Le Guess Who? 2009 Program Guide by Le Guess Who?

voorkant: ontwerp Kimmie

Le Guess Who? Festival 26 - 30 Nov 2009 Utrecht www.LEGUESSWHO.com 1

5 voorkant: ontwerp Kimmie

Locaties 1 Tivoli Oudegracht Oudegracht 245

2 Tivoli de Helling Helling 7 3 EKKO Bemuurde Weerd WZ 3 4 Theater Kikker Ganzenmarkt 14 5 dBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CAB-Rondom 100

6 RASA Pauwstraat 13A 3

LE GUESS WHAT? an introduction LE GUESS WHO? 2009 First of all welcome to Le Guess Who? Festival 2009. As you might have noticed Le Guess Who? changed a lot since the start in 2007. Back then we focussed on Canadian artists only as we had (and still do) have a big admiration for the creative scene over there. But from the beginning we told ourselves that Le Guess Who? had to be a festival with an “ever-changing-format”. So nothing is standard and every year we try to develop the festival into a form which is needed at that point.

Le Guess Who? Festival is trying to bring a diverse as possible line-up ranging from baroque popmusic (Patrick Watson, Thus:owls) to minimal electronic / techno (The Field, Bibio, Dorian Concept) to noise/drone and psychedelic music (A Place to Bury Strangers, Six Organs of Admittance) to Punk/ Garagerock (Fucked Up, TV Buddhas, Wavves) to singer/ songwriters (Jason Molina/ Will Johnson, Cave Singers and Evan Dando) as well as world music (Staff Benda Bilili from Congo and The Very Best). Some of the bands at Le Guess Who? are well-known and some of them still need to release their first album. But all of them are completely unique and one of a kind. Pure quality (pop)music with a capitol M. We can’t tell much more then that we are extremely proud on this years edition and especially the feedback we already got from fans and bands. So everybody a million thanks for that.

WWW.LEGUESSWHO.COM 4

That’s it for now. So we hope you will enjoy the festival. Explore and be inspired by all the amazing artists playing this year. Johan Gijsen & Bob van Heur www.leguesswho.com

A Place To Bury Strangers Thursday 26th of November 23:00 - 00:30, Tivoli de Helling The music by the New York band A Place To Bury Strangers is industrial and ear-splitting. Like the best soundtrack for a damp, badly lit cellar in the 1980s that can collapse any moment. Drum machines rattle, guitars buzz and hiss painfully through self-made effect pedals. Meanwhile, only the vocals add some harmony and melody. The sound is reminiscent of shoegazer bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain, only a little louder. Music that’s excellent for jumping around a room to, frantically swinging your arms. Dark and ominous, but secretly quite danceable. Just don’t forget your earplugs.

Aa (Big A, Little a) Sunday 29th of November 19:30 - 20:10, EKKO Aa (Big A, Little a) calls their music a ‘never-ending rythm experiment’ and that starts to make sense as soon as you see their set of instruments: drums, drums, drums and synthesizer. And with that synthesizer they make quite some percussive sounds as well. Which is not to say that Aa is somewhat like those drumbands that regularely 6

mistreat their djembes at street corners. Rather, Aa is to those drumbands like the wild and older brother that’s experimenting with acid. Making, according to Thurston Moore, “the kindsa sounds that young people should be making.” This lovely noise will appeal to everyone who enjoys Animal Collective, Black Dice and Liars, as well as to anyone who has ever been young and reckless.

Luke Abbott

Audiotransparent

Bibio

Saturday 28th of November 3:45 – 4:45, Tivoli de Helling

Friday 27th of November 21:45 - 22:30, Kargadoor

Saturday 28th of November 00:00 – 1:00, Tivoli de Helling

Some electronic sounds are so heavenly, you would almost start to believe that heaven is nothing more than a room stacked full of keyboards, synthesizers and laptops, producing the sort of repetitive, naively simple, beautiful melodies that Luke Abbott makes. The crazy broken beats that he also makes will represent hell to some, but for others they will be an exciting extra shade that makes heaven just that much more interesting. And everyone that has loose legs and a lot of physical creativity will be able to dance perfectly to it. Minimal techno that tickles, surprises and slowly and pleasantly puts your mind out of control.

Audiotransparent from Groningen is one of The Netherlands’ best and most underrated bands. Their melancholic songs are dressed in tasteful, hypnotic arrangements, with a creative use of strings and samples. On their third album, that’s set for the end of November, the band sounds more dynamic and exciting than ever, like a mix of Sigur Rós, Tindersticks and Great Lake Swimmers. With the latter they are friends and have released a split-single, on wich both bands play on each other’s songs. And Tony Dekkers of Great Lake Swimmers just happens to be around at the festival... Will we have a surprise guest? Let’s hope so!

Between fingerpicking folk and laptop electronics there is Bibio, a British producer that makes intriguing miniatures from sampled guitars, synthesizers and nature sounds. Heavily inspired by the giants of laptop ambient Boards of Canada, only more organic and more accoustic, his music is airy and light as a feather. With his new record he makes his debut at the legendary electronica label Warp Records. Wich now makes him a colleague of his heroes Boards of Canada, but also of Grizzly Bear, Aphex Twin and Prefuse 73. Everyone who perks up when hearing these names, will find a lot of his interest in the layered, softly crackling and harmonically rich music by Bibio.

Birthday Suits Saturday 28th of November 22:00 – 22:45, dB’s The two Chinese boys from Minneapolis that make up Birthday Suits do not, sadly or thankfully, perform in their state of nature. They do however avoid finery when it comes to their straightforward garage rock. Their songs are short and get straight to the point, and the pace is always fast. Just like The Thermals, they understand that bravado is the key factor for this kind of music. They revert to the well-known punk aesthetics of Dead Kennedys and The Stooges and their vital energy is also of the timeless kind. Birthday Suits do not make life more complicated, they keep it neat, loud and passionate.

F.S. Blumm Saturday 28th of November 21:00 – 21:40, Theater Kikker The music of the German musician F.S. Blumm is ironically often labeled as ‘electronica’, even though there are only traditional instruments used in it. Blumm plays guitars, drums, keyboards, trumpets and pianos, with wich he makes filmy music that sounds light as a feather, gentle like a 8

perfect night of sleeping. Like Yann Tiersen at his most delicate, The Penguin Cafe Orchestra as a one man band, and an organic version of Boards of Canada. With this music we’ll make it through the winter easily.

Ryland Bouchard Friday 27th of November 23:00 – 23:45, Kargadoor Ryland Bouchard (ex-The Robot Ate Me) occupies his own odd universe. With a high voice he sings strange indiepop songs on dark topics, such as his schizophrenic mother that was raped in prison by the prison guards, or his extremely religious brother who would regularly beat Bouchard up, for ‘religious’ reasons. Bouchard sometimes plays folk songs with an acoustic guitar, other times he’ll do indiepop with keyboards and drum computers, or he’ll suddenly start playing avantgarde compositions with clarinet and percussion. Live he lets the audience play an important role in the music. Just like Mount Eerie and The Flaming Lips, Ryland Bouchard has the courage to be ambitious and controversial. For the real connoisseurs.

Basia Bulat

The Cave Singers

Friday 27th of November 20:00 – 20:45, Tivoli Oudegracht

Friday 27th of November 22:10 – 23:00, EKKO

Singer/songwriter Basia Bulat from Toronto clearly shows her influences with two covers on her Myspacepage. One is an old gospel song by Sam Cooke, the other the vulnerable and innocent, childlike miniature “True Love Will Find You In The End” by Daniel Johnston, the singer/ songwriter suffering from bipolar disorder. Bulat too likes to keep her songs cute, naive and short, but her deep, soulful voice and her precision betray she’s a lot more adult than she pretends to be. Her music circles around this tension between naive innocence and wisdom of life. Like in the standout song “Little Waltz”, that was used by Volkswagen in their tvcommercial for the Volkswagen Eos.

As soon as you know that The Cave Singers is a group of bearded men, combined with that band name, you know enough: The Cave Singers can be added to the list of Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket. Diligent American folk, with foot stomps, community singing and melodies that you can’t get out of your head. Still, the band was formed in the demise of Pretty Girls Make Graves, the ‘art punk’ band that split up in 2007. The Cave Singers keep it a lot more tranquil. Singer Peter Quirks characteristic and passionate howl pulls you unresistably to their campfire, where you just can not get enough of this honest, beautiful music.

TIPS

Charlie Megira & The Modern Dance Club

Gijsbert Kamer (DE VOLKSKRANT)

Saturday 28th of November 23:15 – 0:00, dB’s

Wild Beasts - One of the very few recent Britpop guitarbands with a distinct original sound. So far they released two records. This year’s Two Dancers is one of the best popalbums of the year. Two very good singers with complementing voices and very sparkling guitars remind me of the Glasgow bands from the early 80’s like Orange Juice and Josef K. While the singing and their sense for melodramatic songs come close to the mighty Smiths from decades ago.

REDACTIE 3VOOR12 Staff Benda Bilili - Do you know Afrorave? Well now you do, it’s called Staff Benda Bilili. They are this year’s easy to miss but not to miss act at Le Guess Who?. This group by polio disabled vagrants from Kinshasa, Congo recorded an epic catchy album. Tres Tres Fort is full of energy and fun; with the best hooks and compelling rhythms.

Daniel Seligman (POP MONTREAL) Six Organs of Admittance - I saw Ben Chasny (guitarist of Comets of Fire) aka Six Organs of Admittance several years ago at Sala Rossa in Montreal. It was an amazing performance. His guitar playing is truly unique. It is an amazing blend of finger picking, psychedelic and noisy folk that put me in a blissfully hypnotic trance. Ever since that show I’ve tried to book him. maybe in 2010!

Maybe you didn’t know it yet, but rock ‘n roll really never dies. Surf rythms always keep their cool, and greased quiffs make everyone sexy. But still, ‘sexy’ has its own gradations, and the Israelian band Charlie Megira & The Modern Dancers are the superlative. Charlie Megira is a Prince-look-a-like that probably looked like a rockstar already when he was still in the crib. Drummer Mimi Shanel, the former drummer of Wetbones, the first Israelian rock ‘n roll band ever, is the prototype of the Dangerous Woman. Together they form the core of the band, that plays its rock ‘n roll the way it should be played: dangerous, psychotic and sexy. Ritual madness that you wish would go on forever.

Crystal Fighters Saturday 28th of November 02:10 – 02:45, Tivoli Oudegracht The Spanish collective Crystal Fighter makes extatic trance house with Basque influences. Frantic folk singing to an acid beat, raunchy electro with a latin feel: it’s a combination you have probably never heard before, but sounding quite logical right away. Crystal

Fighters is like the concept of Balkan beats evolved into a whirling cocktail that teases and excites. Somewehere between CSS, Fischerspooner and Yeasayer lies this energetic and frantic music, like an Underworld remix of Gogol Bordello. Exotic, challenging dance music to wich you can only go forward.

Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) Friday 27th of November 21:05 – 22:05, Tivoli Oudegracht Evan Dando, The Lemonheads, November the 27th, the only show in The Netherlands this year: for a lot of people, that is all the information they need. Dando is a living legend from the heydays of 1990s alternative pop – and the fact that he’s still living is a small miracle, after his eventful life, in wich quite a lot of addictions came and went. The slightly melancholy powerpop of The Lemonheads has been the soundtrack to the studentship, the first love and, who knows, the first heroin addiction of a lot of Tivoli and EKKO visitors. But also for a younger generation, Dando is still a remarkable and interesting figure, who keeps making music and even collaborates with Kate Moss these days. Old rock stars are always fascinating.

Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers) Sunday 29th of November 16:00 – 16:30, Tivoli de Helling

Dead Confederate

Deer Tick

Friday 27th of November 20:00 – 21:00, Tivoli de Helling

Friday 27th of November 21:10 – 21:50, EKKO

Just like Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket, the members of Dead Confederate grew up with the 1990’s alternative rock from the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth, before they discovered southern rock and Neil Young. Unlike the former two bands, Dead Confederate still honours their old love for grunge, and therefore there is an equal amount of ‘twang’ and ‘teen spirit’ in their powerful rock. And let’s be honest, after grunge bled to death 10 years ago with bands like Nickelback, it’s nice to hear the true spirit of this music performed in just the right way. And the added emotional depth of southern rock makes it even more moving. No, not just for nostalgics!

Deer Tick have learned from country music that sensitive songs need not always be played in a sensitive or subtle manner. Like all good americana, Deer Tick’s music is well suited for drowning your tears in a bottle of whiskey, while the entire pub around you joins you in song. The band started after band leader John Joseph McCauley III heard Hank Williams for the first time in his life and immediately swore off the indie rock that he used to listen to. Deer Tick joins the ranks of Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown and Drive-By Truckers: on the one hand longing for the rough America of old, on the other hand appealing to universal, ancient feelings.

The timid singer/songwriter Tony Dekker is the core of the Canadian band Great Lake Swimmers. With instruments like the banjo, acoustic guitar and keys and his own soft, vulnerable and ageless voice he makes beautiful (alt) country songs that slowly creep under your skin. In his early years as a singer/songwriter, Dekker sounded mainly like Nick Drake and Sufjan Stevens, but the last few years the fuller band sound has shifted towards ‘Out Of Time’-era R.E.M. At Le Guess Who, Dekker will play solo again. Great Lake Swimmers has already played a

lot shows in Utrecht, with various line-ups. Many who were in the audience of those shows will no doubt be present again this time. Seeing Tony Dekker once, means you’re hooked for the rest of your life.

The Dodos Saturday 28th of November 20:50 – 21:50, Tivoli Oudegracht The Dodos from San Francisco know, unlike any other contemporary band, how to get the highest result with minimal resources. Their line-up consists of guitar, vibraphone and a lot of percussion. With that, they produce energetic and contagious powerpop in the vein of The Shins,

with a hint of Animal Collective psychedelics. When performing live, expect to see a lot of sweat, and to have a hard time trying to avert your eyes from percussionist Logan Kroeber, who attacks the drums viciously and masterly. Before you know it you’re stamping and shouting along in the crowd, to the most turbulent pop songs of today.

Dorian Concept Saturday 28th of November 23:00 – 00:00, Tivoli de Helling The Austrian Olivier Thomas alias Dorian Concept was the sort of kid that most of us were, in all kinds of variations. On the age of 7 he got his first Yamaha keyboard an played for hours with all the weird sounds from the machine. Not entirely voluntarily, he then began

to learn how to play the piano, wich he abandoned again later because he preferred his Super Nintendo. Boys will be boys, right? Only Dorian Concept stuck to his fascianation and now plays the most beautiful sounds, bouncey beats and wacky grooves with his keyboards and synthesizers. Another worthy colleague for Boards of Canada and Flying Lotus. Everyone that loves or loved toys, will love Dorian Concept.

Early Day Miners Friday 27th of November 22:30 – 23:15, Tivoli Oudegracht Early Day Miners is the musical project of Daniel Burton, a producer, engineer and songwriter that learned the trade from Daniel Lanois, and who worked on

records by Papa M and Okkervil River. Just like these bands, Burtons own Early Day Miners makes the kind of music that never demands your attention and that will never stoop to poses or bombast, but just goes by his own quiet, exploring way. Slowly this music finds its own mesmerizing beauty in a little far off corner, for those that want to see it. Searching like Low, Swell, Tortiose, Sigur Rós and the early Songs: Ohia, with a hint of TV On The Radio. Introvert by nature and obscure by choice, Early Day Miners asks for the listener to go exploring himself to amply reward him for it in the end.

The Field & Band Saturday 28th of November 01:00 – 02:00, Tivoli de Helling Swedish producer The Field brought minimal techno to the indie-crowd. On his subtle and refined records, he has gratefully used all the techniques that have been developped for five decades of electronic music - only to use them in a manner completely his own. Enchanting and addictive, the music slowly creeps inside your head, and never leaves. Deceptively simple techno beats with slowly creeping trance

melodies that never demand your attention, but get it nevertheless. Slowly but steadily, whether you want it to or not. Reason enough for Thom Yorke to commission The Field to make a remix for him. Not to miss if you love techno, and very suitable for anyone who ever wondered what minimal techno is all about: dancing and dreaming. (visuals: Victor Tarré)

William Fitzsimmons Sunday 29th of November 16:45 – 17:30, Tivoli de Helling William Fitzsimmons is the sort of man that lets you sit on his lap for a while when you’re feeling bad. He’ll pick up his guitar for you, strum some chords and whisper a soft song in your ears. And if you’re lucky, you may even ruffle his huge beard. The singer/songwriter from Illinois was trained as a therapist, but changed his occupation right after he finished his studies, to deal with his own issues in his music. Or as he says about it now: “That’s why I was such a bad therapist, I talk too much.” As longs as he keeps expressing himself in the same comforting manner as Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens and Eliott Smith, we’ll gladly forgive him for that.

B. Fleischmann Saturday 28th of November 22:20 - 23:00, Theater Kikker The Austrian musician B. Fleischmann made his debut on the Morr label as an electronica producer, the kind that values even the smallest details. Layer upon layer of stimulating sounds, each provoking another corner of your auricles. On the records that followed his debut, Fleischmann added more and more traditional instruments like piano and guitar, and eventually even songs with vocals appeared. Now Fleischmann has entered the same midrange between electronics, postrock and shoegazer where The Notwist holds its residence, and where Yann Tiersen pops his

head around the corner every once in a while. Rich of detail, profound yet lighthearted and heart-warming.

Freek Fabricius Saturday 28th of November Tivoli de Helling Freek Fabricius is DJ and coorganisor of 030303 Acid. Doesnt give a flux about conventions or so called boundaries, does whatever he likes with electro, acid and IDM. For tonight expect: Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, Prefuse 73, Rustie, Neil Landstrumm, Boxcutter, Burial, Zomby, FaltyDL, Boards of Canada, Four Tet, Plaid, Luke Vibert, AFX, Squarepusher, Funckarma, Kettel, iTalTek.

Fucked Up

Gala Drop

Saturday 28th of November 22:00 – 23:00, EKKO

Friday 27th of November 00:15 – 01:00, Tivoli de Helling

Everyone who thinks that hardcore punk is a genre that has not evolved for about thirty years should listen to Fucked Up. The band started pretty straightforward, like all of their colleagues in the genre, but slowly made room for more and more non-hardcore elements: violins, flutes, drumsolos, choirs, songs from over 15 minutes long. Their typically punky love for anarchy and controversy was this way stretched so far that they even became controversial in their own scene – and at the same time more interesting for any indierock listener that is looking to broaden his horizon. This exciting, vital band will blow all your prejudices away, along with anything else that might be in the way.

The Portugese music scene is one of those that we hear very little of, only to reveal some big surprise every once in a while. Like Gala Drop, from Lissabon, a neokrautrock collective consisting of three big names from the Portugese indie-scene, that have joined hands to make a spacey cocktail of dub, shoegaze and exotic dance. Laidback and druggy, the key element of their music is the groove, made with two synthesizers, drums and voices. The end result is trancey like !!!, tribal like Yeasayer, with the DIY charm of El Guincho and Panda Bear and the love for synthesizers of Pivot. For everyone who knows the delight of the eternal groove, there’s plenty to enjoy in this hallucinating and exploratory music. 17

TIPS Geert Henderickx (HEAVEN/OOR) The Tragically Hip - One of my favourite live bands at one of their favourite venues. Four hard working musicians fronted by a truly unique singer with a manic touch. These veterans never fail to lift me up, because they always rock like a tornado.

Marlies Timmermans (EFFENAAR/ INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN) The Dodos - There isn’t a better title for their last album, ‘Time To Die’ is the only option left after listening to the album of the year, what else would you expect working with producer Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes). Or maybe there is something left: visiting them at Le Guess Who? A Dodos live show gives their rootsy and catchy indiefolk an exiting extra dimension.

Willem de Vries (PLATO UTRECHT) Tough to guide you through with so many ‘headliners’, but make sure you check out Lightning Dust, Cave Singers and Six Organs of Admittance on friday, For great electronic music, check out B.Fleischmann, Bibio and The Field on saturday. And on sunday just stay in the Helling with a great line-up of singer/songwriters. Check out Plato Utrecht during the festival for live interviews and instores. Have fun!!

Micah P. Hinson

Huoratron

Sunday 29th of November 18:00 – 19:00, Tivoli de Helling

Saturday 28th of November 03:10 – 04:00, Tivoli Oudegracht

Texan singer/songwriter Micah P. Hinson has the looks of a British son of a vicar and the voice of an old man that has been through too much already in his lifetime. Wich is not due to his real age, for he is only 28 years old, but to his past as a junkie, a tramp, a criminal and a psychiatric patient – all in his early twenties. These days he sings about his dark past, with his baritone voice and dressed sharply. In bare-boned blues and folk songs that force you to listen in silence. For everyone that holds Bruce Springsteen’s record ‘Nebraska’ close to his heart, or who wants to see the heir to the throne of Mark Lanegan. Raw, naked and beautiful beyond hope.

Huoratron is a Finnish techno producer that loves the aesthetics of death metal and grindcore. So behind the unreadable metal logo and the dark videos are no double bass drums and grunts, but dirty, loud beats like Venetian Snares and Aphex Twin. The sounds of Game Boys, dial-up modems that got stuck and broken printers, backed up by massive bass drums, together form soundscapes that, when heard in the right enviroment, can be much more frightening than the darkest doom metal. When listened to in other enviroments - like Le Guess Who? - it is the ideal dance music for those who would have liked Justice to sound a bit more fucked up. Huoratron is experimental, loud and unresistable.

Lightning Dust Friday 27th of November 21:45 – 22:35, Tivoli de Helling A reprise at Le Guess Who: The Canadian band Lighting Dust already played on the first edition of the festival, then sharing a bill with their other band, the stonerrock band Black Mountain. Lightning Dust is the outlet of Black Mountain-members Amber Webber and Joshua Wells for their soulful folksongs. In their new work they brought along some of the grandeur of their other band and they have switched from bare-boned singer/songwriter to richly arranged chamber pop. Fortunately still centered round the amazing voice of Webber, a voice like Cat Power’s, and Well’s rich organ. A band to warm oneself at on a cold winter evening.

Male Bonding Sunday 29th of November 22:00 – 23:00, EKKO Male Bonding is one of the major bands of the contemporary London no-fi scene, wich key elements can be summed up as ramshackle garage rock, a gnarly and rusty sound, songs about nonsensical topics, released on cassette and played live on parties where booze and fun are the most 20

important things in the world. You’ve heard that before, you say? Ofcourse you have, but it made you quite happy then and it will make you very happy again this time. For everyone that still owns old cassettes of The Wipers or Black Flag, or who likes Wavves and Vivian Girls, this will provide some truly uncomplicated fun.

Megafaun Saturday 28th of November 19:45 – 20:25, Tivoli Oudegracht Before Justin Vernon became famous as Bon Iver, he was in the band DeYarmond Edison, a group that tried to mix Vernons folk roots with avantgarde influences. Vernon left and the rest of the band continued under a new moniker: Megafaun. With this new name, they continued where DeYarmond Edison ended, only with more unity and confidence. Megafaun therefor sounds like the experimental little brother of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, americana with a psychedelic twist, with room for improvisation and tape manipulation next to the beautiful harmonies. Now and then, the whole line-up of Megafaun are also parttime members of Akron/Family – another bunch of innovative hippies...

Molina/Johnson

Moon & Sun

Sunday 29th of November 19:30 – 20:30, Tivoli de Helling

Friday 27th of November 20:45 – 21:15, Kargadoor

Jason Molina and Will Johnson had to find each other sooner or later. Both singer/songwriter, blessed with a voice that can break your heart. Both making music since halfway 1990s, as prolific do-ityourself-musicians. Jason Molina solo and with his band Magnolia Electric Co. (formerly called Songs: Ohia), releasing numerous albums, EPs and singles a year, and always on tour. Will Johnson with CentroMatic and South San Gabriel, and also solo. Both singer/songwriters have earned a lot of respect from the fans of raw, vulnerable, American indie folk. This year they made a record together, wich they’re now supporting with a joint live show. A unique collaboration of two godfathers of bare folk.

Moon & Sun is the most recent project of the Swedish artist Monica Tormell, who lives and works in Amsterdam. Moon & Sun was formed for the exposition ‘The Last Session’ by the artist collective The Session, of wich Tormell is a part of. ‘The Last Session’ was based on the theme of ‘endism’ - the belief that the end of the world is nigh – and so Moon & Sun plays the self-invented genre of Apocalypso. The resulting EP ‘Moon & Sun sings Apocalypso’ contains 4 of the most seducing, sensual songs that were made this year. Crackly triphop beats and the sultry voice of Tornell, mixed with Carribean rythms and surprising samples. That the project is now brought live to the Kargadoor, is a pleasant surprise indeed.

house-tronica, hiphop and dancehall, above all things, sounds festive and bouncey. Poirier does have a good taste, but he doesn’t let it restrict him. If it’s groovey, it’s good, and Poirier’s grooves are full of bass and totally sublime. A good example is his current underground hit ‘Go Ballistic’ with MC Zulu, one of the many rappers that he worked with, and who will be at Le Guess Who? too. Their wicked floorfillers will not leave you unmoved.

experimental urgencies – unlike their colleagues, the band is not afraid to blend hiphop, new wave and dancehall into their skapunk – you would almost start to believe that they are indeed the first band to play this sort of music. But ofcourse they also learned quite a lot of Rancid, and fans of Flogging Molly will rejoice when hearing this band. Our advice would be to just raise your fists and go for it.

Quasimodo

Friday 27th of November 20:00 – 20:40, EKKO

nice nice

Pitto

Saturday 28th of November 02:25 – 03:15, Tivoli de Helling

Saturday 28th of November 04:45 – 06:00, Tivoli de Helling

nice nice is guitarist Jason Buehler and percussionist Mark Shirazi, who together make music that is completely unique. Their basic set of instruments is limited, but with a huge collection of effect pedals they make highly ingenious, stimulating loops and grooves with their instruments, that would make most laptop musicians green with envy. Moreover, their complex, dubby music is completely improvised. Buehler and Shirazi have the kind of virtuosity that normally only seldomly leads to good grooves, but nice nice manages to serve both your head and your hips. Think of Excepter, Lightning Bolt or Black Dice, or beter still: don’t think, just feel.

Pitto, the dance-producer from Ruurlo who now lives in Utrecht, has gone through an impressive rise of fame in only a year time. Worldwide he is praised for his creative dance, that knows no genre-boundaries. His floorfillers are being played by all the big DJs worldwide. For Le Guess Who?, Pitto will do a live set in De Helling. A star on the rise!

Saturday 28th of November Tivoli Oudegracht

Poirier ft. MC Zulu

Saturday 28th of November 20:30 – 21:30, EKKO

Saturday 28th of November 00:50 – 01:50, Tivoli Oudegracht DJ/producer Ghislain Poirier from Montreal has been called one of the big stars of the contemporary hiphop avantgarde, but that description sounds a lot more obscure than his music. His mix of

Quasimodo has been playing eclectic sets long before that became a fashionable style. As a resident dj of Klub Radar at Tivoli de Helling he plays electro, danceable indie and the occasional dubstep track, but always the tunes that really matter.

Saint Alvia Saint Alvia, the Canadian punk band formerly known as The Saint Alvia Cartel, plays a mix of punk, rockabilly and ska, with the kind of spirit that would suggest that they invented that mix themselves. And thanks to their energy and

The Shaky Hands The Shaky Hands make indiepop like we don’t hear it that often anymore: loose, uncomplicated and yet intelligent. Their songs are original, but equally organic, swinging and rocking, folky and modern. Like R.E.M. in their early days, or Velvet Underground at their least complicated. If a band like The Strokes would let go of their perfectionism and discover their inner roots rockers, or if Franz Ferdinand would go and learn something of the best bluesy bar bands, then they would sound like The Shaky Hands. Danceable and effortlessly swinging, The Shaky Hands are exactly the sort of band that we were still missing in 2009.

famous in 2006 by helping to make the national elections in Congo a huge succes with their song ‘Allons Voter!’ (Let’s vote!) Their contagious combativeness will stick with you for months. Additional ticket required

Thus:Owls Sunday 29th of November 20:30 – 21:15, Tivoli Oudegracht

Six Organs of Admittance

Staff Benda Bilili

Friday 27th of November 23:00 – 23:55, Tivoli de Helling

Saturday 28th of November 21:00 – 22:00, RASA

Six Organs of Admittance is one of the few acts labelled ‘freakfolk’ that actually lives up to that strange tag. Because the mix of drones, feedback, noise and folk that the band makes is definitely far out, but still has enough roots to hit on an emotional level. Six Organs of Admittance is in fact not an actual band, but the musical dream of Ben Chasney, who gathers new musicians for each new project, and who works at a fast pace. So fast that his discography now counts 23 releases, all released since 1998, bringing him both a lot of admiration and misunderstanding. Reclusive music of a dazzling majesty, for fans of Castanets, Current 93 and Devendra Banhart.

Staff Benda Bilili makes the sort of music that will make every international oriented music lover very happy. The group of buskers from Congo plays an amazing cocktail of rumba, Afro-Cuban latin, soul, reggae and funk. The core of the group consists of five singing guitar players, all seniors, and all of them paralysed in both legs, moving around on homemade wheel chairs. The rythm section, on the other hand, are all teenagers. And on top of that, there’s the great Roger Landu, the 17-year-old eye-catcher of the group who plays solos on a one-string instrument that he made himself from a tin can and a wooden bow. The band became

Acting and making music are two trades that are very close to each other - most musicians just play like they do not want to know it. The Swedish band Thus:Owls is the kind of band that does know, and fully exploits it. Singer Erika Angell uses all the expressive possibilities of her voice, from softly whispering to powerful yelps and opera singing, while the band applies all the dramatic tricks that pop music has to offer.

One moment you hear The Doors, then Kate Bush, then Efterklang with Kim Gordon on vocals. Wich makes it perfectly logical that they’re touring this autumn with Patrick Watson, another artist who is not afraid to make music that is compelling, without restraint, theatrical and with a touch of Gothic.

The Tragically Hip Thursday 26th of November 20:00 – 22:30, Tivoli Oudegracht The Tragically Hip is the Canadian equivalent to bands like R.E.M. and Pearl Jam. A band that has consistently delivered high quality guitar rock and flaming pop songs for 20 years. Thanks to their secret weapon, singer Gordon Downie, with a voice frequently derailing with passion. When on stage, Downie is an amazing force

TIPS Maurits Westerik (GEM) Bibio - Really looking forward to Le Guess Who? It might be my most favourite album of this year’s “Ambivalence Avenue” by Bibio. He created the most lovely desires and well shapen Fairytails into songs and soundscapes influenced by folk, funksoul, electronics and whispers from forest sounds.

Vincent Koreman (INCUBATE) Poirier ft MC Zulu - With Generationbass.com we promote global dance music. One of the best producers around is Montreal’s King of Beats & Bass: Ghislain Pourier, who does everything from reggae, dancehall, kuduro, electro and hiphop to industrial. Check him out featuring the great MC Zulu.

Simon Angell (Gitarist Patrick Watson & The Wooden Arms) “Man, if it weren’t for guys like Bob and Johan, this world could be a very sad vaccum void of love and good music. If they ever wanna organize or crash your party/ wedding/batmitzfah/baby-shower, etc, let them, I promise you, you won’t regret it.”

of energy beyond control, making the band’s shows an unpredictable experience by sabotaging them with improvisation and bizarre monologues. In Canada they’re a huge household name since the early 1990s, in the rest of the world they are a cult band, wich they probably always will be. However, the band is a phenomenon you must go and see at least once if you want to have any notion of what Canada is all about.

Alexander Tucker Friday 27th of November 20:35 – 21:20, Tivoli de Helling Alexander Tucker explores the common ground between folk, improvisation, post-rock and modern classical music. After singing in a hardcore band, Tucker discovered drones, fingerpicking and electronics. During a long time of experimenting, he developped a mix of ancient instrumental folk, the minimal music of Terry Riley and Steve Reich and the elusive modern classical music collective Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Slow, repetitive music, with a dark undertow coming from Tucker’s past in hardcore punk. No wonder he has collaborated with Stephen O’Maley of drone metal band Sunn O))). Not that cheerful, one can safely say, but very impressive indeed.

TV Buddhas Saturday 28th of November 00:30 – 01:15, dB’s The Israeli TV Buddhas follow the by now well-known White Stripes formula: a boy playing guitar, a girl playing the drums, influences from the hardrock and blues from the 1970s. However, TV Buddhas don’t have the pretentiousness of Jack White and they mix their western garage rock with eastern tunings and an almost religious feel. The energy that drives their shows is tribal and trancey, making their shows resemble a dark ritual of a sect that highly values the use of psychedelic substances. With vocals drenched in reverb, repetitive drums on a minimal drum kit and intoxicating, noisy rock ‘n roll they lead the listener into a Valhalla of noise.

Tweak Bird Thursday 26th of November 21:30 – 22:30, Tivoli de Helling Tweak Bird boldly follows in the footsteps of all the great, psychedelic rock bands, with their prog rock structures, dark riffs, high-pitched vocals and hazy harmonies. Boldly, for the duo’s only instruments are a drum kit and a guitar. Wich doesn’t stop them from producing one hell

The Very Best Saturday 28th of November 23:45 – 00:30, Tivoli Oudegracht

of a sound that makes your hair fly. Bluesy, complex and primal music of such quality that Tool handpicked them to join them on tour. An important sign of approval, wich they totally deserved. This is the kind of music for everyone who loves the wildest moments of The Mars Volta, and for those that still miss the tragically departed Death From Above 1979.

Patrick Watson and The Wooden Arms Sunday 29th of November 21:45 – 23:30, Tivoli Oudegracht Patrick Watson and The Wooden Arms has been called the next Jeff Buckley quite a few times already,

wich does make some sense, but only if combined with a big chunk of Andrew Bird. And even then, really, they are beyond these alltoo-easy comparisons. Watson’s music is unique, baroque and full of surprises. His songs are like a soft tickle in the back of your neck, until you twist your head and you see the big, hairy legs of a spider. Fascinating, experimental and beautiful. Memories of his sold out concert last year at Tivoli still bring back goosebumps to those who were there. And Simon Angell, guitarplayer in The Wooden Arms, performed last year in improv-project Project LeGuessWho, along with a.o. Kyteman. Thorny splendor for the adventurous music lover.

For everyone who already heats up when hearing Vampire Weekend’s neat-white-boys-version of African music, The Very Best is the holy grail. The Very Best is singer Esau Mwamwaya, originally from Malawi, East-Africa, with the duo Radioclit, consisting of the French dance producer Étienne Tron and the Swedish DJ Johan Karlberg. They met each other in a second-hand record shop, where Mwamwaya was working and the dance-duo accidently heard how great he could sing. Together they made a succesful and highly acclaimed free mixtape, on wich the gentlemen made exciting remixes of M.I.A. and Michael Jackson and many others, and then started

making their own songs. Their unstoppable mix of electro, indie and afropop is joyful and bubbling with energy, eclectic and boundless like the world around us.

Wavves Sunday 29th of November 20:45 – 21:30, EKKO Lo-fi punk band Wavves from California is one of the least predictable and wildest acts of today. Their in essence sunny, catchy surf pop songs are firmly packed in white noise and distortion, deliberately played and recorded with bad equipment, so that the listener must chop himself a pathway through all the noise, in order to reach the songs. Singer Nathan Williams’ addiction to alcohol and drugs doesn’t help to

make the band more user friendly either. Only a few months ago, his addiction caused shows that were ridden by chaos, a split with old drummer Ryan Ulsh and the cancellation of an entire European tour. Now the troubled twentysomething is coming this way after all, with talented drummer Zach Hill (of Hella and El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, among others). Prepare yourself for a legendary evening of crazy surf noise.

Wild Beasts Saturday 28th of November 22:20 – 23:20, Tivoli Oudegracht Wild Beasts sounds like Tindersticks who have found 30

the disco-side of themselves; danceable like Franz Ferdinand, but paired with an elegance and grandeur almost not of this time – making it all the better. The key element of Wild Beasts’ sound is the vocal teamwork of guitar player Hayden Thorpe’s falsetto voice – all disco and Antony – and the dark tenor voice of bass player Tom Flemming, comparable to Editors’ Tom Smith. Thorpe takes care of the flamboyant touch, while Flemming provides the dark charm, causing Wild Beasts to never lose their cool. It makes their music equally exuberant and odd as stylish. So make sure you look cool and unapproachable while whirling and rocking around on the dancefloor.

PROJECT LE GUESS WHO?

L’INTERVIEW WHO?

Monday 30th of November 20:30 dB’s

Plato Utrecht

Project Le Guess Who? is a onetime only performance by artists which might know each other but never played together before. They will have the time to rehearse for a couple hours during the day and give one exclusive performance in the evening. As it has to be a surprise for the musicians as well as the audience none of the attending names are made public. This will happen just a couple days before the festival... But the names of the musicians are not important, only thing which is important is the sound they will create. One thing is for sure: you never heard something similar before... Project Le Guess Who? is free for everybody and a gift from us to all of you who already have seen lots of beautiful bands at Le Guess Who? but is still interested to hear some new sounds...

Always curious why an artist doesn’t like bloemkool; why his favorite soccer team is Bayern Munchen…? Gijsbert Kamer will be doing live interviews in Plato record store with some of the artists playing at Le Guess Who? For more info about these interviews and time schedule check www.leguesswho.com

Gijsbert Kamer (46) is for almost 30 years professionally involved with music. From the early 80’s he worked in several indie-record shops and he has been dj-ing in various clubs (De Tagrijn, De Melkweg, Tivoli) ever since. Journalism is since the early 90’s his main profession, he writes reviews, features and interviews for one of the leading national newspapers De Volkskrant and has also been involved with Dutch rockdocumentary series Lola da Musica.

TIPS Eppo Janssen (PUKKELPOP/STUDIO BRUSSEL) Crystal Fighters - Ok. Anno 2009 there ’s more “Crystal” bands around than there are windmills in Holland, but they all seem to have something interesting over them. These Kitsuné signed Spanish Crystal Fighters are the new matadors of dance music: they kill the outrageous electro bull and instead throw pieces of folk, indie and balkan beats into the party paella. Makes my mouth water and my body sweat.

Oudegracht 245 Thursday 26th of November 18:00 – 00:00 Friday 27th of November 18:00 – 00:00 Saturday 28th of November 18:00 – 01:00 Sunday 29th of November 18:00 – 00:00

Robert Meijerink (EUROSONIC/ DOORNROOSJE/DE AFFAIRE)

Music photography is everywhere. Since the digital revolution and the breakthrough of blogs and online magazines, an giant army of photographers is registering every single concert. Even bands with only one demo won’t be surprises to see three lenses in front of them at a regular pub gig. Imagine the enormous archive we will have 50 years from now! But is it possible to distinguish yourself as a photographer? Le Guess Who? asked three photographers

William Fitszimmons - You can never hide from quality. Singer-songwriter William Fitszimmons has a strong independent caracter. His sweet Folkmusic, with snippet Electronica here and there, makes Fitszimmons probably one of the most sincere, subtle and outstanding concerts of Le Guess Who?

Exhibition Music Photography Nick Helderman Like many other music photographers Nick Helderman (1987) is an autodidact. Right from the start, he forced himself to look further. He makes strong choices in his subjects – mostly bands in the Dutch and American underground – but also in the way he works. He doesn’t just takes pictures, he practically becomes a band member for a while. His pictures – both live and portrets – are raw and dynamic. At the Le Guess Who? festival Nick Helderman shows his documentary pictures of the Dutch punk veterans The Ex touring with the Ethiopian saxophone player Gatachew Mekuria. “A special combination. The two of them can hardly understand each other.” Helderman didn’t only capture them performing and travelling. He also witnessed an emotional meeting between Mekuria and the Ethiopian community in the US, who regard the musician a hero. Nick Helderman works for a.o. OOR, Converse Benelux, De Revu, Het Parool and VPRO. www.nickhelderman.com

Exhibition Music Photography Annie Hoogendoorn

Shawn Brackbill

“Rock ‘n roll is not important to me. If it’s there, it’s there. If it’s not, it’s not.” You won’t find Amsterdam photographer Annie Hoogendoorn around a stage a lot. She isn’t looking for the infamous backstage rituals either. It’s all about the moment a musician lets down his mask. “I’m looking for the real person behind the music.” Those moments often come unexpected. It’s an moment of interaction between band members, a tired musician after a show, or somewhere in the endless waiting. Hoogendoorn spent a lot of time with Dutch bands like zZz, Voicst and Spinvis. She won the Lex van Rossen Award in 2008. Nowadays, she focuses on foreign bands, like Le Guess Who? act The Dodos. “Singer Meric Long doesn’t let people come close to him easily. It’s up to me to break through. I make pictures all day, hoping at some point he won’t notice me anymore.” Annie Hoogendoorn studied Journalism and Documentary Photography at the Fotoacademie Amsterdam. Hoogendoorn works for a.o. Revu, Het Parool, Elle Girl Magazine, CJP Magazine and 3FM. www.anniehoogendoorn.nl

Every band has its own band pictures, a carefully shot image of what the band wants to be seen. American photographer Shawn Brackbill’s portraits are very simple, and still strikingly different. He does not shoot complete bands. He prefers individual musicians. He doesn’t use technical or creative tricks, but shoots close and direct. Most of the time he meets musicians at festivals en tries to make the perfect image within a couple of minutes, sometimes even in no more than ten pictures. “By seperating the musicians from their band mates, I try to focus on the individual person”, Brackbill says. “Usually people see them in the context of a group, now you see their own personality. Elvis Costello, Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips), Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) all posed in front of his lense. After his education at the Film Academy, Brackbill left Pittsburgh for Brooklyn, New York, at the core of the American indie scene. His work was published in a.o. MOJO, Anthem, XLR8R and Dazed & Confused. www.shawnbrackbill.com

FOTOGRAFEN

Shawn Brackbill - Annie Clark (St. Vincent)

Shawn Brackbill - Jamie Hince (The Kills)

Nick Helderman - ‘Getatchew Mekuria, The Ex & Friends’

Annie Hoogendoorn - The Virgins

Annie Hoogendoorn - Alphabeat

Build your own stringed instrument

During Le Guess Who? you can build your own stringed instrument under the guidance of Yuri Landman. Landman made instruments for bands such as Liars, Blood Red Shoes, The Dodos, Sonic Youth and Jad Fair and has developed his own do-it-yourselfworkshop where you will build a replica of the Moodswinger, alone or in pairs.

The workshops are on the following days: Thursday 26th november 12:00 - 16:00 hours / Saturday 28th november 12:00 16:00 hours / Sunday 29th november 12:00 - 16:00 hours

What is a Moodswinger? The Moodswinger is a 12-string instrument and a modern version of the Monochord, a classical instrument that Pythagoras used for his acoustic measurements, and shows the foundations of a chord: why does, in a musical sense, yellow and red make orange?

Yuri Landman will be performing in Tivoli de Helling on Friday 27th of November (19:00-19:30 and 19:4520:15). www.hypercustom.com

LEGUESSWHO? 2009 17:00

Thu 26th of Nov Tivoli Oudegracht Tivoli de Helling

18:00

19:00

20:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

Basia Bulat Yuri Landman

Hosted by Beep! Beep! Back up the truck vette analoge shit

22:00

23:00

Evan Dando

02:00

03:00

04:00

05:00

23:00

00:00

01:00

02:00

03:00

04:00

05:00

Early Day Miners

(Lemonheads)

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00 Megafaun

Hosted by Klub Radar

21:00

22:00

The Dodos

Hosted by Hood Elevator Saint Alvia F.S. Blumm

Hosted by Eat This Media!

dB’s

Six Organs of Admittance

Gala Drop

Beer & Music

Expo

17:00

SUN 29th of Nov

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00 Thus: Owls

Tony Dekker

William Fitzsimmons

Micah P. Hinson

Kargadoor

Ryland Bou-chard

23:00

00:00

Wild Beasts Freek Fabricius Fucked Up B. Fleischman Birthday suits

22:00

Wavves

Dorian Concept

The Very Best Bibio

01:00 Quasimodo

Poirier ft. Mc Zulu The Field & Band

02:00

03:00

Qua- Christal Quasisimodo Fighters modo Freek Fabricius

nice nice

04:00

05:00

Huoratron

Freek Fabricius

Luke Abbott

Pitto

Exhibition Music Photography, Oudegracht 245 Nick Helderman, Annie Hoogendoorn, Shawn Brackbill

SAT 28th of Nov Tivoli Oudegracht Tivoli de Helling Ekko Theater Kikker

The Modern Dance Club

Tv Buddhas

dB’s RASA Expo

23:00

Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms

Male Bonding

FRI 27th of Nov Tivoli Oudegracht Tivoli de Helling

Expo 23:00

Molina/ Johnson Aa

Thu 26th of Nov Tivoli Oudegracht Tivoli de Helling

Ekko

Staff Benda Bilili Exhibition Music Photography, Oudegracht 245 Nick Helderman, Annie Hoogendoorn, Shawn Brackbill

RASA

Expo