Los Fantasticos
Los Fantasticos
We have only just arrived when Los Fantasticos starts to play. These guys look like old british punkrockers or ska musicians. They play surf the way Los Coronas do (with Spaghetti Western influences). This music sounds more like a soundtrack than dance music. What´s also different from other surf bands is that they have rather long songs. Of course all songs are being introduced with a British accent. I think this is a good band start up this festival but they are definitely not a headlining/dance act. The music is too spun-out for that.
As we arrived at 19:00 we missed the Illuminators, the Scrammers and Watang! Especially the last act would have been worth it according to our friends. The atmosphere today is so much milder than in 2014. It looks like a big part of the audience wandered in ´de Melkweg´ and is not especially here because of the theme ´surf music´. The space allotted for signings and merchandise is rather empty. There is a DJ playing surf , on the opposite side is just one dealer and there a three tables for the bands to sell their merchandise. Fortunately this dealer has a great selection of surf music on vinyl.
Els-A-Phonics
Els-A-Phonics
After Los Fantasticos it´s the Els-A-Phonics. Four really nice Spanish guys we have already seen playing at the Surfer Joe Festival. At Surfer Joe´s they were playing on an open air stage. It was a great show but this time they are waaaaaaaaaay better. The bald rhythm player/dictator Juan Diego Sanchis is standing out the most. He whips up the crowd in the right way. The lead guitar player is standing in the corner, almost unnoticed while a an enormous sound comes from his guitar. In the middle stands a hippyish bassplayer and behind him sits a super drummer (I noticed he holds his drumsticks like a jazzdrummer. Later on I met the guy and asked him about it. Yes, he liked ´the old style music´.
the Phantom Four
The Phantom Four
After Els-A-Phonics the unavoidable hosts of this evening come up: the Phantom Four. What is there to say about this band ? Without a doubt still the best surf group of the Netherlands. This show they played a lot of new stuff with their new rhythm player Erik. Erik made a rather being out-of-place impression on me. His playing style clearly differs from his predecessor Marnix. Marnix was a more dynamic player and Erik is more in tune with…rhythm. Because of this we get a clear distribution within this band: three guys playing rhythm and Phantom Frank. It´s great that Erik plays a rickenbacker. The new songs are a more like the sounds and songs of Franks´ former band the Treble Spankers.
Zombierella van de Messer Chups
Messer Chups
Then it was time for the part of the show I dreaded most: Messer Chups. At Surfer Joe´s the played the big stage and it was a huge disappointment. Expecially the vocals of bassplayer Zombierella wasn´t really a thing that made a surfheart beating faster. A trusted source suggested that drummer Boris perhaps had a little much to drink at the time. I guess this could be true as his remarks during the show were quite hilarious.
Fortunately we were to forget about the Surfer Joe show very quickly. The trio of Oleg Gitarkin, Zombierella and Dr Boris ripped the stage apart. The volcals of Zombierella were limited and wasn´t annoying at all. You can describe the recent sound of the Messer Chups as hilbilly horrorsurf. Oleg Gitarkin is an old hand in the world of surf music. Mixing Surf and Rockabilly is no problem at all. The negative impression we had of Zombierella disappears because she does not drink water during the breaks but she drinks good old Jack Daniels. She even shared the booze with the audience until the bottle disappears behind the drumkit of Boris. Boris, nudge, nudge, wink , wink. I also have to say that Zombierella is a great bass player that does not have to depend on her (rather fine Betty Page like) looks. This was a great show. We´d love to see more of this!
the Barbwires
The Barbwires
The last group are the Barbwires. They come from Sweden and it´s just three guys. A super tall guitarplayer plays one surf hit after another surf cracker. This is a great band (who play a long set). I rather would like to have seen these guys earlier this evening (Messer Chups or Les-A-Phonics would have been better options for a last act in my opinion). After several encores the show and North Sea Surf festival is over. The room quickly fills with a totally different kind of audience (think R&B, hip hop). The surf party continued at a different venue (Maloe Melo) but we couldn´t attend that party. Alas!
Foute Wout
