The War on Drugs has never been so applauded in Antwerp as during Live /s Live. Talking to you, Bart DeWever. If the perfect concert (and the equally perfect sound) exists, then Adam Granduciel and his friends played it yesterday on Linkeroever. There are barely words for how beautiful it was.
Already on Glastonbury today, yesterday on Linkeroever. And how! It’s a pinch in the arm. Anyone who was there can only nod approvingly. What an unbridled group of musicians. If the legendary E Street Band still played at TW Classic last weekend, then this six-piece band was not inferior to that in Antwerp. There were two reasons why the magic worked so well. The War on Drugs is nearing the end of a long tour. All brakes were released, now that the finish line is in sight. And above all: frontman/guitar prodigy Adam Granduciel was in great shape. He fooled around with everyone, audience and band alike. He visited his two keyboard players, went to take a picture of bassist David Hartley with his mobile phone at the ready. To then affectionately rub shoulders with saxophonist Jon Natchez. The port of Antwerp was not far away, but they have never managed to blow such a magisterial fog horn there. Granduciel rested his head on the shoulder of his shaved companion and enjoyed himself. And all the Middle Pond with him.
Collective orgasm
There are people who find The War on Drugs boring. Because they don’t move much, everyone stays behind his or her instrument. Those skeptics were met by an impressive light show. ‘I Don’t Wanna Wait’ was bathed in blue and purple, which also shone from behind drummer Charlie Hall. ‘Under The Pressure’, which pushed towards a collective orgasm, was played in white light. But we don’t really need to stress that. This War on Drugs was never boring at any point. Everything was right from the opening song ‘In Chains’. The sun had just set and the sky was bathed in a red glow. The passion with which everyone played on stage was unparalleled. For a moment you thought that ‘Baba O’Riley’ by The Who would be used. But ‘Harmonia’s Dream’ was just as divine. And may I repeat it again: what a compact but at the same time powerful sound. Kisses to the sound mixer on duty.
Flying carpet
Granduciel also dedicated ‘I Don’t Live Here Anymore’ to his crew. And ‘Strangest Thing’ to the appreciative audience. From ‘Red Eyes’ – another whopper of a song – he took off his sunglasses. Why he had it on in the first place is a mystery. The frontman sang and played with his eyes closed all the time. Totally one with his instrument. Without missing a note. Granduciel took center stage on a Persian rug, surrounded by a battery of effects pedals. At any moment you had the idea that he was going to take off and fly away. And you with him.
The festival set lasted more than a hundred minutes and never collapsed. ‘An Ocean In Between the Waves’ didn’t make the playlist. But in exchange, Live Is Live was presented with a beautiful ‘Thinking of a Place’. “This song has been turned completely gray in Belgium. When we heard that, we could hardly believe it. But you like it!” Granduciel grinned proudly.
School is Cool opened this festival day with ‘Run Run Run Run Run’ (see further). At the end of The War on Drugs you wanted to shout ‘Stay Stay Stay Stay Stay’. Wonderful guitar sounds haunt your ears while typing these last words. And it may stay that way for a long time.
Build with Balthazar
Balthazar (****) brought gold and myrrh to Live /s Live. (Incense) smoke came blowing towards them. The Belgian band is actually on a break, but De Vijf still visit a few summer festivals. In Antwerp, Balthazar fooled around with each other and with the large audience that had gathered.
Tear down and build up. Balthazar can do it like no other. From one dry drum beat to a five-piece attack in barely half a minute. From a thin trombone to a band pumping from all cylinders that grabs you by the scruff of the neck. Entertainment! Not only the title of an excellent song, but also their attitude.
Firma Devoldere & Deprez knows better than anyone how to play an audience. The result is a sea of swirling bodies. Maarten Devoldere seemed to have gotten a little more grit on that southern voice. While Jinte Deprez increasingly had the smooth knee shuffle under the… euh, knee. ‘Do Not Claim Them Anymore’ was a first highlight. The band played close together, around Michiel Balcaen’s drum kit. Deprez immediately worked up a sweat. The sun slowly started to set and the audience got new oxygen and energy.
How wonderful when ‘Blood Like Wine’ is included in the set. There is nothing more beautiful than raising a glass in a green park environment with thousands of soul mates. “Everybody box, everybody dance!” Devoldere roared. We raised our fists in the air even harder. Behind us also someone with a Ukrainian flag. Not coincidentally, right next to the festival is a large emergency village for refugees. Just forget about the war was the message. Be proud of your country. Also today, especially with Balthazar.
The final was quickly approaching. ‘Fever’ pumped a delicious bass line from Simon Casier through your diaphragm. Balthazar also (de)constructed wonderfully here. One by one, the musicians left their instruments and the stage, only to return drop by drop and pick up the chorus again flawlessly. ‘Entertainment’ and ‘Bunker’ followed as triumphs. Devoldere raised his micro-tripod, grabbed some maracas and smashed them onto the stage floor.
The band still didn’t have enough. ‘Losers’ brought all hands together. Fade out and then build up one last time. How glad we are that Balthazar decided to come to Linkeroever for a short retreat. They will do that again in August, then towards Lokerse Feesten. Go see that.
Krolse Mata Hari
Sylvie Kreusch (****) had brought her most in heat self to Live /s Live. The Antwerp singer turned the stage into her catwalk. Like a full-fledged Mata Hari with a thin voice, she effortlessly took over the Central Pond.
As if it wasn’t hot enough, Sylvie Kreusch entered in a blood-red evening dress with boa feathers on her arms. That fan was there for dramatic effect as much as for some hopeless coolness. The Middle Pond was her ‘Shangri-La’ for an hour. The five-piece band was positioned compactly in the middle, to give the blonde frontwoman all the space she needed. Sylvie always sings on the edge. Both from her voice and from the stage. Standing still is strange to her. The Antwerp Queen B threw away her sunglasses during ‘All of Me’ and bathed in her own trip. “Thanks, Fuck!” was her appropriate response after so much surrender. Sister and mother Kreusch run the Antwerp city center Hotel O out. But this cathedral of a woman was made to stand on a podium.
If School is Cool can be described as ‘War On Drugs’ clones, then this diva belongs to the Balthazar universe. Thin voice, tight band, worldly songs. ‘Let It All Burn’ did what it promised. But that wasn’t enough for the singer. She stopped the music, calling for everyone to cheer her loudly. Kirrend of so much love she started ‘Walk Walk’. Sylvie almost disappeared in the smoke, only to find the front rows moments later. And to end her most famous song beautifully a cappella. Closing song ‘Please To Devon’ summed up the whole set: sparkling and accurate. While the singer started an Indian dance in heat, the two equally blond background singers also showed that their voice was very good. Top concert.
Antwerp clones
Have a festival with The War on Drugs opened by their Antwerp clones? Good idea, the organization thought. And it still worked. At least, when people hit the grounds at the Middenvijver. Just before the start, the scanning system failed. As a result, hundreds of fans stood drumming at the entrance gates.
School is Cool (***) started out of respite ten minutes later: “I had hoped that you would come pouring in during our first number, and they did”. “Nice start”, said Johannes Genard himself. After ‘On the Halfway Line’ came ‘Run Run Run Run Run’. The hands went together and Genard came loose from his microphone. “We’re going to make you dance,” promised the frontman, who had let his mane grow long. A matter of coming across a little more à la Granduciel. ‘Blue Jeans’ was soaked in keys and the smoke machine was already working overtime. There was a gap between the golden circle and the audience, but School is Cool was able to bridge that gap. Especially because of the efforts of the furious frontman. Genard ran across the stage like a stallion at a trot. Moons in the wind. A warm guitar carpet slid across the bone-dry meadow.
Sinjoren upstairs, thought keyboardist Hanne Torfs, who “was proud to open here in Antwerp”. Closing song ‘The World is Gonna End Tonight’ did what it had to do. Unleash the dancing legs. Job done. And then quickly look for some shade, because the sun was baking fiercely.
