SPLINTER + VUG

In the organizer's words:

BIRTH OF JOY and DEATH ALLEY, two of the best Dutch live bands, played one last tour together and fell apart. How close "birth" and "death" sometimes are, is also shown here. After the tour, parts of both bands reunited in the rehearsal room and formed SPLINTER. The debut album was released via Robotor Records, the label founded by KADAVAR, who then found too little time in addition to their own band activities and thankfully recommended the band to Noisolution. We didn't have to think twice...

SPLINTER question everything musically and throw their preferences and influences together. Danceable, sleazy, full of pop and yet still a fierce heavy rock album. Much is reminiscent of the late 80s, when rock flew apart in all directions, disoriented but full of ideas. Punk was over, wave was over, metal was coming, alternative rock was knocking on the door... SPLINTER have a bit of everything. "Heavy rock 'n' roll" is pretty accurate. Sometimes I also refer to the punk foundations of the band, because it's cheeky, defiant and unorthodox," says singer Douwe Truijens.

The biggest difference to the debut album is that Mario Goossens (drummer of Triggerfinger) was brought in as producer for the new record and that a lot of time was taken to write and record it. "Very unique is the punk sound with a Hammond organ and the energy and dance-moves of the singer" says Douwe with a smile "to me it's very important that the songs are catchy and danceable. I always love bands that have that. It doesn't have to be soft music to be poppy, it can still rock heavily and make your hips swing."

Songs like "Velvet Scam" or "Bottom" get the disco ball spinning, while "Every Circus Needs A Clown" leaves more room for duels between guitar and organ. Cheeky, defiant and unorthodox, they move between styles. And they sort themselves between Blondie and Iggy, Viagra Boys and The Who, Hanoi Rocks and Killing Joke. A contemporary and fresh retro rock album that is danceable, grooves, rocks but above all is fun and heralds a fantastic live band!

The artwork is also a clear nod to pop and pop art and is reminiscent of Warhol or Lichtenstein. The Banana Man shows what today's role models of the world are: "just fruits in suits". Political leaders and so-called influencers are "role models", smartly dressed, but empty and disposable. All plastic, all fake, image instead of message and appearance instead of content. These were also the cues that were given to the AI that created the image instead of a graphic designer, as Douwe enthusiastically explains: "Suddenly the following phrase came to mind: An Andy Warhol style banana wearing a three-piece suit. I typed it, pressed enter, and... there it was - exactly what I was looking for. A super strong image, a bit silly but very recognizable." And perhaps the artificial intelligence has more to offer after all, because suddenly the links to all pages became visible: "What I find very cool about the image is that it is a modern-day version, or let's say our variation, of the Minor Threat bottled violence image. The only difference is that Minor Threat criticized other punks with their image, while we criticise the mainstream elite."

VUG

A very short name for a band that has been around for a long time. And it has been known as an insider tip in a scene that is small but international and all the more lively for at least as long. But good things take time and with VUG it quickly becomes clear where the journey is heading: 70s heavy rock, but raw and dark. Blues rock meets proto-metal. There is a clear nod to the past, but the band with roots in the USA and Berlin is not just "another 70s band". They have created their own style. A dark rock that reveals a breathtaking play of colors and all kinds of different structures inside - just like a "vug". The band's music is no less multi-layered.

Price information:

plus advance booking fees