Gig Review: Local Big Shots 3

Last Friday I went to Local Big Shots 3 at de Kade in Zaandam to see some of the local bands. I must admit that due to meeting my friend Derek aka Derman Luger of the Luger Lovers the amount of beers consumed might have been a bit high, thus impairing my judgement a tad.

Ska punk band Ten-Hut had the difficult task to open the evening on the large stage. Somehow almost all young punk bands from the Zaan-area play ska punk: a genre that should have died a gruesome death years ago.
Okay, Ten Hut is getting better musically, but it's still ska punk. Combine that with the fact they talk to much between songs (guys, just because you have a mic before your face doesn't mean you have to share every brain fart with the public) and the fact their lyrics are not especially good or interesting, and you'll know I'm not their biggest fan. People still seem to like them, so it's probably just my loss. (A pointer for some of the skanking kids: try skanking to the beat of the music of the band, not to the music in your head).

Next was Whineward, a band I've seen a few times before. They didn't impress me then, and they certainly didn't impress me now. Sure, the music is all right: at times it reminded me of bands like A Perfect Circle en Queens of the Stone Age. The one thing holding the band back is the singer. He was better than the previous times I saw them, but to be honest, he was still bad, and I don't think he'll ever be good.

I avoided the last bit of Whineward by going to the smaller stage to see Atreides. Another local band I've seen a few times. Nice guys and gal, and definitely improving every time. There's still room for improvement: they should quickly write some new songs, so they can stop playing their first songs. And just like with Ten-Hut there was too much talking between songs. Not every song needs a spoken intro and outro.

Apart from some sound issues, the guitars sounded somewhat unclear, a very nice show from Paralyzed. I've seen 'm so much now, it's hard to say something new...

I didn't catch very much of Yesterday's Fault, the project of Robert (Pane), the organizer of the evening. What I did see, didn't impress me as much as I hoped. Can't say I care much for people smashing guitars either.

I recently reviewed the EP of Furio, as I said then it wasn't as good as their live show is. I was right: their live show kicked ass. Not much else to say about it really, it was fast, dirty and furious. Too bad they haven't any more gigs planned. Someone get these guys some gigs!

Of the last band, Korstkjok, I didn't see much. They're yet another ska punk band from the Zaanstreek, a bit longer around then Ten-Hut. What I saw was ok: they know how to party, but they're definitely no de Hardheid.

All in all I had a great evening. Not every band impressed me equally, but it's good to see so many local bands playing together.