Haarlem's Irrational Librarian, spoken word wisdom-dispenser & underground hero Joshua Baumgarten formed a band with the local Stadsdominee, a lapsed Muslim musical multitalent and a Dutch guy with a penchant for weird word puns. Enter: The Irrational Library - a full frontal force of spoken word and hip shaking, bootie quaking, bad ass musical bump to your cerebral lump.
There will be not one but two new The Avonden-releases in 2020. The follow up to 'Wat een cirkel is' ["Best Dutch-language Album of 2018", Volkskrant] comes out in Spring. The EP features prominent and wonderful vocals by Marina Tadic [Eerie Wanda] so we decided to invite them both for a duo-performance. The aforementioned second new The Avonden release is a surprise.
It's been roughly four years since the release of 'This Will Never Happen To Us', the most recent album of Amsterdam's indie-pop heartthrobs Apneu. In 2020 they shall return to the limelight with new material, a new album, a new drummer and good hair as always. The headmasters of the Amsterdam School of Catchy Guitar pop also return to the mainstage of Irish Pub O'Ceallaigh
Hunter Complex is the moniker of Lars Meijer, a well-known figure in the Dutch underground, Prince & Jan Hammer-connoisseur and co-owner of the Narrominded label. The third Hunter Complex album 'Open Sea' [2019] was released by the illustrious Death Waltz label, known for releasing original movie-scores. Alex Foley chasing Zangief in KITT
Four underground heroes, each one a different colored outfit and weapon of choice, enjoying pizza whilst fighting crime from the sewers of downtown Oegstgeest. Their noisy post-punk has landed them a lucrative record deal with Geertruida. The latest release was mixtape 'Das Anton' [2019], a collection of old and new songs recorded in the illustrious Sahara Sound Studio
Amsterdam indie-rock band Steve French made their full length debut in 2019 with 'Lightning Tiger Running', an album so jampacked with catchy melodies and hits, you have to hold it up straight to prevent them from falling out.
This edition they will perform in Kult, so that there is a little more space for awkward dancing on, and in front of the "stage"
Maximum living on a minimum wage. Local quartet Real Farmer excells in spontaneous outbursts and explosive performances. Their debut 7" came out in 2019
Groningen-based country-kraut-psych-folk quartet knock-knock-knocking on heaven's door for a couple of years. The band has performed in the downstage of VERA, at Grasnapolsy and at Jesse's illustrous shack. This edition they make their debut on the hallowed grounds of O'Ceallaigh
Noise-guitarist Liú Mottes and sound-artist Jochem van Tol join their forces in SOON. Their music moves between spinning and dazzling sound eruptions to piercing but elegant pulses. With a hint to cinematic sound scores they make you both listen and move. Inspired by the likes of Dick Raaijmakers, Sonic Youth and Blade Runner.
Another exciting band from the vibrant Amsterdam School, featuring some familiar faces for those who have been paying attention to this scene in the last years. Global Charming confidently mixes elements of post-punk with style and swag. There currently isn't any recorded music of the band to stream, meaning you're gonna have to take out word for it.
Psychedelic pop quintet Torii started as a solo project of musician and producer Domenico Mangione. Currently a five-piece, the band is on the verge of releasing their first album. 'Return To Form', out on Mink Records early 2020, is the kind of singular pop record that treats dissonance and tunefulness as a calming symbiosis
In January 2009, KEXP Seattle wrote that Vox Von Braun represented the revival of rock 'n' roll cool in Europe, in their Song-of-the-Day podcast for their song 'When Did You Become So Popular'. The band never ceased to radiate coolness in the decade after. Even though their latest album 'Rich & On Wheels' came out in 2012, don't call it a comeback
Slow Worries have been favourites of the organizing committee of these showcases for years. Musically referencing 90s indie and post-hardcore (think Slant 6/Helium/Treepeople/Fugazi), the band is currently finalizing their heavily anticipated debut album, the follow up of their eponymous 2016 debut EP.
The newest kids on the Rotterdam noise pop block played their first gig little over a year ago. Since then they recorded two great live-sessions, recently followed by a first studio-recording, brilliant single 'Grace' and went on a 8-day DIY European tour. They are performing at leading showcase festival MENT Ljubljana two weeks after this show.
