UPDATE: Paris, Bruxelles and other stuff - bulletpoint style

So, with Paris behind me and a lot of stuff in front of me, here's my breakdown of the distant past and the immediate future - bulletpoint style.

PARIS

• Met up with my friend Benjamin of Almost Musique, a great French label/agency that works with Patrick Watson, Bon Iver, Thus:Owls, Ane Brun and many others. And a very amicable guy, too. I got lost in the Metro on the way there, but we laughed it off. He showered me in gifts; 13 promotional copies of the artists he's working with right now. I gave him some cd's from my recent projects and a few others I thought would be worth his time. We'll be working together on some dates early september for his protégés Shimmering Stars, a 50's/60's rock 'n roll band. Lots of echo and breathy vocals involved. Like what you hear? Shoot me an e-mail

• Spending time with my dear friend Hester has been a blast! And will be for the next few days. She's been my friend and accomplice in music and arts since high school, working together on numerous occasions and doing a lot of dancing. She was so kind to give me a place to sleep in Paris. Her great strength: getting to know everyone who's even remotely interesting in music, fashion, psychiatry, art. Even in the short time - 6 months - she has spent in Paris, she's become an impressive spider in a metropolitan web. Hester Velthuis, remember the name!

BRUXELLES

• Hester and I travelled back to the Netherlands together, making a stop in Paris to check out our friends Das Pop. We were lucky enough to be on the guestlist for their album presentation in Ancienne Belgique, the first and foremost popvenue in Bruxelles. The show was fantastic, and the new material on The Game held up really well during the concert. It's such a rarity for a band to keep the attention for 90 minutes, but Das Pop makes it look easy.

AMSTERDAM

So, back in Amsterdam, doing a bunch of things. It's gonna be a busy week.

This is where you'll find me:

- tonight (april 19th)
21.00 @ De Nieuwe Anita, another night of free acoustic behind-bar sessions, courtesy of the wonderful Club Cornflakes. Playing are Ro Halfhide, Case Mayfield and European Daughters. There's also massages, haircuts, tarot readings and others surprises available. Always a good place to go on a tuesday night!

- tomorrow (wednesday april 20th)
the awesome The Benelux (NON Records) are supporting Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ Melkweg.

- thursday april 21th:
another Pageturner (#24) at Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina.
Line-up: Spoelstra (weird-ass analog electro), Spilt Milk (melancholic folk with lyrics by dead poets), Jenny Hval (Norwegian pop princess), Cato Fluitsma (girl with trekzak) and poets Markus Haringa and Florian Kullberg. I'll be spinning records and hosting the evening. Come adn join if you feel like a crazy night of caroussel performance from all four corners of the room.

- friday, april 22nd:
The Netherlands' hardest rocking gentlement De Staat are playing @ Melkweg. The unruly garage duo Death Letters will be supporting. I'll be doing the review for OOR

- saturday, april 23rd:
YEEEEHAAAA I'll be playing De Nieuwe Anita downstairs room with my band Dress for the very first time. Our good friend GRAM will also be playing and presenting her new single. You can listen to her new single on her site Come down and enjoy some cocktails with your rock 'n roll.

- sunday, april 24th:
On the road with Gerhardt. We'll be playing a try-out show at Café Swaf in Hoorn. Yes, I know we've already had our release show. We still need the practice, though.

Well, that about wraps up my last week and the next. Lots of bulletpoints, plenty of hyperlinks.
Enjoy the sun!

cheers,

J.