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Now in its 31st year, Eurosonic Noorderslag is Europe’s largest international music festival that successfully brings both the industry and punters together for a four-day supersonic maelstrom of emerging music. Fans of new music, and booking agents alike will descend on the pretty University town of Groningen in Holland to discover future festival headliners across the town’s numerous venues.
A cornerstone to the European live market, Eursoonic Noorderslag is a force of nature. It has 400 festival representatives visiting the conference, and over 300 bands and artists will perform across a multitude of stages. Yes it is January, and yes it is northern Holland and brass monkeys cold, but the endless and exciting trek around the town’s busy streets dipping into show-after-show is all one requires to block out the bleakest of weather, not to mention see in the new year in fantastic style.
Gigwise has been bold enough to pick a few fancies from the many just to wet your whistles with:
To start with, Cocaine Piss from Belgium are a band that is maybe dicing with commercial malleability but never-the-less have a name that will surely attract some kind of audience in the initial stages of a career. Besides the curious name, the band is a full throttle Steve Albini produced, noise-rock sort of thing. We can’t wait.
Elle Exxe is a supercharged, diva pop, electro mash-up from Edinburgh. She has ruffled a few feathers lately via an exciting live session on BBC Radio Scotland and winning best live performer at the inaugural Unsigned Music Awards. Her self-released debut album this year was well received by the right people, assuring her a bone fide ‘one to watch’ alert.
The Netherlands is obviously very well represented and each year the Saturday is dedicated to a feast of exclusively Dutch acts as part of the Noorderslag Festival in the town’s grand Oosterpoort venue. The Mysterons look set to shine brightly with their fanciful compote of dream pop and 60s groove-laden psych served with a modern R&B twist. A mesmeric proposition, and the voice of Josephine Van Schaik is a slice of heaven.
Avi On Fire, or Bram Weddorp to his mum and dad presents big-sounding, euphoric pop entwined with an alternative edge that points a little towards MGMT and Grizzly Bear. The tunes are so good, instant and perfect pop one feels Avi On Fire would be equally at home winning a Silver Clef as it would Eurovision. Super catchy.
Softer tones, with controlled rhythms and fixating riffs Klangstof are a band that can hold an audience with spellbinding aplomb. Lots of groups are described as the new Pink Floyd, many would like to be described as the new Pink Floyd. Today, Klangstof, are at least Gigwise’s new Pink Floyd! And they even do Portishead covers
Experimental psych rockers Swedish Death Candy, are not from Scandinavia but thankfully from London - albeit made up from an international line-up that takes in South Korea, Italy and UK. The vibe is loud and fast. A kind of Steve Hillage niceness, that hurtles along at Motorhead speed.
Eurosonic Noorderslag is held in Groningen Netherlands on11/12/13/14 January 2017
