Tag: Groupo Des Cargos

Gigs From Abroad Part 16 – Eindhoven and Den Bosch

On our lad’s trip in 2018 a decision was made to return to the Netherlands and to the city of Eindhoven. It is the fifth largest city in the country and its wealth was initially built on textiles and tobacco before two significant companies DAF Trucks and Philips were founded there. The latter firm’s name is referenced in their famous football club PSV (Philips Sport Vereniging) Eindhoven. It has a large student population and contains the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, a classical and pop music venue which is renowned across Europe for its excellent acoustics.

On our traditional Day 2 jaunt we traversed over to nearby Hertogenbosch, which translates as ‘the forest of the duke’. It is known locally as Den Bosch and is the established location for an annual high profile grass court tennis tournament and it also staged the start of the Tour De France in 1996. It is a bonny city with a plethora of bars and hostelries and a protected townscape with ramparts which surround most of the boundaries. The ex-Man United footballer Ruud Van Nistlerooy started his career at FC Den Bosch and famous previous residents include the scholar Erasmus, artist Heironymus Bosch and one of the finest ever female cyclists, Marianne Vos.  

As we exited the train station, we were instantly approached by one of the locals with the leading question ‘are you here for the festival?’ for which my ears perked up. My ears reduced to semi-perk state when informed it was a jazz festival which is probably my least favourite genre, but my gig addiction was piqued by the possibility of unexpected bonus venues forthcoming!

Den Bosch Festival. Image Credit denboschtips.com

It is the ‘free jazz’ style that doesn’t personally move me and can in fact be a tad nurofen inducing but I am more conducive when it is incorporated in a more blues domain synonymous of what I would imagine would be played in a Bourbon Street bar in New Orleans.

However, we took advantage of the festival hitting the town and our first venue was Den Bosch Stadscafe Basiliek which is a cosy brown café located near St Jan’s Cathedral with a comprehensive choice of beers. They regularly have live music and we saw a band under the name of Paul Sproetska. We then headed over to Den Bosch Kerkplein where a combo called Groupo Des Cargos were playing. The next site was at a square at Den Bosch Minderbroedersplein where they had an outdoor stage and performing there was Zwerm Koeien.

At this point in time, we had an attack of the munchies so decided to obtain some food from one of the numerous stalls dotted around the large expanse of Den Bosch Market which is surrounded by many grand old buildings including the 14th century Town Hall. Located at the market was the festival’s main stage where you expect the red letter acts to be performing. However, whilst we were awaiting our tucker, we were comprehensively underwhelmed by the Stark Linnemann Quartet who are comprised of 75% Dutch and 25% Greek origin.  

Our final performance was at Den Bosch Uilenberg where we witnessed the Jurgen Burdorf Band. Jurgen has crossed over into many other genres in his career including indie pop, 1960’s musicals and has also played mandolin in a Dolly Parton tribute show. The entire festival had an inclusive relaxed vibe about it and was well attended. In the last pub next to the train station, I recall the FA Cup Final being on in the background with Chelsea defeating Man United in that year’s final.   

Cafe Altstadt. Image Credit thisiseindhoven.com

We returned to Eindhoven in the evening and visited Eindhoven Alstadt which was located next door to a terrific rough and ready rock bar which we frequented both evenings and where they had a fine noisy jukebox.

The Alstadt is a lively bar and was funded from January 2017 by the Performing Arts Netherlands to become a Core Stage live music venue and has acts on most nights of the week and is open until 4am at weekends.  On the night we visited a soul band called Herman Brood Academie were playing who are named after a music college in Utrecht.

On our return day on the Sunday, we had two-star spots, the first being when a couple of the chaps espied the actual Hollies in the hotel breakfast area in the morning. Following that at the airport there was a further double take when we saw the darts legend Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor who had been competing at an exhibition event in the area and subsequently got on our flight and was sat in the row adjacent to myself.

Phil Taylor. Image Credit Sky Sports.

Definition of a Gig and a Venue?

If you are anything like me, I am sure you periodically cogitate on the meaningful questions in life such as: –

How did I get here?

Where does that highway go to?

What is your favourite flavour of bonbon? – For the record mine is Toffee (the white ones) though the Vimto ones run them close.

Image result for picture of toffee bonbons
I was struggling for an inspired picture this week, so I have selected a bag of bonbons for you! Image credit moresweets.co.uk

However as this is a musical related blog, today I am going to consider the two tricky conundrums, what is the definition of a gig and of a venue? This has sparked numerous debates with friends in many taprooms in many towns over the years and what follows are my thoughts on these vexing questions.

Looking at the Oxford English dictionary the definition of a gig is ‘a single performance by a musician or group of musicians, especially playing modern or pop music’.

In my early gig going days I was very rigid in my interpretation of a gig in that I had to be actively intending to attend a gig beforehand to add to the list and would not count any random walk up gigs e.g.  a band on in a boozer where I have gone for a cheeky libation. As time progressed, I gradually revised this opinion leading me to cast my memory back to recall earlier gigs which met this criterion, however I am sure I am still missing a few, which shall forever be known as the ‘lost’ gigs!

Does the gig have to be a certain length of time or number of songs? I don’t personally adopt this approach as to me any length of time playing on a stage constitutes a gig, thus applying the principle of a single performance outlined in the dictionary definition above.

An anecdote springs to mind here as a couple of years ago the annual lads trip ended up in Den Bosch via Eindhoven in Holland and unexpectedly there was a Jazz Festival in full flow. One of the lads Hughie at that stage was endeavouring to attend 50 gigs in his 50th year and his strict definition was that a gig had to constitute a full five songs. Now Jazz is one of the few genres I have never really embraced, a sentiment that was shared by the whole group but a gig geek like me does not turn away a gift horse of bonus gigs like that! Thus, we were stood beer in hand at one of the stages watching ‘Groupo Des Cargos’ whose fifth song was an absolutely epic opus with at least a couple of false endings. The roar that greeted the end of the song attracted very bemused looks from the band!

Image result for den bosch jazz festival pictures
One of the stages at the Den Bosch Jazz festival. Image credit denboschtips.com

Is there an argument to say a gig should only count if you pay? I again do not embrace this ethos as you would miss out on a plethora of fine bands in a variety of settings outside the accepted norm.

In relation to outdoor Festivals such as T in the Park, I would count as one gig and one venue as it is in an enclosed outdoor setting though may have several stages. I would always count bands individually so may have 20-30 listed over a whole weekend.

However, I apply a different principle to other wrist band events such as the Dot to Dot indoor festival which involve bespoke venues, so I have been known to undertake 20 gigs and conversely 20 venues at these events.

Now, this might be a controversial one. If I go a separate individual area in the same venue, I count these as individual venues. As an example, I once attended Chorlton Irish Club and there were bands playing in the upstairs bar, downstairs bar and a separate acoustic room at the front so three venues in total were counted.

If a venue is refurbished or changes its name, I will only count this as one venue as it is the same floor space just under a different moniker!

Now, over to you as I would be fascinated in your thoughts on my personal guidelines above and whether they mirror yours.