u n r u ly m u s i c M a g a z i n e
june 2010
t h e e m ot i o n a l i s s u e :
Ariel Pink’s haunted e m ot i o n s
win tickets to xiu xiu, local natives and more and we give away mad men season 3
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NEW MUSIC
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NEW MUSIC
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Chain and the Gang
After the lights go out By Daniëlle van Ark Photographer Daniëlle van Ark takes photos of musicians right after they’ve come off stage. Every month we publish one of her photos.
Ian Svenonious (singer) 23-04-2010. La Maroquinerie, Paris.
THIS MONTH Have you noticed? It’s OK to be emotional again. It’s OK to sing about love. It’s OK to do so with pathos. It’s even OK to be heartbroken and whine about it while touching on your numerous obsessions and insecurities. It’s Thom Yorke’s golden age, so to say. Anyways... it’s goosebumps all over at the Subbacultcha! office thanks to Best Coast, Future Islands, Avi Buffalo and so on. We all sing along teary-eyed and dream of long lost times when we were young, pure, ignorant and beautiful, running on the sandy beach at night and shouting at the stars—not yet cynical.
on the cover Driven Man. Photo by Anouk Kruithof
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CONTENT
The emotional ISSUE
full of information you can value and put into the context of your own sweet soul and your very unique reference frame.
This month in Subbacultcha! magazine
Interview: Ariel Pink
cutting onions
Read it and weep page 23
With Bebe Fang page 26
Yes, we are all about unruly, independent, relentless, alternative, loud, beautiful, silent, disturbing, soothing and uncompromising music.
food
Agenda
...but we all love a good cry right?
Cooking for High Places page 47
This month’s must sees page 43
arT
free STUFF
Featured artist Anouk Kruithof page 31
Tickets to Local Natives, Xiu Xiu, Phosphorescent and more page 54
top 5/worky worky/inbox membership pages we saw you off the record new music ariel pink cutting onions featured artist new releases
8 9 12 14 16 19 25 29 35
film fashion food 99 problems spekkie big agenda free stuff holland festival after midnight
38 42 44 46 48 49 50 53 59
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1
Top 5
City: Paris We travelled to Paris and back in less than 36 hours, playing a show at the Moulin Rouge somewhere in the middle.. The show was odd and so was the Croque Végétarien, but the croissants, the coffee, the sun, the Mojitos, the Louvre, the Seine and the R’n’B party were absolutely amazing.
Last month at our office These are five things that thrilled, chilled and excited us last month.
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Song: Best Coast - When I’m With You Simply a great song. We sang it all day when we were in Paris. How’s that for an emotional issue?
3
Concerts: Crystal Castles / Deerhunter @ Trouw Trouw is an amazing venue; the sound is great and the dark industrial vibe during concerts is truly ‘onHollands’. Both Crystal Castles & Deerhunter rose to the occasion and played inspired sets.
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Interior decoration: Giant Ice Cream Cone US band The Pharmacy slept over at our office and left a giant ice cream cone behind. Now that is a grand way of saying Thank You.
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Beverage: Sterrenmix Certain people at a certain office of a certain music platform prefer Sterrenmix tea to Earl Grey... and you thought we were hipsters.
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worky worky
inbox
Interns
PS
We have intern spots available during and after the summer. Do you understand what Subbacultcha! is about and are you savvy, skilled, handsome and motivated? Please drop us a line. Tasks include production, webstuff, distribution, finding new music, making coffee, drinking it and simply being there. Send a nice email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl
....Het meegegeven boekje heb ik met belangstelling bekeken. Lijkt me te gaan over progressive, moderne muziek voor mensen met een haast intellectuele instelling op dit thema. Verder waag ik me er niet aan; ik zal het boekje aan mijn dochter geven of schoonzoon. Een mail van een man op leeftijd die ons kantoor bezocht
subbacultcha! membership pages
5 free SHOWS in june
€6
per month
THESE ARE POWERS / PALMBOMEN ZU / GW SOK (Ex- The Ex) SUNDAY NOISE ft Wolf Eyes and Rangda MENOMENA / LOVE IS ALL ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI
The subbacultcha! membership includes A MONTHLy MeMBeRSHIP PASS gRANTINg yOu FRee ACCeSS TO ALL subbacultcha! shows A SuBBACulTCHA T-SHIRT By AMeRICAN APPAReL AND A SuBBACuLTCHA ARTIST Home deliVery oF our MONTHLy MAgAzINe
And that’s not all
join now and get
mad men
season three we’re giving away 25 copies of the complete mad men season 3 dvd box to the first 25 new subscribers. be fast and get your hands on 13 new episodes of the beautiful, stylish, yet dark and gloomy series about the advertising world of the early 1960s. Not to be missed.
sign up at subbacultcha.nl. click. click.
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subbacultcha! membership pages become a Subbacultcha! member for €6 a month and get free access to all these shows
Bill Salas of These Are Powers
THESE ARE POWERS
02 June - Dep, Amsterdam Starts 23.00 | €6 | In collaboration with Katapult It’s fists in the air time, cos this New Yorkbased trio pack a bass-heavy, rave-inspired punch. If you like your noise pop served up 10
by a former Liar, crunching machinery, wailing guitars, a hot frontwoman and a perpetually ground-shaking low-end, you can’t go wrong with These Are Powers. Support from Palmbomen, a slightly calmer but no less experimental one-man Dutch adventure into the ways of chillwave. We like.
subbacultcha! membership pages become a Subbacultcha! member for €6 a month and get free access to all these shows
ZU / GW SOK
05 June - dB’s, Utrecht Starts 21.00 | €8 Everyone loves experimental Italian noise trios, right? Okay, only sometimes. But in Zu we trust. The sax, bass and drum groovers have been on the go since 1997, and while the formula may look weird or plain bland on paper, when it comes to super sonics, they’re as expressive and surprising as it comes. Fucking heavy, too! Support from GW Sok, formerly of The Ex.
Distorted Channel Presents: SUNDAY NOISE. Featuring: Wolf Eyes & Rangda 06 June - Ekko, Utrecht Starts 20.00 | €10 A little bonus this month, just to make it worthwhile climbing out of bed on a Sunday. In fact, even if you do try stay in bed, the sheer aural violence of a Wolf Eyes performance will reach out to you, wherever you are, and only result in soiled sheets. Forget industrial, this is the sound of the fall of civilisation. Support from Rangda, a sinister (but comparatively tuneful) psych post rock outfit.
instrumentalists Menomena returning to the live scene in support of their forthcoming album, Mines. Polyrhythmic, emotionally-frenzied and harmony-drenched; Friend and Foe was an absolute gem and we look forward to hearing what they have in store for us next. Delightful little Swedes Love Is All should make for a band-match made in heaven, with pure pop melody and uncontrolled energy always bubbling to the surface.
ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI
18 June - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Starts 20.00 | €7 There was a real buzz of excitement around Castle Subbacultcha! when this show was finally confirmed; a buzz we hope will be matched by you when you attend the night. From awkward lo-fi hero to indie pop mastercraft, Ariel Pink’s Before Today is gonna be one of the sounds of the summer and a mainstay come the end-of-year lists. If you’ve just managed to shake ‘Round and Round’ from your head, the show will send it spinning back into your brain right up until September. Then there’s the bonus of tropical electronic support from Treehouse.
MENOMENA / LOVE IS ALL
09 June - Studio 80, Amsterdam Starts 22.00 | €6 | In collaboration with Katapult Though they kept ears busy with a range of side-projects over the past couple of years, it’s an utter delight to see Portland multi-
Coming up
2 Jul 17 Sep
Arch M de Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Cold pumas & the fair ohs de Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam end 11
subbacultcha! membership pages we saw you: spotted at subbacultcha What’s your favourite album/artist now? Girls, Cut Copy, Shout Out Louds, Pete & the Pirates, Modest Mouse What’s your favourite album/artist ever? Transformer (Lou Reed) and The Velvet Underground & Nico Best record store? Da Capo (Utrecht) Which music did you listen to when you were young? First Bob Marley, then ska/ punk, Red Hot Chili Peppers and indie (and minimal/techno when I feel like dancing) What was the first record that you bought? Pfff, no idea, probably a shit single of some ‘Top 40’ song Guilty pleasures? ‘Don’t You Want Me’ by Human League Which album is still on your ‘to buy’ list? I only have The Queen is Dead by The Smiths on vinyl. I should have more of them Best movie soundtrack? The Royal Tenenbaums, mainly for using ‘These Days’ by Nico Which famous artist did you fancy when you were young? I always thought Mel C (Sporty Spice) was kind of hot in some strange way Which famous artist do you fancy right now? The chick in Shout Out Louds Best concert ever? Interpol at Coachella 2007 and Bloc Party at Melt! last year Worst concert ever? The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Ekko, last year) were great themselves but the crowd was utter shit. Nobody moved Which music makes you puke? Dubstep Which music makes you fall asleep? Kings of Convenience, but not in a bad way What makes you dance? Cut Copy and Gui Boratto and after tonight: Tanlines! 12
Which music makes you cry? The song ‘Someone Great’ by LCD Soundsystem What do you listen to when you are doing the dishes? We have a dishwasher fortunately. And when you have sex? The last time it was a Modest Mouse record What’s your favourite album cover? The banana on The Velvet Underground & Nico is classic, of course Which record do you regret buying? Cheer Up! by Reel Big Fish definitely marked the end of my ska punk period What’s your first ever song-related memory? This was definitely not the first, but I remember asking my mom the name of this great song playing on the radio and it was ‘Penny Lane’ by The Beatles What’s your favourite summer (hit) song? ‘Lust for Life’ by Girls What was the very first song you danced too? I wouldn’t know, ask my mom And the last? ‘Nobody Lost, Nobody Found’ by Cut Copy What music do you play on a beautiful Sunday morning? Now, it would be a SCSI-9 album: two Russian guys making beautiful electronic music What kind of music did your parents listen to? Bruce Springsteen Which record/album should not have been recorded? I love everything by Lou Reed, but when you make an album full of feedback noise (Metal Machine Music), I think you need to start thinking about cutting down on your drug use Text and photo by Mila van de Wall
subbacultcha! membership pages we saw you: spotted at subbacultcha
Name & age: Dirk Pelt, 23 Daytime job/study: Sociology student, guitarist Other interests: Surfing and drinking 0.5 litre cans of beer Place of Birth: Utrecht Spotted at: Subbacultcha! party at De Nieuwe Anita with Tanlines and The Pharmacy, 8 May end 13
off the record: male bonding
Every month, we take our cameras out on the streets and shoot a band or artist we think is worth filling a spread of this magazine with.
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By Nick Helderman
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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
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suck on my tearjerker Dry your eyes now, darling. The summer is coming and all this talk of emotions is getting on my nerves. To lighten things up, this month’s new music column is all about attending award shows in Paris, drinking champagne and talking about Eddie Murphy. You know, the stuff that really matters.
How To Dress Well
Gauntlet Hair (USA)
(USA)
Forest Family Records is a brandnew label founded by the guys from the influential blogs Gorilla vs Bear and Weekly Tape Deck. Their first release was the wonderful Cults 7” and they’ve now gone on to sign Colorado-based duo Gauntlet Hair. Their 7” ‘I Was Thinking’ just came out and features one of the most exciting songs we’ve heard so far this year. myspace.com/gauntlethair
If instead of a music column this was an awards show and How To Dress Well were nominated, the fitting category would probably be ‘Weirdest New Band on the Planet’. R Kelly and Toro Y Moi’s Chazwick Bundick would be in the jury, telling the audience about how super-psyched they were to finally find a band unafraid to combine R&B vocals with vintage analogue keyboard noise drones. Of course, How To Dress Well would be declared winners and there would be champagne. Lots of champagne. howtodresswell.blogspot.com
Palmbomen (NL)
Remember this guy playing our Queen’s Night party at De Nieuwe Anita? Mixing his dub beats with phaser-drenched synth tunes and distorted vocals? Doing that chillwave thing like it was us, the Dutchies, who invented it? Well, we were there, shaking our hips with the rest of you, thinking the Amsterdam music scene might finally be taking a turn for the better. Palmbomen supports These Are Powers at Dep on June 2. myspace.com/palmbomen
Memoryhouse (can)
With a name like Memoryhouse you’d expect another run-of-themill chillwave act, but this Canadian duo definitely deserve more credit than that. They successfully combine ambient soundscapes with Denise Nouvion’s crystal-clear melodic vocals and have released a couple of great tracks in the past couple of months. In particular, the title track off their new 7” ‘Lately’ is truly remarkable. myspace.com/wearememoryhouse
Black Devil Disco Club (fr)
cals made all the young girls go crazy. We hear he might even be coming to Holland in August. If so, it’s not to be missed! myspace.com/bddcreal
NEWNE W MUSIC M U S IC
Hounds Of Hate (UK)
London-based trio Hounds Of Hate recently put out a 12” called ‘I Like Triangles’. Smart move, since all hipsters like triangles, and Hounds of Hate are definitely serving the hipster market. They play dark, wavy dance music with stripped-down beats and minimal synth themes. It’s the kind of music you listen to when driving down Sunset Boulevard at night, fighting crime, keeping it real. You know, Axel F Eddie Murphy-style.
Walls (UK)
Bernard Fevre’s solo project Black Devil Disco Club shouldn’t technically be filed under New Music. The man is 64 years old and made his first album back in 1978. It was then re-released by the dudes from Aphex Twin in 2004, which provided him quite the cult status. We saw him play in Paris last month and his modern dance beats and frantic vo-
Sometimes you need to go places to discover new music. Sure, it’s all out there on the internet, only a mouse-click away, but it’s a jungle, baby, and you know it. Anyway, when we went to Paris we met up with Sam Willis from Allez Allez. He tell us he’s in this new band with Alessando Nataliza from Banjo Or Freakout and that they have an album out on Kompakt. He also tells us they sound like an electronic version of Banjo Or Freak Out. The bands is called Walls and they’re pretty awesome. myspace.com/wallsjams
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the emotional issue
ARIEL PINK! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD
ariel pink’s new album Before today is released this month on 4AD. the Californian cult hero is considered the great-grandfather of the warm and dreamy glo-fi movement - a perfect catch for the emotional issue we felt. but what does the man actually think about Walt Disney, star signs and marriage? Read it and weep. By Brenda Bosma. Photos by Todd Cole
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S
ariel pink. continued
Wow, that brings a tear to my eye, but quite possibly, yeah. My first Nice! I have a very, very, VERY thought was that Ariel was a madeup name for your band, and it mayhigh emotional IQ! be had something to do with the Ha! So maybe this ain’t going to be font like Comic Sans or Times New a failure after all. But why did I cry Viking (si-hic!). Do you like fonts? just this morning? I cry a lot when I’m in the shower. It’s more effec- I like Arial fonts of course, with bold tive that way, or maybe just a little caps. And Courier is also a favourite. less emotional. I don’t know. So, no Disney for you then? But as a child, did you watch any or were That’s funny. you disgusted by all the happiness? You think so? I reckon I’m also going to cry right after this interview, No, I watched The Little Mermaid, but ’cause you will either hang up or I like Cinderella the most. But that’s your battery will die, or worse: my just me. It’s the best animation. It’s a internet connection will confirm it sheer piece of art; the way it was made and all. For example, the expressions sucks the ass. are so expressive while still ‘cartoony’. I hope you’ll cry tears of happiness. When I was a child I also watched Okay, what are you wearing? No, a lot of Disney. I remember seethat’s not a good way to start. Let’s ing Fantasia on TV and I was truly do it again. Nice to meet you, Ari- frightened by it. el. Where does your name come from? Does it have something to do Yeah, but wasn’t that some sort of inwith that Disney movie about a gin- troduction on a video? It wasn’t a real ger mermaid, because I read we are feature film, right? from the same generation? Hmm, well I just remember my Obviously Brenda, we are not from hero Mickey wearing an ass-maskthe same generation. It’s ancient, from ing dress. That changed something the beginning of time. It’s pronounced in my perception of men. And also as ‘R-ie-elle’. Isn’t that like an angel that he wasn’t in a space/time-continuum that was familiar to me. or something?
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o, let’s talk about emotions.
Yeah, it was like a very bad dream Wikipedia, and what’s stated there where you were chased by Dracula is nothing but the Truth. and then you’d trip and fall and fall I have another girlfriend. I was marforever. ried for a very short period of time; Yeah, it really stirred up emotions we had it annulled. Then it was on the Wikipedia-thing. I think that she was of anxiety. the one that put it there! It even has its own paragraph. What about Bambi? That was my first cinema experi- So there’s outdated stuff on Wikipeence, but it didn’t quite frighten me dia. They have to update it then, to add a paragraph about your divorce. as much. Mine was Dumbo. I like that little elephant. He was the best. It was pretty scary though. What about The Secret of NIMH? (starts singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’).
Yeah, well, I tried to talk to the Wikipedia guys and get a rectification, but they threw me off. The moderator seriously said to me that she wasn’t sure if I got my facts straight.
Stop it, Toto! You’re making me cry. Okay, enough about the mermaid.
!!!DISCONNECTED!!! A couple of hours later...
No, let’s talk more about her. I also like the hermit crab. You know I’m also a crab in a way.
So we got disconnected. A foreseen failure that was obviously written in the stars. But I didn’t cry! Did You’re a Cancer, I know! You’re you weep, emotional Cancer-interinto zodiac signs? I read on Wikipe- locutor? dia that you are married. What sign is your wife, if you don’t mind me Haha. Sorry, what was that? asking? As you said earlier, you have a very Well, seriously now: I’m not married! high Emotional IQ. How does that translate into ordinary life? And do So you’re going around, not meet- you cry when you see a puppy stuming any girls in that special way, be- ble over his own little paws? I know cause you know, everybody reads people who do. continue 21
ARIEL PINK. continued
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ARIEL PINK. continued
“I’m overflowing with emotion in music. It’s too much. I actually want to be a robot. As a matter of fact, I want to be as un-emotional and calculated as Devo.” No, it’s not like that. I took this online EQ-test once. It’s not like it’s totally 100% accurate. I mean, it’s easy to cheat. If you know what you should be doing, then that’s pretty easy. In my mind I follow these steps... I mean, I don’t punch the wall randomly. In short, my emotional life is very much in control.
ed House song. So your music also has a therapeutic side to it. The artist’s life vs daily life. But maybe we shouldn’t get into that right now.
That’s good to hear. So then you won’t get mad when I tell you that I once got this burned CD from a friend that had the song ‘For Helen’ on it. I thought it was so romantic for him to give it to me. Now we aren’t really on speaking terms anymore.
It seems to me you carry a lot of the world’s weight on your shoulders, but fortunately you have your channels for it. I’m glad you did not burst into tears during this interview. That would have been very awkward. Thank you, Ariel. See you in the Nieuwe Anita and take care of yourself.
Yeah, it was meant to be romantic. It’s an emotional song. I’m overflowing with emotion in music. It’s too much. I actually want to be a robot. As a matter of fact, I want to be as un-emotional and calculated as Devo. My music just drips with too much emotion. I definitely need to get away from the emotion of emotion. That sounds a bit like a Crowd24 end
Yes, my music is very therapeutic, and that’s why I’m not so emotional in my regular life, ’cause I’ve sort of covered that part in music.
Bye! And please set the record straight for me to the Dutch-speaking people of Europe. I approve of everything you say. Much obliged! Ariel Pink plays De Nieuwe Anita on 18 June
The emotional issue
cutting onions with bebe fang Bebe Fang is a fresh band from our very own tiny, adrift country. They make wonderful, minimalistic, honest, dreamy and gloomy songs. emotional even. and on top of that they are a couple. Of course, we could have talked about who’s wearing the pants and riots at practice, but instead we made them cut onions. Photos by Isolde Woudstra continue 25
cutting onions with Bebe Fang. continued
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JUNI ‘10 CONCERTEN, CLUBAVONDEN, ETEN & MEER JUN / DON
XIU XIU + WOOM
03 I GOT YOU ON TAPE 05 WOLF EYES (USA) 06 + RANGDA (USA) THE BLACK BOX 10 REVELATION BALTHAZAR 18 JAMES YUILL (UK) 19 ELIN RUTH 25 SIGVARDSSON JUN / ZAT
+ MINDPARK
JUN / ZON
SUNDAY NOISE:
JUN / DON
+ BOMBAY SHOW PIG
JUN / VRIJ
+ THE TUNES
JUN / ZAT
JUN / VRIJ
+ PHINX
ELKE ZATERDAG IN JULI EN AUGUSTUS: DIEP IN DE GROEF POPPODIUM EKKO BEMUURDE WEERD WZ 3 | 3513 BH UTRECHT | T +31 30 231 74 57 | WWW.EKKO.NL
anouk kruithof
Name Anouk Kruithof Age 28 City of residence Berlin, Germany Where will you be ten years from now? I just came back to my lovely nature-surrounded home after participating at the Venice Biennale. I showed strong works that I’m extremely happy with, and I’ve now started playing with my kids and horse in the woods. Can you please draw us a self portrait in 1 minute Of course! Website www.anoukkruithof.nl
ART Featured artist Every month we select an artist we think is worth your while This month it is photographer Anouk Kruithof
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featured artist: Anouk Kruithof
All works are part of Playing borders, this contemporary state of mind. 2009 From left to right: Attempt 1, Attempt 2, Man attempts to. 30
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featured artist: Anouk Kruithof
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Above: Office Shelter #1, 2008 Left: Intercollapsing #2, #4, #5 end 33
EEN SELECTIE UIT ONS PROGRAMMA:
04/06 05/06 10/06 12/06 17/06 21/06 23/06 01/07 05/07
‘SCENERY’ (AT GRAND THEATRE) THE DRUMS HOUSE OF COSY CUSHIONS // KATIE KIM THE BLACK BOX REVELATION LOCAL NATIVES ALBERTA CROSS BALTHAZAR THE STRANGE BOYS JAPANDROIDS
Info & tickets: www.vera-groningen.nl
illustratie: Bert Scholten
Sleigh Bells Treats (Mom & Pop)
After months of steadily building buzz, releasing one beloved single after another, melting people’s faces off at festivals, and earning famous fans, Sleigh Bells’ debut has finally arrived. The Brooklyn-based noise pop duo met when Derek Miller, the guitarist and beatmaker, waited on singer Alexis Krauss and her mother’s table at a restaurant in Williamsburg. He used to play in a South Florida hardcore band, she used to sing in a teen pop group before becoming a bilingual elementary school teacher working for Teach for America. Their disparate backgrounds and contributions – he’s all infinite speaker-blasting guitar riffage, she’s all sexy, sugary sweetness – make for a delightful juxtaposition between noise and pop. Long(ish)time fans will be familiar with the rough versions of about half the songs here, and the new material doesn’t disappoint. Treats is LOUD, bombastic and really, really fun. I’m just a weatherman, but these guys make the wind blow, so hear it for yourself.
MUSIC new releases These are the new releases that you can’t afford to miss By Carly Blair
Crystal Castles Self-titled (Fiction)
If an ’80s movie was made about 21stcentury hipster culture, Crystal Castles would probably come off like bad guys – they’re disreputable and talented and smug, and, worst of all, they’re popular. The polarising Toronto-based duo blew up by offering up an acerbic and distorted brand of chiptune/new rave/whatevah on their (also self-titled debut). Here there’s still plenty of ‘hardcore bleepy bloops’, but they’ve taken the approach of ‘Courtship Dating’ and run with it. Crystal Castles strikes a better balance between abrasive and pretty elements, and sounds much more sophisticated than Crystal Castles (the other one, duh). The result is danceable and remarkably consistently solid. Nearly every song sounds like a potential sin-
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MUSIC new releases By Carly Blair
gle. Sure, there’s plenty of reasons to root against them, but in this case the overdogs live up to the hype. Crystal Castles, version 2.010 is totally radical, dudes.
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Before Today (4AD)
LA-based freak folkie Ariel Pink made the jump to 4AD and now finds himself backed by a full band. Historically, Pink’s oeuvre seemed to be less fitting-fodder for actual music aficionados than for irony-mongering hipster scum. Despite having churned out exactly the kind of music I imagine Dov Charney listening to while he does lines off of 16-year-old models’ asses, Before Today casts Pink’s demented vision in a different light. While the kind of druggy/bizarre/perverted elements that earned him a devoted cult following are scattered throughout, the sound is relatively polished (think 96 kbps vs the melted cassette of yore) and there’s little self-indulgent noise. In fact, Pink’s warped take on Lite FM pop has never sounded better, and Before Today lends some credibility to those who view him as ‘the great lo-fi hope’.
Here We Go Magic Pigeons (Secretly Canadian)
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After turning a few heads with his self-titled bedroom-recorded psych folk debut, Here We Go Magic frontman Luke Temple managed to acquire a full band and tour extensively. They wrote Pigeons together, and the shift of Temple from one-man-band to frontman is readily apparent. His predilection for repetition and Paul Simon-channeling moments can still be found around Pigeons, polished somewhat of HWGM’s haze and interspersed with more uptempo and jammier moments. This can work to great effect, such as on ‘Collector’, but while I may just be sulking, I miss the solitary intimacy and cohesion of his debut.
Delorean
Subiza (True Panther)
Basque quartet Delorean cap a decade of making music in relative obscurity with their best and highest-profile release yet. Immediately recorded after 2009’s acclaimed Ayrton Senna EP, Subiza keeps the ecstasy-fueled beach party vibe going with more jubilant indie dance pop.
MUSIC new releases
Blitzen Trapper
Destroyer of the Void (Sub Pop)
Portland’s Blitzen Trapper follow up 2008’s beloved Furr with yet another sonic quilt, stitched together from elements of alt-country, psychedelia, prog, classic rock and pop, and sure to make you feel warm and cozy as you wake up in the morning or sit out on the porch watching the moon rise.
Thee Oh Sees Warm Slime (In the Red)
Extremely prolific name- and line-upchanging San Fransisco garage/psych/ punk band cut a special notch in their belt with Warm Slime. Mastermind John Dwyer & co kick things off with an entertainingly shapeshifting 13-minute romp of a title track, then maintain the momentum with a handful of shorter, energetic, swampy jams.
Male Bonding Nothing Hurts (Sub Pop)
If male bonding within a music scene always resulted in bands like East London’s Cold Pumas, Fair Ohs and... Male Bonding, I’d send all my musician dude friends camping. Nothing Hurts throws you into a bouncing, shoving, head-spinning pit of two minute hook-laden punk mini-anthems, leaving you exhausted but better for wear.
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FILM 19 reasons why.... By Marie Claire Melzer Behold a sweet Subbacultcha! selection of the massive movie mash out there. Fiksi (CinemAsia in ’t Land)
4 reasons why you can’t miss…
CinemAsia in ’t land
On tour from 29 May – 13 June, Breda, Den Haag, Eindhoven, Groningen, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Tilburg & Utrecht.
Fiksi (Mouly Surya, 2008), dark, quirky and original, Best Picture Indonesian Awards Saigon Love Story (Ringo Le, 2008), the very first musical from Vietnam Merah Putih (Yadi Sugandi, 2009), a Hollywoodesque film about Indonesia’s struggle for independance Or Ouine Lecomte’s autobiographical A Brand New Life, about a Korean girl given up for adoption 5 reasons why you can’t miss…
Beeld voor Beeld Festival 01 – 6 June, Tropentheater, Amsterdam
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Anthropologists can come up with interesting films Such as a South African ‘western’ from 1916 with Boeren fighting Zulu’s Also other pics from the silent era by the Schlesinger studios in Johannesburg Plus recent documentaries about South Africa And very early images of the Dutch Indies by J.C. Lamster
FILM
Casablanca
9 reasons why you can’t miss…
Casablanca
(Michael Curtiz, 1942) Re-release 24 June, EYE Film Instituut, Amsterdam
A romantic war classic from 1942, and I would say it is still fresh as fuck Great, well-informed script full of references to the European situation A fast pace too Among the international cast are many refugees from Europe Perhaps explaining the feel of urgency and authenticity American-born Humprey Bogart is great as the cynical, yet sentimental Rick So is Claude Rains as the irreliable, but irresistable Captain Renault And, of course, Ingrid Bergman, torn between true love and a decent husband Ah, war messing up love is so much more romantic than, say, commitment issues 1 reason why you can’t miss
Cinemanita
Every Monday, at De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam
Great (cult) films for the strong-hearted
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FILM dvds to see Door Gert Verbeek
We Live In Public
Ondi Timoner, 2009 (Dogwoof, R2)
Internetpionier Josh Harris uit Silicon Alley bouwde rond de millenniumwisseling in Manhattan een bunker voor Quiet: We Live In Public, een kunstexperiment als vleesgeworden community site met totalitaire trekjes. Tientallen kunstenaars sloten zich vrijwillig op, bivakkeerden in slaapcapsules en bespiedden elkaar via een ingenieus televisiecircuit. Harris keek toe hoe zijn testratten fysiek en psychisch uitgeput raakten. Een paar jaar later plaatste Harris de camera’s in zijn eigen huis, tot in koelkast en toiletpot, en liet hij bezoekers van zijn site getuige zijn van de ontploffende relatie met zijn vriendin Tanya. Documentairemaakster Ondi Timoner (bekend van rockumentary DiG!) portretteert Josh Harris als een visionaire, meedogenloze manipulator die schaamteloos de gevaarlijke machinaties van internet blootlegde. Haar conclusie: “You have to be delusional to be a genius.”
Dillinger Is Dead
Marco Ferreri, 1969 (Criterion, R1)
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Je zou de rol van de camera in Dillinger Is Dead kunnen vergelijken met die van de surveillerende camera’s in bovengenoemde documentaire. Het verschil is dat ontwerper Glauco (Michel Piccoli) niet weet dat alle bewegingen thuis door de camera van regisseur Marco Ferreri worden gevolgd, net zo min als zijn vrouw (Anita Pallenberg) weet dat Glauco haar op zijn beurt in haar slaap gadeslaat. Hij begluurt ook inwonende werkster Sabina (Annie Girardot) wanneer ze schaars gekleed voor de spiegel danst. In zijn eentje kijkend naar televisie en amateurfilmpjes broedt Glauco op een ontsnapping uit zijn opgesloten bestaan. De weg naar een mogelijk happy end heeft de kleur van zijn keukenschort, meloenvruchtvlees, de lap voor een wilde stier, de maan en het antieke pistool van Dillinger: bloedrood.
FILM context/ ontekst
“hmmmm, did I leave the gas on?”
E
en film van Neil Jordan zonder Stephen Rea is een zeldzaamheid. Ook in Ondine komt hij in een bijrol opdraven. De acteur uit Dublin herken je direct aan zijn goeiige hondenkop, met wangen die hangen als bij een vermoeide basset. Ideaal voor afgemat voor zich uit starende personages. In de onderstaande films is Rea’s blik het droefst.
Iedere maand staat hier n.a.v. een actuele bioscoop release of film gebeurtenis een leuke—of minder leuke—lijst.
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Stuck (Stuart Gordon, 2007) Thomas wordt zijn huis uitgezet, brengt voor niets een middag door bij het arbeidsbureau en probeert tevergeefs te slapen op een stadsbankje. Dan wordt hij ’s nachts aangereden door een gedrogeerde verpleegster. Van schrik zet ze haar auto thuis in de garage, terwijl Thomas met zijn bloedende lichaam in de voorruit vastzit. Droefenis maakt plaats voor overlevingsinstinct.
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The Crying Game (Neil Jordan, 1992) Fergus vervult de laatste wens van een Britse soldaat, zoekt diens grote liefde Dil op, wordt verliefd en ontdekt haar Grote Geheim. Terwijl in de bioscoop tijdens de cruciale scène kaken van verbazing op de vloer kletteren, kijkt Rea alsof hij zich zojuist bedenkt dat thuis het gas nog aan staat.
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Bloom (Sean Walsh, 2003) Het onverfilmbare meesterwerk Ulysses van James Joyce is een ode aan het leven. De vitaliteit van het boek is Rea echter ontgaan. In de rol van titelpersonage Leopold Bloom sloft hij als advertentiecolporteur een dag lang door Dublin alsof hij onderweg is naar zijn eigen begrafenis. Geen wonder dat zijn vrouw Molly er een vrijer op na houdt.
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Strange Fashion: EPISODE four
Featured photographer: Boris Postma. www.borispostma.com. borispostma.b Featured designer: Karssenberg & Greidanus. www.karssenberg-greidanus. 42
A fashion tale in ten episodes brought to you by Strange Boutique. The Strange Fashion series is centred around a few ground rules that our featured photographers have to follow. The rules: - No models - Use an existing interior (preferably in a living room) - Use a plant - No Photoshop - The shoot has to take place between noon and 6pm and has to make use of natural light sources whenever possible - The shoot has to feature the work of a Dutch designer, chosen by yours truly - No fur because no animal will be harmed during the making of this series. The result: 10 versions of the same photo.
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WHAT’s COOKING? we are cooking for.... High Places Text and Illustration by Zofia Ciechowska Every month our very own Nigella Awesome cooks for a band that plays Subbacultcha!. We simply suggest... DO try this at home. It is worth it. If you want the recipe for the High Places main course, vegan crepes stuffed with pepper-onion-courgette mash and grapefruit avocado salad on the side, visit the Subbacultcha blog!
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High on zucchini sweet courgette pie
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ourgette, zucchini, call it what you like, but it is a fantastic cake ingredient and High Places will confirm. Besides we’ll use any pretext to squeeze in a (sugar-coated) vegetable into our menu. This pudding won’t pillage your pocket and it’s so easy your toddler/younger sibling/pet could make it. Serves: Depends on your slicing technique and/or greed. You will need: 2 ½ cups fresh courgette, grated 2 ripe bananas, mashed ½ cup vegetable oil mixed with ½ cup applesauce 3 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) 1 cup chocolate chips (optional) Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated courgette, bananas, oil and vanilla. Stir well. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (apart from the chocolate chips and/or the walnuts). Transfer the courgette-banana-applesauce mix into your dry ingredients bowl. Flex your biceps and stir thoroughly. Now fold in the chocolate chips and/or walnuts or just leave it plain. Kiss biceps. Pour into a lightly greased baking form. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Leave to cool and then devour with a nice cup of coffee, preferably outdoors!
This pudding won’t pillage your pocket and it’s so easy your toddler/younger sibling/pet could make it.
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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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Beste Bitch, Ik weet niet hoe ik m’n armen moet houden tijdens concerten. Mijn armen zijn disproportioneel lang, heb ik het idee, waardoor ik als ik ze langs de flanken van mijn lichaam laat hangen (of nou ja, meer bungelen eigenlijk) op Ray Slijngaard in de videoclip van ‘No Limit’ lijk. Als ik m’n armen gekruist houd, steken m’n ellebogen weer te ver uit, waarmee ik de mensen om me heen geen plezier doe. Ik zit hier heel erg mee, te meer daar ik vrij graag concerten bezoek. Groetjes, A. te A. Beste A., Dan hoop ik dat je gesticulatie niet al te exorbitant is. Kun je mij anders misschien een keer vergezellen tijdens mijn bijna dagelijkse tocht naar de supermarkt? Ik kan nooit bij die rottige spinazie-deelblokjes van HAK. Om nou telkens Mounir te moeten melden dat ik niet die van de Euroshopper wil, maar van een A-merk, begint een beetje vervelend te worden. Met andere woorden: zie het als een pluspunt. Je kunt je nuttig maken voor anderen, wat jou dan hopelijk weer een bevredigend gevoel zal geven. Spinazie is ook nog eens erg gezond! Ik ben zelf vanwege mijn geringe lengte een keer tijdens een dis op het schoolplein gevraagd of mijn moeder Softenon slikte
tijdens de zwangerschap. Troost je dat niet iedereen (seksueel) aangetrokken is tot de middelmaat. Daarvoor hoef je alleen maar Jambers, aflevering xxx te kijken. Kus, B. Beste Bitch, Mijn boterham pindakaasmet-stukjes-noot viel vandaag met de pindakaas-metstukjes-noot-kant op m’n schapenvelletje. Toen ik daarna bij het tanden poetsen in de spiegel keek, zag ik dat er zich vijf mee-eters op mijn voorhoofd hadden genesteld. Diezelfde avond is m’n TV doorgebrand tijdens ‘De TV Draait Door’. Zijn mijn zeven magere jaren aangebroken?? Ik ben nog maar 21!! Lieve adolescent, Misschien moet je wat minder pindakaas eten, hypochondertje. En wees creatief! Wellicht kun je een paar mee-eters zodanig uitknijpen dat ze samen een smiley vormen. Of nog gaver: een pentagram! Nu goed, je kunt hier eindeloos mee variëren. En over je leeftijd: ik ben drie keer zo oud, en héb niet eens een TV. Kun je nagaan. Doegie, B. Beste, Ik wil graag een snor en eventueel ook een goatee laten staan, maar ben bang dat ik hier te weinig haargroei voor heb. Groet T. uit A.
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
Lieve T. uit A., Hoezeer ik ook een voorstander ben van wildgroei op de (mannelijke) kaken en bovenlip, kan niet iedereen het hebben. Zeker twijfelaars niet. Ikzelf had ooit te kampen met een zogeheten unibrow. Jawel, een doorlopende wenkbrauw, een bikinilijn die begint halverwege je gezicht. Als jong meisje had ik een poster van Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean boven m’n bed
hangen. Een schoolvriendinnetje die reeds op vroege leeftijd iets had wat zich later tot een borderline persoonlijkheidsstoornis zou ontwikkelen, tekende er op een onbewaakt ogenblik met watervaste stift een brilletje op en verbond beide wenkbrauwen met elkaar middels wat dikke krassen. Dit moest ik dan voorstellen. Dat beeld staat nu op mijn netvlies. Doe het niet. Lieve groet, B.
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spekkie big
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Door Marc van der Holst
AGENDA spend your month in style
Washed Out plays the Glo-Fi Summer Pop Night at Trouw on 3 June. Also featuring Small Black and I Got You On Tape
Highlights in June Phosphorescent, Dirty Projectors, Xiu Xiu, Holland Festival and the Glo Fi Summer Pop Night Win tickets to Xiu Xiu, Phosphorescent, Washed Out and more
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#Earlybirds Iedereen <30j. #Earlybirds voor €10 naar Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds #Earlybirds voor €10 naar Iedereen <30j. please RT Iedereen voor<30j. €10 naar @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorplease €10 naar @muziekgebouw! RT Iedereen <30j. please RT @muziekgebouw! voorplease €10 naar RT @muziekgebouw! please RT
#Earlybirds Iedereen <30j. voor €10 naar @muziekgebouw please RT Early-Bird concerten vanaf 5/9 Concerttips: muziekgebouw.nl
#Earlybirds Iedereen <30j. voor €10 naar #Earlybirds @muziekgebouw! Iedereen <30j. please RT voor €10 naar #Earlybirds @muziekgebouw! Iedereen <30j. please RT voor €10 naar @muziekgebouw! please RT
#Earlybirds Iedereen <30j. voor#Earlybirds €10 naar Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! #Earlybirds voorRT €10 naar please Iedereen <30j. @muziekgebouw! voorRT €10 naar please @muziekgebouw! please RT
25 X Mad Men Season 3
Don’s back but will Betty have him? Will Sterling Cooper have him? Will Sterling Cooper still be Sterling Cooper? And what’s with Pete and the gun? Become a member and all will be revealed. (see page 9) 3 x Converse One Star Classic ‘74
Okay, if Chucks are so 2009 and Star Player is so 2010, we’re giving away the future with these babies. Matching jetpacks optional… 3x2 Tickets
Glo-Fi Summer Pop Night 03 June – Trouw, Amsterdam Celebrate the fledgling summer in style with Washed Out, Small Black, I Got You On Tape and DJs. It could well be the best summer mixtape you hear. 3x2 Tickets
Xiu Xiu 03 June – Ekko, Utrecht After the release of Dear God, I Hate Myself and a hefty eight-year back-catalogue encompassing post punk, ‘80s synthpop, noise, ambient, techno and more, it can be hard to nail down Xiu Xiu. We’ll label it art pop, but you can decide for yourself.
fr ee stFree uff 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 www.subbacultcha.nl. To become a full Subbacultcha! member, go to www.subbacultcha.nl and click join.
3x2 Tickets
Phosphorescent 06 June – Paradiso, Amsterdam Take a meandering journey through all the best American folk music sub-genres, along the welcoming, dusty country roads Matthew Houck calls home. 3x2 Tickets
Harlem 07 June – Paradiso, Amsterdam Charming jangly garage pop from Austin. This trio has recently been added to the Matador roster but it’s their killer live show you should be after. 2x2 tickets
The Hold Steady & Cymbals Eat Guitars 21 June – Melkweg, Amsterdam The riff-heavy storytellers from Brooklyn headline this show, with support from the loud-quiet-loud upstarts. 2x2 tickets
Local Natives 23 June – Melkweg, Amsterdam Firmly entrenched in the new ‘indie-prog’ fold, this LA based quintet melds big harmonies, frenetic percussion and solid songwriting to great effect.
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agenda FOCUS
WORM Achterhaven 148 Rotterdam www.wormweb.nl www.wormstation.nl
WORM IS A ROTTERDAM BASED VENUE AND WORKSPACE FOR MUSIC, FILM AND NEW MEDIA. THE OUTPUT OF WORM IS FILM, RADIO, CONCERTS, PERFORMANCES, WEB-PROJECTS, INSTALLATIONS, AN ARRAY OF TACTILE MEDIA AND A 24/7 WEBSTATION.
JUNI VR 04 / DANCE TO THE BITMET O.A. FLEX BUSTERMAN(DE)+ COMPUTADORA (ES) + PORNOPHONIQUE(DE) ZA 19/ LEIF ELGGREN & CM VON HAUSSWOLFF(SE/SE) VR 25 / BEN BUTLER & MOUSEPAD(UK/DE)+ ISMAEL PINKLER(AR) ZO 27 / WORMROT(SG)+ PSYCHOFAGIST(IT) FEAT. LUCA T. MAI(ZU)+ ATKA(DE)
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Holland Festival 1-23 June
agenda FOCUS Holland Festival
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ndie tropicana, sunglasses and chilled beer is all well and good for the prvacation mindset, but June in Amsterdam is also a great place for some cultural brain fuel thanks to this annual multidisciplinary gathering. Its mixture of classical, opera, theatre and dance can seem either thrilling or daunting on paper, but the spectral coverage of forward-thinking arts means there really should be something for everyone. It’s a hefty schedule overall, but you can dip your toes in with our starter tips: Jonathan Harvey / Visual Kitchen - Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco 02-06 June - Westergasfabriek A visual exploration of Harvey’s renowned electronic composition. This looping video rendition transforms the composition into an immersive spatial experience.
Frederik Croene - Piano Programme for the Third Millennium 09 June - Zaha Hadid’s Architects Pavilion Especially composed piano music, with the limits of a traditional piano concert extended with all sorts of manual and electronic trickery.
Zaha Hadid Lecture 06 June - Muziekgebouw One of the most notable additions to the 2010 schedule is the Zaha Hadid’s Architects Pavilion at Westergasfabriek: a custom built concert hall consisting of fluid spiral billowing sails, wrapping the audience and performers in a cocoon of sorts. So it’s fitting that Hadid will be on hand to talk architecture.
Luciana Berio / Mike Patton - Laborintus II 18 June - Muziekgebouw The Faith No More frontman is always keen to try something different and fortunately his voice can handle just about everything. Tonight he steps into an operatic role in this 1965 masterpiece. After the break he leads a jazz improv session.
Slagwerk Den Haag - Ex Machina 08 June - Zaha Hadid’s Architects Pavilion The internationally renowned percussion ensemble present a programme of contemporary works of drums, tapes and soundscapes that explore the spatial acoustics of the cool new performance space.
Efterklang & Metropole Orkest - Parades 19 June - Muziekgebouw Experimental Danish indie poppers team up with Holland’s own Metropole Orkest to perform their 2007 album Parades, complete with its original symphonic flourishes. Subbacultcha! readers receive a €5 discount.
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agenda Subbacultcha shows in september
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agenda shows in june
Xiu Xiu, 03 June. Ekko, Utrecht
Jónsi 02-03 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam The Sigur Rós frontman goes indie pop (to an extent) in support of his first proper solo album - provided you don’t count the atmospheric Riceboy Sleeps album with Alex Somers, released at the tail end of 2009. Night one sold out pretty rapidly, cos those Rós fans are nothing if not loyal. Night two is likely to follow in the same fashion. Glo-fi Summer Pop Night 03 June - Trouw, Amsterdam Free Tickets See Page 51
Promising late evening sunshine, soft beats, reverberating synths, fuzzed guitars and tropical attitudes, tonight’s bill includes sets from Washed Out (US), Small Black (US) and I Got You On Tape (Denmark). Foals 03 June - Tivoli, Utrecht Dynamic Brit indie rock, which first perked up ears in 2008 with debut album Antidotes. Follow-up Total Life Forever has certainly nailed down their reputation in their homeland and set them up for a furiously busy festival scene. There is a risk that they’ll be spiralling down into Bloc Party arena territory soon, but for now, the production flourishes of TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek keeps the sound grounded and interesting.
Xiu Xiu 03 June - Ekko, Utrecht Free Tickets See Page 51
‘Xiu Xiu for life!’ proclaims their myspace page, and after eight years (and ten or so releases) of heady experimental Californian art pop, it may well be the truth. Jamie Stewart simply can’t rest it seems, but his tastes may be softening because Dear God, I Hate Myself is a pretty listenable affair, admittedly shifting further down the ’80s new wave line. I Got You On Tape 03 June - Trouw, Amsterdam 04 June - Merleyn, Nijmegen 05 June - Ekko, Utrecht Denmark has a decent indie scene that goes way beyond Efterklang, but which struggles to make the headlines above the usual Camden kids and Brooklynites. Still, I Got You on Tape are making a break for it, so check out their chilled, fuzzy guitar crescendos and cheap synth melodies. Getatchew Mekurya & The Ex 04 June - Melkweg, Amsterdam Amsterdam experimental art rockers The Ex are an institution, but one that keeps changing its guise. Here they’ll take the form of a groove-laden backing band for legendary Ethiopian sax player Mekurya.
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agenda shows in june
The Drums 04 June - Doornroosje, Nijmegen 05 June - Vera, Groningen New Yorkers enchanted by the infamous English post punk sounds of the early ’80s, but with American pop harmonies thrown in to mess up the downbeat mood. In the first half of this year they’ve risen from zeros to heros, but will they stick it out? Jeremy Jay 05 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam A Californian troubadour trapped between meandering indie rock and occasional stabs of post punk. Signed to K Records, he’s currently sandwiched between two CD releases: Splash, out last month, and Dream Diary, due in autumn, Phosphorescent 06 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam Free Tickets See Page 51
Matthew Houck had us won over long ago with his gothic folk take on Americana, once popping by Amsterdam three times in two months. His Willie Nelson tribute album was great fun, especially when performed live. And now new album Here’s To Taking It Easy shows he also knows how to write a honky-tonk party tune or two, with its uplifting choruses and cymbal crashes winning over indie hipsters typically afraid of a little slide guitar. Sic Alps 06 June - OCCII, Amsterdam San Franciscan noise pop trio trapped somewhere between ’90s sludge and ’60s psychedelia. Harlem 06 June - Rotown, Rotterdam 07 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam Free Tickets See Page 51
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New Matador guitar babies. The trio is neither from Harlem or Haarlem, but rather the delightfully open-
minded territory that is Texas. Ramshackle guitar pop is what they do best, and while not particularly original in its ingredients or execution, there’s plenty of tempo and enough humour and charm to bound through a 40 minute set. The Smith Westerns 07 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam Lo-fi psych pop, lo-fi garage rock and lo-fi glam pop are laid out bare on the table by this young Chicago quartet. Yip, lo-fi all the way, but they certainly eat up sounds from across the decades and regurgitate it in an ear-pleasing package. Mastodon 07 June - Tivoli, Utrecht Heavy metal thunder. Sure Mastodon’s progressive metal and thrash may be edging further from its independent roots, but if you like a bit of guitar crunch combined with a little thought, they’re fun headbanging fodder. Scram C Baby / 13 12 June - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Two of Amsterdam’s finest ‘90s indie rock bands will perform at your favourite local hang-out tonight. Both bands include some of the best musicians our country has to offer including (ex) members of Solex, Fatal Flowers and Hallo Venray. Local Natives 17 June - Vera, Groningen 23 June - Melkweg, Amsterdam Free Tickets See Page 51
One of 2009’s buzz bands after SXSW success and hot bloggage. Following in a similar weedy... sorry... sensitive path as Grizzly Bear and Band of Horses, the LA-based five-piece mix up carefully controlled tempos, chorus crescendos and delicate harmony breakdowns. It’s all very planned but similarly pleasant.
Staff Benda Bilili 18 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam They may be centred around a group of paraplegic Congolese street musicians, but these guys don’t need no sympathy or pretensions of indie rock stardom. The loose, danceable African grooves and subtle guitar intersections speak for themselves. It’s certainly more Womad than Wichita, but good music is good music. The show is part of the Amsterdam Roots Festival. Be fast, before some LA hipster bastardises them and makes them cool. Nuit Blanche 19 June - Various locations, Amsterdam Nuit Blanche is a new annual festival taking place in the heart of Amsterdam. Entrance is free, and contrary to what us Amsterdammers are used to, it runs through the night. James Yuill 19 June - Ekko, Utrecht English ‘electrolk’ synthster from the Moshi Moshi roster. Dance elements are ever-present in his digital expressions, but lyrical songwriting and acoustic guitar remains at the core of his ethos, resulting in an actual cross of folkish play and electronics. Cymbals Eat Guitars 21 June - Melkweg, Amsterdam Free Tickets See Page 51
Now that keyboardist Franz Nicolay (Luigi) has departed The Hold Steady, the desire to write about them and their new album has dulled. Cymbals Eat Guitars, however, still have a bit of bite about them and will be opening for The Hold Steady. The New Yorkers officially broke through last year with debut album Why There Are Mountains, which continually flips from lulling piano and lush ‘oooohs’ to manic guitar and voice freak-outs.
Ganglians 23 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam Bearded psychedelics from the Woodsist farm. Fortunately, beards can easily be forgiven when the band can so easily flip from languid and dazed to full-on menacing while still nailing a tune.
agenda shows in june
Sleazefest 26 June - Timboektoe, Wijk aan Zee Do you like it dirty? Sleazefest does, and is your most reliable source of trash rock ‘n’ roll in Amsterdam and beyond. Spaced-out surf and sewer rockers hitting the beach include Anacondas, Local Spastics, Sixtyniners and Reverend Beat-Man. The Black Keys 27 June - RockinPark, Nijmegen 28 June - Paradiso, Amsterdam Remember when the little Black Keys were nothing more than a buzz band preparing for a potential blues duo duel with the White Stripes? A huge crowd gathered for their small Metropolis Festival set in 2003 (the year Interpol headlined). Well, this summer they’re lumped in with the likes of Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Stereophonics, which is rather unsettling in itself. But the boys can’t control all the company they keep. Dirty Projectors 30 June - Tivoli, Utrecht More than a year has passed since the Dirty Projectors’ hype machine went supernova, and it’s almost a year since they rolled into Melkweg, but still, Bitte Orca pops back into our minds every so often - albeit not quite as frequently. Summer season sees their progressive indie and complicated harmony sections being aired across festival fields once more, but with no suitable outlets in NL, fans get the bonus of this club show.
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This Magazine is carefully and skillfully printed by drukkerij slinger, Alkmaar
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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 hack! you can even get arty. As long as the photos are shot after midnight. This months photo was submitted by Rachel Voorbij Thanks to everybody who sent in their photos. We cannot publish them all. Go to our blog to see all the photos that were sent in.
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colophon Who we are and what we do
Subbacultcha! Magazine is lovingly and swiftly made at our office in Amsterdam. Da Costakade 150, 1053 XC Amsterdam, the Netherlands. www.subbacultcha.nl magazine@subbacultcha.nl We are Editors: Leon Caren and Bas Morsch A-lister: Steven McCarron Editorial Assistants: Russell Joyce, Steven McCarron, Sarah Gehrke and Marie-Claire Melzer Design: Bas Morsch Design Companion: Russell Joyce Moneys: Brenda Bosma Interns: Tibor Bijl, Loes Verputten and Marijn Westerlaken Good Girl: Zofia Ciechowska Contributors: DaniĂŤlle van Ark, Carly Blair, Brenda Bosma, Suzanne de Bruin, Leon Caren, Zofia Ciechowska, Femke Dekker, Sarah Gehrke, Nick Helderman, Marc van der Holst, Russell Joyce, Nicole Martens, Steven McCarron, MarieClaire Melzer, Bas Morsch, Martyn F Overweel, Gert Verbeek and Mila van de Wall. Distribution: Amsterdam: Rodrigo Sobarzo, Alice Driessen, Fabio Costa, Carly Blair, Patrick van der Klugt, Luc Breukelman, Tibor Bijl. Utrecht: Thom van Hoek, Ludo Westerveld. Groningen: Hedwig Plomp. Rotterdam: Ruben Rietveld. Leeuwarden: Jan Pier Brands. Leiden: Anne Hillebrand
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Printing: Drukkerij Slinger, Alkmaar
Subbacultcha! in your store If you want your bar, venue, store or business to be on the distribution list, please send us an email. Advertising To advertise in Subbacultcha! Magazine send an email to magazine@subbacultcha.nl. Memberships Become a member of Subbacultcha!. For only â&#x201A;Ź6 a month you get free access to all Subbacultcha! shows and the monthly magazine sent to your house. Plus, you get a fresh Subbacultcha! t-shirt. Check the website to sign up. Free Tickets If you are subscribed to the mailinglist it is possible to get into our great Magazine Parties for free. Also you can win lots of free tickets every month. 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.59). And please make it look good. We value alcohol, but we also value good photos.
Subbacultcha! shows in may THESE ARE POWERS + palmbomen 02 June - Dep, Amsterdam
agenda Overview of all subbacultcha! shows
ZU / GW SOk 05 June - dB’s, Utrecht Distorted Channel Presents: SUNDAY NOISE Featuring: Wolf Eyes & Rangda 06 June - Ekko, Utrecht MENOMENA + LOVE IS ALL 09 June - Studio 80, Amsterdam ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI + Treehouse 18 June - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Coming up Arch M, Cold Pumas, The Fair Ohs
Subbacultcha members get into all these shows for free. sign up at www.subbacultcha.nl
join now and get mad men season three
we’re giving away 25 copies of the complete mad men season 3 dvd box to the first 25 new subscribers. be fast and get your hands on 13 new episodes of the beautiful, stylish, yet dark and gloomy series about the advertising world of the early 1960s. Not to be missed.
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