U N R U LY M U S I C M A G A Z I N E
T H E B E AC H I S S U E :
G E T R E A DY F O R SUMMER
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 1
WIN TICKETS TO COCOROSIE, SEBADOH, NOORDERZON, I LIKE TO WATCH TOO AND PITCH FESTIVAL
PLUS: D I RT Y B E A C H E S V I V I A N G I R L S S U M M E R M I X TA P E B E A C H Y S TO R I E S W W W. S U B B AC U LTCHA.NL
THE RIGHT TO BE REAL Win a pair of black Chuck Taylor All Stars. See “free stuff” page in this publication.
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PRELUDE 3 - 4 September 2011 FESTIVAL 25 - 28 May 2012 art and public space on Strijp-S, Eindhoven Sign up to join in the fantastic public perfomances check out flux-s.nl
BEACH
THIS ISSUE
By Sam Herring (Future Islands) This photo is what Sam Herring, singer of Future Islands, sent us when we asked him what the beach meant to him. ‘...took it myself. Kodak Disposable’
EDITOR’S NOTE Ok folks, we’re out of here. Heading out to some long-forgotten beach to drink cocktails, read books and ponder over the meaning of modern life. That’s right, what you have here is the summer issue, covering two months and giving us time to deservedly catch our breath. We’ll be back in September, behind our desks, with sand in our eyes, getting all emotional about another summer gone by. But not just yet. It’s beach time baby, and you know it. Enjoy.
ON THE COVER A collage by SCRMN and Noelson
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CONTENT This month in Subbacultcha! magazine
THE BEACH ISSUE
Yes, we are all about unruly, independent, relentless, alternative, loud, beautiful, silent, disturbing, soothing and uncompromising music.
VIVIAN GIRLS BEACH MIX
DIRTY BEACHES
The sound of summer page 34
A questionnaire page 29
...but we all love a bit of beachin’, right?
BEACH GEAR
AGENDA
Pretty, pretty, pretty... bad page 23
This month’s must sees page 65
ART
FREE STUFF
Featured artist: SCRMN & Noelson page 47
Win Cocorosie, Sebadoh, Noorderzon and more page 66
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TOP 5 PICTURE THIS MEMBERSHIP PAGES WE SAW YOU NEW MUSIC BEACH TOWELS DIRTY BEACHES VIVIAN GIRLS SUMMER MIX VIRTUAL BEACHING
9 11 12 16 18 23 29 34 43
FEATURED ARTIST NEW RELEASES FILM FASHION FOOD 99 PROBLEMS SPEKKIE BIG AGENDA FREE STUFF
47 52 57 59 60 62 64 65 66
etniesshop.com facebook.com/etnies.europe
HEALTH, TWEAK BIRD, EMA, THE WAR ON DRUGS, WOODEN SHJIPS, RAINBOW ARABIA, OMAR SOULEYMAN, AUSTRA, THE FRESH AND ONLYS, HANDSOME FURS INDEPENDENT CULTURE
+ MANY MORE
INCUBATE IS A FESTIVAL IN TILBURG - THE NETHERLANDS. FROM 12.09.11 - 18.09.11 PRESALE
PASSEPARTOUTS AND DAYTICKETS VIA WWW.INCUBATE.ORG
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Shows: Ducktails @ De Nieuwe Anita Ducktails was back in Amsterdam for a show at De Nieuwe Anita. Backed by a live band, he blew us away with a powerful set that the likes of Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs would be proud of.
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Free Photos: Foam Foam photography museum offers great photography all year round, and they offered it for free to Subbacultcha! members in June. Now guess what… the offer will last all summer. Priceless!
TOP 5 Last month at our office These are five things that thrilled, chilled and excited us last month.
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Music History: ‘Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel’ by Townes van Zandt Yes kids, here’s one from the olden days, one of the best folks songs ever written. The late, great Mr van Zandt at his best.
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Highbrow Gift Giving: Two Art Books This summer we’re publishing no fewer than two outstanding art books, featuring selected works by talented young artists. And we’re sending them to all members for free-o-leeno.
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Music: Vivian Girls Beach Mixtape Vivian Girls will get you through the summer in style with their awesome mixtape featuring Will Smith, Snoop Dogg, Alisha and Roy Orbison… and you thought they were hipsters.
Cuties There was a band/duo that was described as ‘these cuties’ in the Subbacultcha programme. Without saying much at all about their music. Was it so bad (if so, did you just book them in order to watch them?), or hadn’t you heard it, or what? I don’t want to be mean or unrespectful of all nice things that you
arrange and your work. On the other hand, maybe I wasn’t the only member with no desire to read slightly sexist things in your texts. (...) I’m not saying this is the most serious thing in the world. Anyway, just something to keep in mind for future.
INBOX The stuff we get in our mailbox... day in day out. It never stops. Luckily. Submit: magazine@subbacultcha.nl
I wish you all the best and a nice summertime! 9
5AM 9 P M tO c e I R ON e P 15 RIce € FULL P t S €9 N StUDe
PARADISO JULY 8th AND 9th 2011 ILIketOwAtchtOO.NL
PICTURE THIS Each month, Isolde Woudstra and Regina van der Kloet take turns in photographing lyrics.
Photo: Isolde Woudstra
‘Well what are your variations? Red or blue M&Ms.’ The Ex - Double Order
Next month: ‘I think of the ones I consider my favourites’ Talking Heads - Don’t Worry about the Government 11
SUBBACULTCHA! MEMBERSHIP PAGES FREE SHOWS FOR SUBBACULTCHA MEMBERS
Vivian Girls
FUTURE ISLANDS + XENO AND OAKLANDER + DJ DANCE, FLOOR
08 July - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | €7 | Free for members Post wave dance makers Future Islands blew us away at their last Subbacultcha! show, when they were touring on the back of In Evening Air, one of our favourite albums of 2010. We are psyched to have them back and De Nieuwe Anita is surely the right place for them. No stage, Sam Herring digging into the crowd, pouring CONTINUE 12
with sweat, singing his heart out as if it’s the last night on earth. And you’ll be there, won’t you, doing your little dance. Support by wavy New York synth duo Xeno and Oaklander.
FRIENDO + COLD PUMAS
14 July - OT301, Amsterdam Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members Oh, how we cried when Women broke up. On of our favourite bands of the past decade, shot to pieces. But luckily enough, most of the band members are still involved
SUBBACULTCHA! MEMBERSHIP PAGES JOIN FOR €6 PER MONTH AT SUBBACULTCHA.NL in other projects. Like drummer Mike Wallace, who plays in a great pychedelic noise pop band called Friendo. Also playing tonight are Subbacultcha! alumni Cold Pumas, who are back in Amsterdam to bring us some more of that noisy new wave dance music.
DD/MM/YYYY + MILLION YOUNG
16 July - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | € 7 | Free for members DD/MM/YYYY named themselves after the empty spot on a doctor’s office form. They have a punky-math sound and their latest art rock LP bends time and space. Thankfully, these cats can’t seem to stay away from the Dam, this time with support from chillwave Floridian Million Young. Mark your calendars.
AVI BUFFALO
17 July - Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht Starts 19.30 | €12.50 | Free for members ‘Lost in your summer cum’ - shit, is that how Long Beach love songs go? Sex and dying is what Avi Buffalo lyricise about. After a brief hiatus, they’re back in action and on the brink of releasing a new single. They’ll bring the sound of eroded innocence and sunshine to Utrecht.
VIVIAN GIRLS + BEBE FANG
24 July - OCCII, Amsterdam Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members Tortured and detuned, these three girlies (ahem, I mean strong, talented young women) have the same kind of appeal as a 60’s
girl group. But this is no Summer of Love— this is lo-fi, punk at its finest. Their new album Share the Joy is out now on Polyvinyl and takes their upbeat sound and churns it, delving deeper into melancholia while keeping their original energy and noise intact. Awesome. They’ll be joined by the ominous, foreboding sounds of Utrecht duo Bebe Fang.
FOOT VILLAGE
27 July - OT301, Amsterdam Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members Foot Village are a spectacular tribal noise rock band from LA. Unlike many of their peers (such as Health and Aids Wolf), Foot Village don’t use any electronic instruments. They have four drummers and two singers and enough biceps combined to raise the roof. Cowbells, cymbals... They’re the anti-jam, you’re in for a treat!
SUBBACULTCHA ART BOOK LAUNCH
Date / Place TBC To celebrate six months of great art and just-as-great openings here at the Subbacultcha offices, we’ve put together an artbook with the work of all the artists that have exhibited in our project space. The works of Irene O’Callahan, Askhan Honarvar, Kim Boske, Koen Taselaar, Qui Yang and Kristy Foom are compiled in a book, wonderfully designed by Nicole Martens. We are sending the book to all members in August. And of course, it’s an excuse for us to throw another party and launch the thing. Date and place still to be confirmed at time of print. CONTINUE 13
COMING SUBBACULTCHA! MEMBERSHIP PAGES UP AT FREE SHOWS FOR SUBBACULTCHA MEMBERS SUBBA-
Crystal Stilts
CRYSTAL STILTS
09 Aug - Melkweg, Amsterdam Starts 19.30 | €11 | Free for members Brooklyn’s noisy new wave band Crystal Stilts have finally released their second fulllength. About time, cause we were getting bored of not getting to hear Brad Hargetts sound so... well, bored. Join us for some neo-psychedelic garage beats. Get ready for a dream pop kaleidoscope of synths and a parade of glowing guitars. 14
SUBBACULTCHA! MEMBERSHIP PAGES JOIN FOR €6 PER MONTH AT SUBBACULTCHA.NL
CLOSER
12 Aug - Melkweg, Amsterdam Starts 23.00 | €10 | Free for members Summer is starting to sizzle and you know what that means? We don’t need no water, we all just need to get Closer! Come on over to Melkweg for lights, fog and lots of sexy people on the dance floor, plus a mishmash of music which includes Applescal, Cardboard Motel, Distant Drummers and DJ sets from Jorn Liefdeshuis, Tundra and Luc Mast.
TIMBER TIMBRE
17 August - Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht Starts 19.30 | €12 | Free for members Timber Timbre channel elements of folk, blues and country into a spooky and spacious séance that would work well as a soundtrack for a Southern Gothic novel in spite of their northerly pedigrees. They have a pretty masterful control of mood during live shows, and if you let them in, the ghosts of their songs will haunt your head for days.
VONDELPARK
20 Aug - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | € 7 | Free for members After two amazing Subbacultcha! appearances earlier this year, we simply had to invite Vondelpark back for another show in Amsterdam. And with a new EP being released in July, this seemed like the perfect time. Expect more of their shy, mysterious, melancholy-drenched sound as well as a performance featuring live drums and live visuals. Not to be missed.
THE CAVE SINGERS+ THIS LEO SUNRISE
21 Aug - dB’s, Utrecht Starts 20.30 | €8 | Free for members The Cave Singers blew the roof off of Paradiso back in June. The crowd pooled out of every open door, behind the mixboard, onto the stage. Yes, the Seattle indie folk gang made quite the impression, playing a lot of new material from their 2011 release No Witch. Thank goodness they’re coming back for round two. Support from Utrecht’s indie roots band, This Leo Sunrise. ALL MONTH
FOAM
Open Sat-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur & Fri until 21.00 | €8 | Free for members Subbacultcha! members get in for free at FOAM in July and August. A new exhibition by Anton Corbijn, Inwards and Onwards, will be on display. Also still on are Capricious Magazine’s Continuity of Chaos and Misha de Ridder’s Solstice.
EXPO: SCRMN & NOELSON
Subbacultcha! Office, Amsterdam 12-29 July; open Tue-Fri 11.00-17.00 The works of these two lads are a wild mix of paint, markers, paper and canvas (see page 47); a duo effort resulting in vibrant works about love, life, death and other uplifting subjects. The exhibition also celebrates the launch of a book published by Subbacultcha! that contains a broad selection of their collage work. END 15
WE SAW YOU: SPOTTED AT SUBBACULTCHA What’s your favourite album and artist at the moment? Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
I never say things for hipsters’ sake - why would I?
What’s your favourite album and artist ever? Prince - Lovesexy
What’s your first ever song-related memory? Stevie Nicks - Landslide crossing through the Dolomites, Italy.
Favourite song at the moment? Dirty Projectors - ‘Useful Chamber’ Best record store? My head What was the first record that you bought? Madonna - Like a Virgin
What’s your favourite summer (hit) song? ‘A Miracle’ by Hidden Cameras What music do you play on a beautiful Sunday morning? Sleeping States
Guilty pleasures? Sonic Youth - Sunday
What kind of music did your parents listen to? The Moody Blues
Best movie soundtrack? Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!
Which record/album should not have been recorded? I haven’t listened to it
Best concert ever? Prince - Lovesexy Tour ’88
Photo by Bauke Karel
Which music makes you fall asleep? In a good way: Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs What do you listen to when you are on your bike? Xiu Xiu What makes you dance? Gang Gang Dance Which music makes you cry? Low What do you listen to when you are doing the dishes? I never do the dishes And when you have sex? ‘I Would Die 4 U’ What’s your favourite album cover? Around the World in a Day by Prince Which record do you regret buying? Don’t remember Which music do you say you like (for hipsters’ sake), but actually, you don’t? 16
‘I NEVER SAY THINGS FOR HIPSTERS’ SAKE - WHY WOULD I?’
Name and age: JOFF, 34 Daytime job/study: Artistic director Arnhem Mode Biennale Place of birth: Amsterdam Spotted at: Light Asylum on 2 June in OT 301, Amsterdam END 17
NEW MUSIC We make it our job to endlessly roam the beautiful internet and find the stuff that really matters. Behold the needles from the haystack. By Leon Caren and Sander van Dalsum You can find all (or some of) this marvellous new music on our website or on our weekly radio show on the great viva-radio. com
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SUNSCREEN - CHECK. SHADES - CHECK. NEW MUSIC - CHECK. HOW DID 50 CENT, BRIAN KEENE, PRINCE, ELTON JOHN AND JONI MITCHELL MAKE IT INTO SUBBACULTCHA!’S NEW MUSIC SECTION? GO AHEAD AND READ ALL ABOUT IT. ALSO INDULGE IN A CRASH COURSE ON SYNTHESIZER GENIUS XANDER HARRIS, AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THAT OLD-SCHOOL CHICAGO HOUSE MUSIC. IT’S ALL ABOUT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX DARLING AND YOU KNOW IT.
BOY FRIEND
kicked the delay pedal and you can’t figure out how to turn it off. boyfriendmusic.bandcamp.com
WEYES BLOOD
Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown left Sleep ∞ Over just before the band was about to release their long-awaited debut album. Something must have happened on the road, but whatever it was, judging from their new project Boy Friend, the split certainly wasn’t due to musical differences. The two girls still play lovely haunting pop melodies that sound like the mellowest dream you could possibly have. You know, the kind of dream you don’t want to wake up from; the one where it’s like someone
Ex-Jackie-O Motherfucker’s Natalie Mering has been releasing some great stuff with her solo project Weyes Blood. Her first official full-length The Outsider Room has just come out on Not Not Fun and features eerie soundscapes as well as some pretty amazing ambient folk ballads. Haunting stuff that kind of reminds me of Joni Mitchell in her Clouds period, but (even) darker and less traditional. Natalie also happens to be the sister of Greatest Hits’ Zak Mering - and the word is out that the two talented siblings are working on some material together. We would definitely be interested in finding out how Zak’s pretty-boy swag and Natalie’s bleak chanting would work together. myspace.com/nataliewiseblood
INNERGAZE
hurt to listen to something smooth and clean every once in a while. Their new EP 3 is coming out on 4AD on 25 July. official-inc.com
NEWN E W MUSIC M U S IC
THE MEN
Maryland-based duo Innergaze play some mean old-school house music influenced by the Chicago scene of the mid-’80s. So, are they yet another band stuck in a long-gone age, shrouded in blissful nostalgia? We wouldn’t exactly say so. In successfully combining those minimal techno beats with dark wavy synth patterns, they sound surprisingly modern. Check out their upcoming 12” Shadow Disco: a record full of eerie dance floor fillers and the perfect soundtrack to one of your worst nightmares. innergaze.bandcamp.com
INC. The brothers Daniel and Andrew Aged have been making music for quite a while now. After having toured as a backing band for the likes of Elton John and 50 Cent (yes, really), they now compose their own songs as the funk operation Inc. The music is reminiscent of early Prince and the production sounds like these guys really know what they’re doing. But you’ll get over that soon enough, if only cause it doesn’t
The Men are a seriously loud noise punk band from Brooklyn. Their new album Leave Home has just come out on Sacred Bones, and the production is so overtly distorted, it pretty much feels like you’re listening to a car crash. We take it these boys will certainly bring the house down during live shows, so let’s hope they’re planning a European tour some time soon. In the meantime get your hands on the record. It’s worth it. wearethemen.blogspot.com
XANDER HARRIS Some basic information about Mister Xander Harris: 1) He’s a classically trained keyboard player from Austin, who plays dark, wavy synth music; 2) he’s very much into ’80s horror movies; 3) his debut album Urban Goth was named after a novel by Brian Keene; 4) in this novel, a bunch of teenage kids walk home from a rap concert in Philadelphia, then they get lost and lots of really bad shit starts happening; 5) his new EP is called I Want More Than Just Blood and features more gloomy horror music; and 6) his stuff is pretty amazing, check it out. xanderfuckingharris.blogspot.com
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Reading a book with...
Bachelorette
This is Annabelle (aka Bachelorette) reading a book in a small but very pristine and stylish room at the Lloyd hotel. The photo was taken by Nick Helderman.
THE BEACH ISSUE: BEACH STORIES NEW MUSIC
Texas Swimmer By Xander Harris
‘I grew up in the middle of the desert in West Texas so water was a novelty. I didn’t learn how to swim until I was almost 13 years old. I had been to the Gulf Coast of Texas a couple of times but that’s technically not the ocean. The only time I saw the Atlantic Ocean was when I was flying over it on my first visit to Europe. The first time I actually got to stand on a beach in front of the ocean was Venice Beach in Los Angeles. I liked the crazy, dishevelled look of the place and I liked that there were teenage kids roaming around with snakes hanging off their shoulders. I actually have a pretty big fear of the ocean so I rolled up my jeans and walked around in the water. I didn’t go full-on swimming because I had to work up to it. A desert person like me has to sort of pace around the edge of the ocean with trepidation before diving in. Even then, I’m still not all that comfortable with the open water. I love beaches but me and the ocean haven’t quite figured out what to do with each other.’ Xander Harris is featured in the New Music Section of this magazine. See page 19
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KiEs JE favoriEtEn, bEpaal wat Er op onzE ElpEEs KoMt En donEEr! ChECK: EKKO.nl/rEcOrdings En vOOrdEKunst.nl
THE BEACH ISSUE
GET WET AND DRY
IT’S BEACHIN’ TIME! AND ONE NEEDS TO BEACH IN STYLE, THAT’S A GIVEN FACT. NOW, WE ASSUME YOU’VE GOT THE CLOTHING AND SHADES PART TAKEN CARE OFF, BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR TOWEL? STILL THAT SAME OLD SAME OLD? THAT WORN-OUT RAG YOU’VE BEEN CARRYING AROUND FOR YEARS? WORRY NOT, WE DID SOME SERIOUS SHOPPING TO GIVE YOU SOME HINTS ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A TOWEL. AND IT GET’S BETTER THAN THAT. WE GIVE AWAY FIVE OF THEM TO NEW SUBBACULTCHA MEMBERS. SO KEEP AN EYE ON THE MAILING LIST. Photos by Isolde Woudstra
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GET WET AND DRY. CONTINUED
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CONTINUE 25
GET WET AND DRY. CONTINUED
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THE BEACH ISSUE: BEACH STORIES
The Scent of Rain on Dust By Patrick Fisher (drummer of Cold Pumas)
‘She had written once about the beach, if only anecdotal. Yet for I, a child of dank Welsh holiday cottages, epitaphs of such a greying, analogue wash had proved unshakable. They pronounced the same queer longing for the safe domesticity of a squat building that overlooked those unconscious sands and the adrenaline of dread that lay beyond them. Even throughout the current cold-blooded summer storms of this infantile pleasure town, it has remained her ‘tut’ that disapproves alongside mine and her brief smirk that confirms my disappointment at the accumulative man-made appendage that I tread gamely upon – groynes hidden beneath shingle. There had once been a basis for something seedy and marvellous here, this I know, some gaudy trade show for a perfected southcoast smarm, a piece of wishful thinking caught up and elevated into the damp padding of a cumulonimbus ahead. And yet presently, in the tiresome wind, coats are zipped and errant fringes checked, as the same sigh hovers over the thinning beach. It is then that I smell the scent of rain on dust.’ Cold Pumas play with Friendo on 14 July in OT301, Amsterdam 28
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SHOARMA WITH MARNIE STERN CONTINUED
THE BEACH ISSUE
DIRTY BEACHES LISTENING TO BADLANDS WILL TELEPORT YOU TO THE FRONT SEAT OF A BRAND-NEW CHEVY CRUISING A LOST HIGHWAY. THERE’S NO LOVELY BETTY DRAPER RIGHT BESIDE YOU THOUGH, NOR AN ICE CREAM PARLOUR ANYWHERE NEAR IN SIGHT. BADLANDS EVOKES A MUCH DARKER IMAGE, ONE DRENCHED IN ANGST AND NOIR. BORN IN TAIWAN, HAVING LIVED IN HONULULU, TORONTO, MONTREAL AND NOW VANCOUVER, DRIFTER ALEX ZHANG HUNGTAI AKA DIRTY BEACHES HAS SPRINKLED HIS NEW ALBUM WITH ‘MINIMALIST ROCKABILLY’. WE ASKED HIM ABOUT IT IN THIS LITTLE QUESTIONNAIRE. HE ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION WITH ‘C’. FOR ‘CHERRY’, OF COURSE.
By Brenda Bosma. Photo by Brent Wingen
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DIRTY BEACHES. CONTINUED
1. Your most recent release Badlands was made as an homage to your father’s youth. Listening to the record, I came up with certain impressions of your dad. Which oneis the most accurate? a He was not the most upbeat person, even though he owned a super-fast motorcycle. b He met your mother in the lobby of a hotel when she was 17 and wearing nothing but black nylon. c Other, namely: My dad was a troublemaker in his youth. Even though he mellowed out in his later years, he’s still someone you don’t fuck with. I’m a pretty big guy (6’ 2”, 170lbs) and remember feeling scared once when he stared at me after I called him an old man. That stare is in the album. 2. How did you come up with Dirty Beaches as a moniker? a I woke up one day on a deserted beach with seaweed wrapped around my legs. b I watched a lot of Baywatch as a kid and developed a thing for little red bathing suits. c Other, namely: I awoke on a beach with Baywatch babes running around, but their voices were dubbed in French - ‘dirty bitches’ was pronounced ‘dirty beaches’ in their accountable accent. 30 CONTINUE
3. Your approach to making music is very similar to the working process of a filmmaker; you’ve said that you start out with an idea or character. While experimenting with sounds this results in a certain persona and atmosphere. What’s your favourite movie character and why? a Audrey from Twin Peaks, for the bit with the cherry. b The silent girl in Wong Kar Wai’s film 2046. c Other, namely: I love Willem Dafoe in almost every film I’ve ever seen him in. This is a hard one. Bobby Peru in Wild at Heart, and Dafoe as a cross dressing gay FBI homicide detective in Boondocks Saints (I didn’t like the movie but Dafoe was amazing). 4. Should David Lynch keep making music or stick solely to directing? a Yes. b No. c Other, namely: David Lynch can do whatever the fuck he wants. 5. What do you think of the comparison with Chris Isaak? a It’s more accurate than being compared to Brian Setzer. b Except for the Helena Christensen video and his Twin Peaks appearance I think he should get back to his blue motel (sic) and never come
DIRTY BEACHES. CONTINUED
out again – I absolutely hate the b It ain’t what it used to be. comparison. c Other, namely: I don’t know. I hear c Other, namely: Hahahaha, answer people used to drill holes in peob is very accurate but it’s mean, so ples’ skulls in Europe when they let’s take out the-staying-in-thehad nostalgia, ’cuz they didn’t blue-motel-and-never-come-out know how to treat it. It was inbepart. Chris Isaak can do whatever tween clinical depression and oththe fuck he wants. er mental illnesses that occurred at the time. 6. Badlands is also the title of the sensational debut by filmmaker 9. You’ve lived in various cities. If Terrence Malick, who recently won you were to move again what’s the the Palme d’Or for The Tree of Life. one thing you would not leave bea That’s no accident, the way the film hind? depicts two outcast lovers on the a My comb. run is spot on. b Box full of VHS tapes I stole as a b Lars von Trier should have won. video store employee. c Other, namely: It’s none of my busi- c Other, namely: I leave behind alness who wins what. I don’t like critmost everything. icising other artists. I work on my own shit and mind my own business. 10. I read you were offended once by a journalist who was rude to you. 7. What’s your take on lo-fi sound as Are you offended by this questionan aesthetic? naire? a It has great enunciative powers. a Yes, it makes me feel like being in b If the label would hand me more high school again. money I’d definitely leave bud- b No, I’d rather answer these quesget home recording behind and go tions than spending quality time highest-fi. playing beach volleyball with my c Other, namely: I think it’ll be a friends. gradual upgrade as in that each re- c Other, namely: I’d rather be spendcord improves fidelity-wise with the ing quality time playing beach volimproved budget. leyball with handsome black men. 8. What’s the best about being nostalgic? a Not thinking about the future. 32 END
Dirty Beaches play Sleazefest on 15 July at ADM in Amsterdam.
THE BEACH ISSUE: BEACH STORIES
Lobsters By SCRMN
Me and Noelson were drinking in a bar called LA Bar in Copenhagen. It was a really tacky place - you know, ten shots on a tray and a Jersey Shore sort of atmosphere. In the morning, around four or five o’clock, we went to the beach and jumped from the pier into the ocean and then suddenly we got very tired, so we all picked out random spots on the beach to sleep, like wild dogs or something. We woke up in the afternoon around two, because this nice man was starting to worry about us. The beach was full of families and kids and I had my mouth full of sand, we all looked like lobsters. The kids were all gathered around us. And our friend Magnus had slept with some candy stuck to him that had then melted in the sun. Pretty rough start of the day. SCRMN and Noelson are this month’s Featured Artists (see page 47) Their work is on display at the Subbacultcha! Office from 12-29 July
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THE BEACH ISSUE
ULTIMATE BEACH MIX BY VIVIAN GIRLS Words by FIona, Cassie and Katy. Tape cover by Ana Benaroya, Photos by Basje Boer
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WE ASKED FIONA, CASSIE AND KATY OF VIVIAN GIRLS TO COMPILE US THE PERFECT SUMMER MIXTAPE FOR A HOT AND LAZY DAY ON THE BEACH. AND MAN, DID THEY DO IT RIGHT! SO, PUT ON YOUR BEACHWEAR, SINK INTO A BEACH CHAIR AND LISTEN TO THIS MARVELLOUS MIXTAPE. LET ME TELL YOU... THAT FIVE O’CLOCK BEER BUZZ IN THE SLOWLY SETTING SUN WHILE ROY ORBISON, WARREN G AND SNOOP DOGG ARE PUMPING ON THE STEREO... PRICELESS!
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King of the Beach Wavves After I first heard it, it was kind of impossible to go to the beach and not be singing it all day long. (Cassie)
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since turned into a shitty lite adult contemporary station - John Mayer and Kelly Clarkson stuff. I had a white Cadillac back then, and I remember driving around and listening to this song and being so excited about life. (Cassie)
Heat from the Day Blood on the Wall Sounds like riding your bike to Fort Summer Fun Tilden in NY and trying not to get hit Tijuana Panthers by all the cars. (Fiona) These guys rule and they really hit the nail on the head here. (Katy) All Night Passion Alisha Counting the Beat This song was on the radio a lot durThe Swingers ing one of the most memorable sum- This was on an Ice Cream ad in New mers of my life - the summer I was Zealand when I was a kid and is by nineteen. It was this awesome now- one of my favourite bands from home, defunct station that played dance mu- never fails to make me think of the sic from the ’70s to mid-’90s; it has beach... and of ice cream. (Fiona)
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CONTINUE 35
“I HAD A WHITE CADILLAC BACK THEN, AND I REMEMBER DRIVING AROUND AND LISTENING TO THIS SONG AND BEING SO EXCITED ABOUT LIFE”
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THE ULTIMATE BEACH MIX BY VIVIAN GIRLS
You Got It Roy Orbison This song is beautiful and makes everyone stoked all the time. (Katy)
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( Love is Like A) Heat Wave Martha & The Vandellas A perfect summer song, all about feeling the heat! (Katy) Beach Comber He’s My Surfin’ Guy Real Estate The Beach Girls Sounds like driving to Jones Beach or A song about a surfin’ guy with lots the Rockaways from Brooklyn if you of nonsensical singing, making it perwere lucky enough to know someone fect for getting fried at the beach. who had snagged a car for the week- (Cassie) end. (Fiona) Summer of Love Regulate Fresh and Onlys Warren G (ft Nate Dogg) I don’t know why an organ on a song I’ve been listening to this song a lot reminds people of the beach but it while cooking lately, but I imagine the does, even though an organ at a beach best place to listen to this song is in a is a very silly thought. (Fiona) car without air conditioning on a hot day with the windows rolled down. Pet Sounds (Cassie) Beach Boys This song has the ultimate summer Vibrationz instrumental vibe. It reminds me of Javelin being in a motel room at the Jersey Reminds me of being in the swelter- Shore. (Cassie) ing heat of SXSW a few years ago, desperately wanting to go to Barton Gin And Juice Springs, Texas’ version of the beach. Snoop Doggy Dogg Been to South by seven times and nev- I make sure to listen to this song 1000 er made it to its cool soothing waters. times every summer. (Katy) (Fiona)
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Summertime Will Smith (ft Jazzy Jeff ) Will Smith rules and this song is all about the summer. (Katy)
Vivian Girls are playing OCCII on 24 July. Download their awesome mixtape as well as the accompanying artwork at www.subbacultcha.nl. END 37
THE BEACH ISSUE: BEACH STORIES
Rockaway Beach By Xeno and Oaklander
‘There is a military fort on the shores of New York, it’s abandoned and overgrown with wild plants. It’s called Fort Tilden, by Rockaway Beach. There are bunkers hidden in the dunes. We went there last summer in the hopes of finding the mythical bunkers. It was a hot and arid day and we were walking down a narrow path camouflaged by ivy, which made the air close and oppressive. We came across a building. A door was open through which we saw an older lady making a sculpture out of plaster. A white torso. She pointed in the direction of the bunkers and that’s how we found them. Brutalist concrete structures framed by leaves. We entered one of them through bent rusty gates. The air was cool and still. We could barely see the Runic symbols painted all over the walls - some ritual must have taken place there. We found out that these bunkers
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were built originally to protect us from the Germans during WWI, and then from the Russians during the cold war. They are now defunct symbols of first-world paranoia. Some of the buildings were still standing, empty, falling apart and cracking. We spent hours in there and found great comfort in the forgotten air of these places, and the intense sunlight filtering through holes and fissures. Our new album refers to it a lot, and we ended up shooting a film there too. There is an interesting music community living in that area, and a lot of friends have sought refuge there - hiding away from the crazy New York summer.’ Vintage synth glitchers Xeno and Oaklander play at de Nieuwe Anita on 8 July together with Future Islands. Their new abum Sets & Lights is coming out on Wierd Records in October.
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One thing about holidays:
Every moment of exist with the same reverenc summer holidays. Rem ing of ‘holiday’ means ourselves we inherit fro that of a worker, someo be compartmentalised somehow deserving of dise. Paradise - summe mind that can be claim _Claire Evans (YACHT)
tence should be treated ce with which we treat making our understands rejecting the image of om dominator culture one whose leisure must into units, and who is f exclusion from paraer holiday - is a state of med by any one of us. The new Yacht album is out now on DFA. Catch them live at the Pitch Festival in Amsterdam along with tons of other bands like Crystal Fighters, Flying Lotus, Mount Kimbie, Palmbomen and Fool’s Gold. More info on pitchfestival.nl.
MUSIC FEATURE
MAGAZINE BAG FREE SHOWS COMING UP 8 JULY - FUTURE ISLANDS + XENO & OAKLANDER 14 JULY - FRIENDO + COLD PUMAS 16 JULY - DD/MM/YYYY + MILLION YOUNG 17 JULY - AVI BUFFALO 24 JULY - VIVIAN GIRLS + BEBE FANG 27 JULY - FOOT VILLAGE 9 AUGUST - CRYSTAL STILTS 12 AUGUST - CLOSER 17 AUGUST - TIMBER TIMBRE 20 AUGUST - VONDELPARK 21 AUGUST - THE CAVE SINGERS + THIS LEO SUNRISE 8 SEPTEMBER - RAINBOW ARABIA + WISE BLOOD 9 SEPTEMBER - TWEAK BIRD 5 OCTOBER - MALE BONDING
€6
PER MONTH 42
SIGN UP AT WWW.SUBBACULTCHA.NL
THE BEACH ISSUE
VIRTUAL BEACHING WITH FOOT VILLAGE
Photos by Dalton Blanco
CONTINUE 43
VIRTUAL BEACHING WITH FOOT VILLAGE. CONTINUED
Foot Village are not about pretending. On the contrary. They mean serious business with their we-don’t-need-amplification all-drums-and-scream noise. How44
ever... with no beach in sight they do a stunning job at pretending to play a silly beach game. Foot Village play at OT301 in Amsterdam on 27 July.
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SCRMN & NOELSON
Name: SCRMN and Noelson Age: 29 and 32 City of Residence: Copenhagen and Amsterdam website: www.scrmn.com & www.scrmnvsnoelson.com Exhibition SCRMN and Noelson’s work is on display at the Subbacultcha project space on Da Costakade 150 from 12 to 29 July, Tue-Fri, 11.00-17.00. Feel free to walk in. Please do. Book Subbacultcha is publishing a book by these two artists. The book contains a broad selection of their vibrant and raw collage work. Or, as they put it themselves: ‘the book shows us what happens when old friends are conversing in images about the state of affairs’. Buy it at shop.subbacultcha.nl. Or become a Subbacultcha! member and get it for free
ART FEATURED ARTIST Every month we select an artist we think is worth your while This month it is SCRMN vs Noelson
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MUSIC NEW RELEASES These are the new releases that you can’t afford to miss By Carly Blair and Leon Caren
WU LYF
Go Tell Fire to the Mountain (LYF Recordings)
At this point, Manchester’s WU LYF (World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation) are either mysterious (if you ignore the UK press) or unbelievably hyped (if you don’t). Their website describes the group as ‘nothing, four dumb kids calling out heavy longings for a place to call home, two brothers greet two brothers and play heavy pop.’ It’s hard to discern whether their po-faced and provocative anti-establishment branding and aesthetic is sincere or calculating. To my eyes and ears, their self-proclaimed heavy pop is substantial indeed – thunderous, haunting, wistful, childlike, roughly hewn and beautiful. Singer Ellery Roberts’ gruffly howled vocals and their mantra-like sing-alongs feel like a call to arms, and as far as I can tell theirs is a movement worth joining. So go tell fire.
PEAKING LIGHTS 936 (Not Not Fun)
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California-based Not Not Fun records have finally sorted out their distribution in Holland. Considering their excellent catologue (Xander Harris, Marina Minerva, Prince Rama), that is definitely good news for people who are into good news. (If bad news is more your thing, then stop reading this magazine and buy a newspaper.) Take the latest record by Winsconsin-based post-reggae dream pop duo Peaking Lights. Yes, we know, some of you interweb blog-o-nerds have had this on their iPod since April, but some of us still depend on old school print media to tell us where it’s at. And we are now officially telling you, that this is where it’s at. If you were kind of into the whole chillwave thing, but a little disappointed that none of these glo-fi kids dared to mix their hazy dream pop jams with some serious heavy bass dub grooves, then this sure is the record you’ve been waiting for. (LC)
TY SEGALL
Goodbye Bread (Drag City)
In a contemporary sonic landscape populated with laptoppers and knob twiddlers, it’s refreshing to discover that a traditional three-piece can still grab your attention. At just 23 years old, singer Ty Segall (also of Sic Alps and several other bands) is already the heir to the throne of the flourishing San Francisco neo-psych garage scene. Segall’s raw but melodic take on rock ’n’ roll, masterfully displayed on 2010 stand-out album Melted, is as simple and effective as a kick in the nuts. On his fifth full-length, Segall changes things up, adding some twistier and more downtempo weapons to his already intimidating arsenal. It’s the most cohesive Ty Segall listening experience yet, and while less explosive than before, the music is as potent and timelesssounding as ever.
MUSIC NEW RELEASES
YACHT
Shangri-La (DFA)
On Portland duo YACHT’s latest, Jona Bechtolt and Claire L Evans share their attempt at creating a real, sustainable paradise, a tangible piece of utopia within themselves. For listeners familiar with YACHT’s oeuvre, such a possibly selfserious, possibly ironic sci-fi mythological goal for an album should come as no surprise. That it plays out in the form of enthusiastic and danceable electro pop shouldn’t either, although this time around each song is kicked off by a movietrailer-voiced narrator who further elaborates on the album’s themes. The gimmick is a bit silly, but adds to the abundant fun here, which is given a more disco-oriented (and prototypically DFA-sounding) world to play in. Oscar Wilde said ‘progress is the realisation of utopias,’ but in this case I’d say progress is the realisation of Shangri-La, since it’s YACHT’s most enjoyable listen yet.
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creative education serious qualification did you miss our open day? don’t worry... there is still time we start again in October 2011 so contact us for a personal tour or a free brochure package
and sign up fast! crossmedia communication animation games audio web film
w w w.amsterdam.sae.edu w w w.rot terdam.sae.edu
PURE X
Pleasure (Acéphale/Light Lodge)
MUSIC NEW RELEASES
Pure X is the latest moniker of the Austin trio formerly known as Pure Ecstasy. While ‘pure ecstasy’ was meant to refer to orgasmic pleasure, rather than the drug per se, for those not into emotional S&M the name is probably a misnomer. They apparently have their tongues planted firmly in cheek, since members of the band have described their sound as ‘40 degrees + raining + out of coffee + out of cash.’ Indeed, I’d classify this debut LP as oppressive and defeated, a world in which nasal vocals don’t offer to save you, but rather drag you further down under waves of reverb. Though it’s a bummer of an album, it also possesses its own ethereal kind of beauty, and is soothingly numbing at times when you feel like wallowing before you resurface.
WASHED OUT
Within and Without (Sub Pop)
So many chillwave / glo-fi / more like hypna-blah blah blah pop acts have popped up since the summer of 2009, one might reasonably hope to never see a Holga photo or Super 8 footage paired with wistful lo-fi samples ever again. I am nostalgic for the time before we became obsessed with nostalgia. Leave it to Washed Out’s Ernest Greene, a pioneer and stand-out artist of said movement, to remind me of what was so charming about the genre in the first place. On his first proper full-length, Greene, with the help of producer Ben Allen (of Merriweather Post Pavilion and Halcyon Digest fame), one-ups his early EPs with a tighter and more defined take on his own particularly beautiful and danceable brand of chillwave. While the wannabes will find another bandwagon to jump on, Greene has my permission to continue making mellow, blissed-out dance pop.
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www.worldcinemaamsterdam.nl
summer shopping shop.subbacultcha.nl
Prince Rama 15 Minute Exorcise
SCRMN & Noelson Art Book
Subbacultcha! Bag
GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH Damien Chazelle (2009, Cinema Guild)
Mumblecore, The Musical! Onder meer beïnvloed door het baanbrekende Shadows (John Cassavetes, 1959) heeft de piepjonge regisseur Damien Chazelle zijn verhaal vastgelegd op 16mm, in zwart-wit en tegen de achtergrond van swingend Boston. Voordat de film goed en wel is begonnen, verlaat trompettist Guy zijn vriendin Madeline voor een meisje dat hij in de metro heeft ontmoet. Madeline bezingt haar verdriet in het park en verbreedt daarna haar horizonten in New York. Guy krijgt thuis steeds meer spijt van zijn besluit. De film is uit de losse pols gestructureerd als een jazzimprovisatie, inclusief tapdans en trompetballade, en is dankzij de frisse, naturelle cast en de opbeurende soundtrack een van de meest geslaagde afstudeeropdrachten uit de VS. Ook geschikt voor mensen die niet van musicals houden.
FILM DVDS TO SEE Door Gert Verbeek
COLD WEATHER
(Aaron Katz (2010, Axiom Films)
Mumblecore, The Thriller! Twintiger Doug (Cris Lankenau) is tijdelijk gestopt met zijn studie forensische wetenschap. Hij deelt een huurwoning in doorweekt Portland met zijn zus en verdient de kost bij een ijsfabriek. In zijn vrije tijd ligt hij doelloos op de bank, dromend van een carrière als hedendaagse Sherlock Holmes. ‘Fuckin’ Sherlock Holmes is the pimp!’ beaamt zijn collega Carlos (Raúl Castillo). Wanneer Dougs ex-vriendin Rachel spoorloos verdwijnt, laat hij zich door Carlos meeslepen in een avontuur dat veel weg heeft van een spannende puzzeltocht, met een eigenwijze afloop. Aanvankelijk doet Doug met tegenzin mee, maar gaandeweg raakt hij steeds meer begeesterd. Sherlock Holmes geeft weer zin aan zijn bestaan.
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FASHION WORN OUT
By Karin Wolters Each month fashion designer Karin Wolters takes pencil and paper out and about and draws what is worn... out.
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hese items of clothing were worn by several people on 31 May at the Light Asylum show at the opening of the Arnhem Mode Biennale.
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WHAT’S COOKING? WE ARE COOKING FOR.... ANIMAL COLLECTIVE By Zofia Ciechowska Photo by Basje Boer Every month our very own Nigella Awesome does some imaginary cooking for a band she really really likes. Love does go through the stomach. We simply suggest... DO try this at home. It is worth it.
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STRAWBERRY COLLECTIVE
Strawberry season is in full swing and nothing is more summery than sweet berry juice dripping from your fingers down to your elbows. Then you do that awkward thing where you try to lick your body clean like a runny ice cream cone and it just looks kind of gross and people stare. Pack your strawberries into these little pierogi and fruit juice shall run down your limbs no more! Rumour has it that Animal Collective recorded Strawberry Jam in honour of these babies.
WHAT’S COOKING? WE ARE COOKING FOR.... ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
Serves: 3-4 hungry hungry hipsters Ingredients: 350 g flour 2 eggs ½ cup warm water 500 g strawberries 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon Make a flour mound on a clean kitchen surface. Make a little hole in the mound and crack the two eggs into it. Using a sharp knife, scoop the flour from the edges of the mound into the egg mixture. While stirring, gradually add the warm water (you might not have to use all of it) until you decide the dough is smooth enough to knead. Knead the dough, wrap it in a tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes. In the meantime clean your strawberries, slice them into quarters, place them in a bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Remove the dough from the tea towel and roll it out into a thin layer. Use a glass (about 6-7cm in diameter) to cut circles in the dough. Place a spoonful of strawberries on each circle, fold it in half and pinch the corners firmly (don’t screw this bit up). Bring a pot of water to the boil, salt lightly and add the pierogi. When they float up to the surface, boil for another 2-3 minutes and drain. Serve piping hot with a dollop of single cream and a pinch of cinnamon and sugar. Lick your plate, we won’t judge you.
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99 PROBLEMS AND THE BITCH... ...KNOWS THE ANSWER
Door Brenda Bosma. Illustratie Martyn F Overweel Send your problems to 99 problems@ subbacultcha.nl
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Hoi Bitch, Mijn vriendin met wie ik net ben gaan samenwonen heeft zich niet aan de belofte gehouden te stoppen met roken zodra de plinten van het kliklaminaat krom zouden trekken. Zo is het alleen geven, en wat neem ík? Lars. Beste Lars, Dat is ook veel te snel natuurlijk. Ze had beter kunnen instemmen te stoppen zodra de Billy ladekast in elkaar was gezet. Nou ja, er wordt niet voor niets gezegd dat roken je IQ doet dalen. Als ik jou was, zou ik om te beginnen een week lang m’n behoefte in de broek laten lopen, bijvoorbeeld telkens als jullie neerploffen op de Klippan 2-zits om uit te buiken. “O, dít stinkt?” Kijken hoe lang ze dit darmoffensief volhoudt voordat ze de vergelijking doorheeft. Als ze rookkringen je kant uit gaat blazen en je gelaten adviseert luiers te dragen die ze vervolgens ook nog met liefde wil verschonen, kun je je afvragen of je dat erg moet vinden. Ik zou het er van nemen. Succes, B. Beste Bitch, Het is me opgevallen dat sinds een paar jaar snorren de shit zijn in de ‘scene’. Denk je dat een druipende liefdesborstel mijn kansen
vergroot ‘smooth operator’ te worden genoemd door de barmeisjes van de Nieuwe Anita? Lebber van een Anoniempje. Koen, je hebt al een vriendin. Leg dat nou niet in de waagschaal. Dat van die barmeisjes weet ik niet. Ik was nooit zo goed in kansberekening. Wel ken ik iemand die veel met het etablissement van doen heeft. Ik denk dat ik deze persoon gemakkelijk kan overhalen je een steelse blik toe te werpen en je met een kers tussen de tanden Sade’s hit toe te lispelen. Voor het geknoopte kersensteeltje zul je, hem kennende, moeten dokken. Kus, B. Een zelfverheerlijkend woord van de Bitch herself in een universum ver verwijderd van deze. Vaak vragen mensen mij: Beste Bitch, hoe doe jij dat toch, dat Bitchzijn? Geef jij cursussen, zijn er infodagen van die cursussen, kan ik ‘attenden’? Dan zeg ik monter, terwijl ik soepeltjes mijn hoofd 360 graden draai zonder mijn lichaam te verroeren: je moeder zuigt falli in de hel. Zo, en nu allemaal jullie probleempjes insturen. Dan kan ik me daar deze zomer lekker over buigen. Omdat ik zo verrekte buigzaam ben. Flik flak!
“BESTE BITCH, HET IS ME OPGEVALLEN DAT SINDS EEN PAAR JAAR SNORREN DE SHIT ZIJN IN DE ‘SCENE’. DENK JE DAT EEN DRUIPENDE LIEFDESBORSTEL MIJN KANSEN VERGROOT ‘SMOOTH OPERATOR’ TE WORDEN GENOEMD DOOR DE BARMEISJES VAN DE NIEUWE ANITA?”
99 PROBLEMS AND THE BITCH... ...KNOWS THE ANSWER Stuur al je vragen, problemen en prangende kwesties naar 99problems@ subbacultcha.nl als jouw vraag een antwoord verdient verdien jij een good goodie. Send your problems to 99 problems@ subbacultcha.nl
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SPEKKIE BIG
64
Door Marc van der Holst
AGENDA SPEND YOUR MONTH IN STYLE
YACHT play at the Pitch Festival on Sunday 10 July at Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam
Highlights in July and August Sebadoh, TV on the Radio, Chad VanGaalen, Washed Out, Blonde Redhead, Tennis and Sleazefest Win: CONTINUE 65 Cocorosie, Noorderzon, I Like to Watch Too, Pitch Festival and more
FREE STUFF
3X2 TICKETS
I LIKE TO WATCH TOO 8-9 July - Paradiso, Amsterdam This festival gives attendees the chance to witness some amazing dance performances, and to even bust a move themselves afterwards. Both of the nights will start with spectating the moving arts, and will eventually be concluded with two parties. Time to dust off your dancing shoes. 3X2 TICKETS
TENNIS 9 July - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore are happily married and they love sailing. They also love making music, and they’re pretty good at it as well. Come see for yourself! 2X2 TICKETS
PITCH FESTIVAL 9-10 July - Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam It’s electric! Who doesn’t want to spend the weekend having progressive, intimate electro relations with a bunch of strangers in Amsterdam? Crystal Fighters, Chromeo, Junior Boys, Gaslamp Killer and YACHT are among those on the bill. 2X2 TICKETS
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART 11 July - Trouw, Amsterdam The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are a New York City-based bunch of twee rockers who aren’t afraid to acknowledge their cheesy mainstream influences and make them fresh. They say the road to the crazy dance floor is paved with sweet pop melodies and good intentions. And we’ve got tickets to that road to give away - enter for a chance to boogie! 2X2 TICKETS
SLEAZEFEST 15 July - ADM, Amsterdam This festival, which is organised by Amsterdam sleazebags zZz, is bound to get rowdy. And wouldn’t it be even sleazier to get your tickets to this rock ’n’ roll fest for free? 5X2 TICKETS
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WASHED OUT @ NOORDERZON 18 July - Spiegeltent, Groningen Win a pair of tickets to Washed Out at Noorderzon. This festival features a mash-up of contemporary art, theatre, modern dance and live music. Highlights include Austra, CSS and - yes - Washed Out.
3X2 TICKETS
COCOROSIE 30 July - Openluchttheater Caprera, Haarlem These kooky sisters don’t make music, they make magic. Children’s toys, authentic voices and a freak folk flavour breed songs about unicorns, Yugoslavia, butterscotch, but also sexual violence against women. They’re a conundrum, come see for yourself. 3X2 TICKETS
CHAD VANGAALEN 3 August - Paradiso, Amsterdam Canadian indie folk music man Chad VanGaalen is one of the coolest artists around. Besides producing albums for bands such as Women, he plays a mean track himself. Don’t miss the chance to get swooned by his smooth swag - tickets on us.
FR EE STFREE UF F STUFF Free tickets and goodies for you from us Every month we give away loads of tickets and good goodies. Don’t you just love us for that? To win subscribe to the mailinglist at subbacultcha.nl
3X2 TICKETS
GANDU 13 August - Rialto, Amsterdam Smack, rap, porn, horror - that sounds like our idea of a Thursday night. We’re giving away tickets to Gandu, a stirring, black-and-white film that blurs reality into a bizarre, drug-induced hallucination. It is said to be the Indian version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Promising! Join us for the trip and for a big Indian dance party after the show. Bollywood style. In Bengali with English subtitles 3X2 TICKETS
SEBADOH 19 August - Effenaar, Eindhoven Lou Barlow is taking Sebadoh on the road again! These indie heroes from way back in the ’90s are bringing their scruffy nerdy lo-fi noisepop back to the stage. It is gonna be a blast and well worth a trip to Eindhoven. 3X2 TICKETS
WILD NOTHING 30 August - Paradiso, Amsterdam About a year ago, Wild Nothing played a warm and cosy show at Paradiso. And guess what? They are coming back to play us their nostalgic bedroom pop once again. 3 PAIRS
BLACK CONVERSE ALL STARS We know black is black. We also know that black Chuck Taylor’s won’t ever go out of style, especially not if we keep giving them away to you shiny, happy people each month. Many will enter, three will win.
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AGENDA
Subbacultcha! Early Bird Preview
FOCUS
Zappa! by Doelen Ensemble Saturday 1 Oktober 2011 An ode to the Grand Master of musical absurdity, Frank Zappa.
Owen Pallett Tuesday 8 November 2011 Canadian violinist and song writer, Owen Pallett is accompanied by the Noord Nederlands Orkest for the performance of his songcycle Heartlands. The show promises a mix of richly orchestrated songs, beats and experiment.
Bang on a Can All-Stars Saturday 17 March 2012 A truly great night of entertainment. There will be a performance of Steve Reichs 2x5. Selected works by David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors) will be played as well as Brian Eno’s Music for Airports. Don’t miss. See these shows for only €10. Experience a great concert, check out the marvellous building and get a free drink on the side. (Early Bird ticket sales for these shows start on 27 August)
Early Birds Everyone under 30 for €10,- to Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ 68
Call het Muziekgebouw or buy tickets at the register 020-788 20 00 | www.muziekgebouw.nl
AGENDA SHOWS IN JULY & AUGUST
Kurt Vile
NOSAJ THING 01 July – Melkweg, Amsterdam 02 July - Source Festival, Vianen LA-based Jason Chung was destined to become a band geek, but then a hip hop loving bus driver, some bootlegged audio editing software, early gigs at legendary LA club The Smell and productive friendships with the likes of Daedelus and Flying Lotus shaped him into the hip-hop and dubstep-influenced IDM whiz he is today. Nevermind the stage name - his lovely, subdued originals and remixes are the thing exactly.
METROPOLIS FESTIVAL (FT LES SAVY FAV, THE VACCINES, KURT VILE) 03 July - Zuiderpark, Rotterdam Each year, this free festival attracts roughly 35,000 visitors to its various stages around Zuiderpark, and has long served as a diving board for upcoming bands that tend to go on to make a big splash (Wu Tang Clan, for example, and The Strokes). This year’s line-up features a diverse mix of new and established Dutch, Belgian and American acts ranging from hip hop to punk and folk.
SOURCE FESTIVAL (FT NOSAJ THING, RAINBOW ARABIA, MODESELEKTOR, TENSNAKE, SUPERMAYER) 02-03 July - Middelwaard, Vianen What’s better than two days full of progressive electronic music, crossover live acts, a theatre programme featuring cabaret, circus, dance, burlesque and acrobatics, plus art installations? All that stuff on a beach, that’s what’s better. The possibility of petting a hairy cow, and the absurd and possibly ingenious option of paddle-boating from one stage to the next are exciting bonuses. Het wordt een mooie zomer, indeed!
LES SAVY FAV 03 July - Metropolis Festival, Rotterdam 04 July – Vera, Groningen As much as it’s possible to do so, Les Savy Fav have settled into the groove of making lewd-but-clever post-punk party anthems. Fortunately, even as they age and grow into their legacy, they’ve still got their appetite. The band sounds as tight and ballsy as ever, and if you like the idea of a frontman who used to play a bearded, failed vampire on TV and licks the bottom of crowd surfers’ shoes, then fistpumping manbear Tim Harrington will knock your socks off.
CONTINUE 69
JULI VR 1 DI 5 VR 8
NOSAJ THING @ KLINCH CURREN$Y PITCH @ KLINCH
HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR / AZARI & III
VR 15 KILL ALL HIPSTERS WO 20 SWANS VR 22 NON NIGHT: 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
@ KLINCH MET O.A. LIVE: THOMAS AZIER / RENKAS
AUGUSTUS MA 1 GOGOL BORDELLO DI 9 CRYSTAL STILTS VR 12 KILL ALL HIPSTERS WO 24 OFF! / THE BRONX DI 30 THE RAPTURE SEPTEMBER MA 5 JUNIP / WOODPIGEON WO 7 AMANDA FUCKING PALMER VR 9 DI 13 DI 13
(DRESDEN DOLLS)
KILL ALL HIPSTERS KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH
LET OP: DIT IS SLECHTS EEN SELECTIE UIT HET PROGRAMMA. KIJK VOOR HET VOLLEDIGE PROGRAMMA OP WWW.MELKWEG.NL
MELKWEG AMSTERDAM - LIJNBAANSGRACHT 234A - WWW.MELKWEG.NL - 020 - 5318181
TV ON THE RADIO 04 July – Paradiso, Amsterdam Apart from having by far the largest number of blipsters of any indie rock band around, Brooklyn’s TVOTR are noteworthy for their solid and celebrated discography. They’ve managed to develop their own distinct sound without repeating themselves, notably due to Tunde Adebimpe’s poetic vocals and generally, a skillful use of tension. Their new album features a more positive vibe and even more love songs than usual, so bring along a dime for the No Future Shock dance. I LIKE TO WATCH TOO 08-09 July - Paradiso, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
Paradiso has programmed a night packed with dance performances and moving arts. On these two evenings, you can enjoy the amazing choreographed pieces of artists such as Hillary Blake Firestone, Tony Orrico, T.R.A.S.H. and many more. To bring both of these nights to a happy ending, there are two dance floor-filling parties afterwards. PITCH FESTIVAL (FT JUNIOR BOYS, FLYING LOTUS, YACHT, LITTLE DRAGON, MOUNT KIMBIE) 09-10 July - Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
A brand-spanking-new festival made in collaboration with Vice Magazine, DJBroadcast and 22Tracks. Luxuriously, it brings top names in progressive electronic music influenced by everything from dubstep to house, pop, disco and jazz to one site without making you drive out to the middle of nowhere - a sonic boon for the Amsterdammers!. Featuring Junior Boys, Flying Lotus, YACHT, Little Dragon, Mount Kimbie and more.
TENNIS 09 July - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
If you’re into nerdy ’60s girl-group pop songs, then Tennis are definitely your cup of tea. This husbandand-wife duo spend their days sailing the oceans, writing catchy love songs and then returning to shore to record albums and go on worldwide tours. What a life.
AGENDA SHOWS IN JULY & AUGUST
TRANS AM 09 July - dB’s, Utrecht Postrock legend Trans Am have been going strong since the early ’90s, releasing quality albums pretty much every other year and doing the occasional tour. But like with all bands that have been going for over 20 years, you never know when they’re gonna call it quits. So head down to dB’s and enjoy them while you can. THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART 11 July – Trouw, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
NYC’s Pains won over many a listener by wearing their pure hearts on their sleeves, offering up eager and kinetic ’90s-indebted indie pop. Their new album Belong is bolder and a bit beefier than their previous tunes, evoking less of the pure sweetness of, say, Teenage Fanclub and more of the soaring sounds of The Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine. So, head on down and gaze. SLEAZEFEST 15 July - ADM, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
Organised by Amsterdam organ punk duo zZz, Sleazefest offers up a once-a-year chance to spend 24 hours fully immersed in sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll (and punk, garage and surf), and maybe even a little bit more sex if you’re lucky. The semiremote squat location should allow
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for plenty of mayhem, so be sure to pack your wet wipes - it’s gonna get sleazy up in there. FESTIVAL DE AFFAIRE (FT WASHED OUT, JAMIE WOON, AVI BUFFALO, CROCODILES, THE BOOKS) 16-22 July - Valkhofpark, Nijmegen Another promising free festival designed to lure culture vultures from Amsterdam and beyond to random parks in less-touted cities outside the capital. This bad boy features several terrific bands spanning pretty much every genre a modern-day self-respecting hipster is permitted to non-ironically enjoy. Since there’s no official camping site on offer, consider this a golden opportunity to explore what Holland’s oldest city has to offer. WASHED OUT 17 July - Festival de-Affaire, Nijmegen 18 July - Noorderzon, Groningen 06 August - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
Get ready for the return of the chillwave pioneer. After a bunch of amazing EPs and singles, Ernest Greene has finally taken the time to put together a full-length record, which is out now on Sub Pop. It’s gonna be interesting to see if Ernest can outlive the chillwave genre, since it’s pretty much dead as a dodo. But we love his music, so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Come join us, bring your Polaroid camera and celebrate those long-gone summers.
fined and groovier than it did before, the fact that in essence they do remain as bleak and nasty as ever should have long-time Swans fans rejoicing.
AGENDA SHOWS IN JULY & AUGUST
EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS 25 July - Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht Whether these guys count as a one-hit-wonder or not depends on your standards (sorry - taste). But on the upside, given last year’s sexting controversy surrounding the Microsoft ad featuring their ubiquitous single ‘Home’, you could earn mega meta bonus points if you send a picture of your chesticles (or more - if you DARE!) to a pal during the show. COCOROSIE 30 July – Openluchttheater Caprera, Haarlem FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
CocoRosie have a strange beauty to their sound. Sisters Bianca and Casady started making music together in Paris in 2003 after having previously fallen out. Grey Oceans, their fourth full-length studio release (and first on their new label Sub Pop), dropped last year and showed off their new, less lo-fi aesthetic and crisper instrumentation. Come check out how far these ethereal ladies have come from that hotel bathroom in France in which they recorded their first album. CHAD VANGAALEN 03 August – Paradiso, Amsterdam FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
SWANS 20 July – Melkweg, Amsterdam Michael Gira’s experimental postpunk band sneered and bludgeoned their way from the ’80s till 1997, when he killed the project. After having dedicated some years to the gentler Angels of Light, Gira revived Swans last year. While the band’s new incarnation sounds more re-
Besides producing Women’s excellent Public Strain, this multi-talented Canadian recluse has written, performed, produced, illustrated and perfected his own brand of idiosyncratic pop music. His new album features a leaner, more guitarfocused and rollicking sound that makes VanGaalen sound more selfassured than ever.
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EEN SELECTIE UIT ONS PROGRAMMA:
04/07 LES SAVY FAV 07/07 UNSANE 18/08 SEBADOH 25/08 SMITH WESTERNS (ism Noorderzon) 01/09 LIGHTNING DUST 07/09 TWEAK BIRD Info & tickets: www.vera-groningen.nl illustratie: Gijs Deddens
TIMBER TIMBRE 16 August - Doornroosje, Nijmegen 17 August - Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht This Canadian trio channels elements of folk, blues, and country into darkly atmospheric music. Read more on page 15. SEBADOH 17 August - Doornroosje, Nijmegen 18 August - Vera, Groningen 19 August - De Effenaar, Eindhoven FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
Lo-fi became the new hi-fi a few years ago, but today’s revivalist upstarts have copped their aesthetic from pioneers such as Sebadoh. Back when they started out, many like them enjoyed commercial success and contemporaries such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam became superstars, but fame somehow eluded Lou Barlow & co. Pretty undeserved, since their brand of scrappy, but beautifully melodic indie rock was among the catchiest and most emotive of the era. NOORDERZON FESTIVAL (FT CSS, SMITH WESTERNS) 18-28 August - Noorderplantsoen, Groningen FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
How many cultural milieus can you fit into one festival? The folks over in Groningen that have planned the international performing arts festival Noorderzon seem to think the sky is the limit. The festival’s 21st edition features yet another cuttingedge mix of contemporary art, theatre, modern dance and live music. Amongst the highlights of the music programme are Washed Out, Austra, CSS & Smith Westerns. BEST COAST 25 August - Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam Much of the media attention Bethany Cosentino gets nowadays has to do with her being a corporate shill, her relationship with Nathan from Wavves, weed, her cat Snacks, her
Twitter, or her cat Snacks’ Twitter. Nevertheless, she and her band do occasionally make lo-fi pop songs whose tween lyrics are salvaged by Bobb Bruno’s guitar chops and Cosentino’s big, beautiful voice.
AGENDA SHOWS IN JULY & AUGUST
BLONDE REDHEAD 28 August – Tivoli de Oudegracht Blonde Redhead have been releasing stellar records for over 16 years now, and their sound has never stopped evolving. On the last couple of albums, they’ve abandoned the experimental noise punk of their early days, and have successfully begun exploring the realm of melodic dream pop. But whatever kind of music it is they’re playing, their live shows have always been impressive. Go see for yourself. THE RAPTURE 30 August - Melkweg, Amsterdam Post-punk revival group The Rapture are back with a brand-new album. The four-piece are still successfully fusing dance punk, electronics, disco and acid house. And while soundtrack appearances on dubious entities such as Gossip Girl and Superbad have brought them towards the mainstream, credibility is not necessarily what gets your feet moving, and these guys still accomplish that very well. WILD NOTHING 30 August - Paradiso, Amsterdam 03 September - Into The Great Wide Open, Vlieland FREE TICKETS. SEE PAGE 66/67
Jack Tatum makes music so heavily inspired by C-86 bands, one might charitably say it displays a ‘comprehensive and widespread commitment to classic indie pop sounds.’ Call him a revivalist, call him a ripoff artist - in any case, his music sounds nice and is very well executed. I still watch MacGyver so who am I to sling accusations of being stuck in the past?
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AFTER MIDNIGHT
Send photos to aftermidnight@ subbacultcha.nl Feel very free to involve romance, stupidity, sex, beauty, banality, poetry and debauchery... or heck! you can even get arty. As long as the photos are shot after midnight. This month’s photos were submitted by Romy Winkel (top) and Timo van Barneveld
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COLOPHON Who we are and what we do
Subbacultcha! Magazine is made at our office in Amsterdam. Da Costakade 150, 1053 XC Amsterdam, the Netherlands. www.subbacultcha.nl magazine@subbacultcha.nl We are
Nijmegen Arno de Vreng Tilburg/ Eindhoven: Kevin Jansen Belgium: Kasper-Jan Raeman Subbacultcha! in your store If you want your bar, venue, store or business to be on the distribution list, please send us an email.
Editors: Leon Caren and Bas Morsch
Advertising
Editorial Assistants: Sarah Gehrke and Marie-Claire Melzer
To advertise in Subbacultcha! Magazine send an email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl.
Design: Bas Morsch Interns: Sander van Dalsum, Chris van Gils and Johanna Valdés Good Girl: Loes Verputten
Partners We thank Melkweg, Ekko, Tivoli, dBs, Patronaat, Foam, Mediamatic, Etnies and Plato
Good Guy: Fabio Costa
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Printing: Drukkerij Slinger, Alkmaar
Memberships
Contributors: Carly Blair, Dalton Blanco, Basje Boer, Brenda Bosma, Leon Caren, Zofia Ciechowska, Sander van Dalsum, Claire Evans, Fiona, Cassie and Katy, Patrick Fisher, Sarah Gehrke, Xander Harris, Nick Helderman, Marc van der Holst, Geoff Kim, Regina van der Kloet, Marie-Claire Melzer, Bas Morsch, Martyn F Overweel, SCRMN and Noelson, Johanna Valdés, Gert Verbeek, Liz Wendelbo, Brent Wingen, Karin Wolters and Isolde Woudstra
Become a member of Subbacultcha!. For only €6 a month you get free access to all Subbacultcha! shows and the monthly magazine sent to your house. Plus, you get a fresh Subbacultcha! bag. Check the website to sign up.
Distribution: Amsterdam: Carly Blair, Tessel Dekker, Fabio Costa, Ansuya Spreksel, Bauke Karel, Alice Driesen, Stefan Stasko, Fedor Oduber, Johanna Valdés, Patrick van der Klugt and Clara Ronsdorf. Utrecht: Marijn Westerlaken, Loes Verputten Groningen: Hedwig Plomp, Wout Merbis Rotterdam: Ruben Rietveld, Emine Yalcinkaya. Breda: Marjolein de Vliegher Leeuwarden: Jan Pier Brands Leiden: Yasmin Veenman Almere: Remco Brinkhuis Haarlem: Bert Zaremba, Yannick Tinbergen.
Free tickets If you are subscribed to the mailing list, we keep you up to date on a weekly basis with news, discounts and give-aways. Get involved Please feel free to email us, call us, drop by and send letters, drawings and photos. After midnight. Send us photos taken after midnight (see p. 77).
SUBBACULTCHA’S FREE MUSIC, SIG N ART AND FILM IN JULY / AUGIST UP FO R 8 July
FUTURE ISLANDS + XENO AND OAKLANDER + DJ DANCE FLOOR De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam
Starts 20.00 | €7 | Free for members
14 July
FRIENDO + COLD PUMAS OT301, Amsterdam
€6 PER CARDBOARD MOTEL MO NTH
DISTANT DRUMMERS Melkweg, Amsterdam Starts 23.00 | €10 | Free for members
17 August
TIMBER TIMBRE Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht
Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members
Starts 19.30 | €12 | Free for members
16 July
20 August
DD/MM/YYYY + MILLION YOUNG De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam
Starts 20.00 | €7 | Free for members
17 July
AVI BUFFALO Tivoli De Helling, Utrecht
Starts 19.30 | €12.50 | Free for members
24 July
VIVIAN GIRLS + BEBE FANG OCCII, Amsterdam
Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members
27 July
FOOT VILLAGE OT301, Amsterdam
Starts 20.30 | €7 | Free for members
VONDELPARK De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam
For a full programme description see page 12
THE CAVE SINGERS dB’s, Utrecht
Starts 20:30 | € 8 | Free for members
ALL MONTH EXPO: SCRMN & NOELSON Subbacultcha! office, Amsterdam 12-29 July | Tuesday till Friday | 11.00-17.00 | Free
FOAM FT: THE CONTINUITY OF CHAOS, MISHA DE RIDDER AND ANTON CORBIJN Foam, Amsterdam
Starts 19.30 | € 11 | Free for members
COMING UP Rainbow Arabia, Wise Blood, Tweak Bird, Male Bonding and more
CLOSER FT: APPLESCAL
Become a Subbacultcha! member for €6 per month and get free access to all these shows, movies and exhibitions.
21 August
Daily 10.00-18.00, Thu, Fri 10.0021.00 | €8 | Free for members
12 August
OVERVIEW OF ALL SUBBACULTCHA! SHOWS
Starts 20.00 | €7 | Free for members
9 August
CRYSTAL STILTS Melkweg, Amsterdam
AGENDA
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