasted out supreme French punk rock from start to finish! Here’s some raw footage from the godlike show:



thanks to Hugo!