Personal Trainer live. Paradiso Amsterdam, Friday 10 February 2023

Photo: Wout de Natris

After my first Personal Trainer show I left Paradiso with only one question in my mind: How far can this band go? Despite the chaos, well, only seemingly as the band never fell apart, ending the show's second encore I stood totally, musically satisfied. Personal Trainer was only an inch away from totally letting the venue explode. It is learning its way and undoubtedly getting there.

This was my third Willem Smit - Ruben van Weegbree show. The first one was almost eight years ago, in Rotown (I started my review with the words "Pi day". Little did I know that not much later Canshaker Pi would see the light of day.) Almost three years ago I was present at what would be the final show.

Since then singles and EPs of a new band Personal Trainer were released and found on this blog. "I have to start bending my head a little", I wrote in one of the reviews. Glancing back, I discern that I noticed the band finding its way, experimenting, as well. Willem Smit bending his mind towards a new form, leaving the strictly alternative rock behind him, while submerging and coagulating it into his new music at the same time.

'Big Love Blanket', the band's (perhaps collective or project are better words) first album was released in November 2022 and I did, again, not find my way into it easily. There was so much to digest, even disco rhythms. Strange ballads, huge punky anthems and everything happening in between (songs) it all comes by. The album made my top 30 albums of 2022, somewhere low but kept growing since. Yesterday I bought the LP to support the band maximumly this way.

Photo: WdN

At lights out some bossa nova started playing and slowly the stage started to fill with no less than seven musicians. Things went quiet and there stood the singer with one arm raised. After a "long time" he starts singing "Write a line a day", kicking off the show with the album's title song, with the band singing along, five of seven, building the song up and up, creating a truckload of expectations. All fulfilled and more.

"Look out for a job ,,,, a real one". This line from public favourite 'The Lazer', a truly fantastic song, may just have come true in Paradiso. Being an artist is a real job, as a million things come with being an artist. The mystery that eludes most, is how to make a serious living out of it. What I saw and that is as important as what I heard is a singer who has almost found his stage persona. At this point still more surprised than convinced of the power he and his band have. A sold out Paradiso was obviously new and a great experience. What they did with that opportunity is the most important. About 1500 people went home telling about a great show and that makes it grow into a thousand in the next and the next venues and the AFAS. Will that happen? There's no telling. This is not instantly pleasing music, yet it has the power to move people, to make them sing along in droves. Two important factors to grow bigger already were there: Representatives from most age groups and more than enough girls/women.

Photo: WdN

As I wrote, Paradiso was less than an inch from totally erupting. Playing 'The Lazer' again in the first encore nearly did it. Personal Trainer has it within it and Willem Smit as singer right up front has the ability to truly lead and communicate without forgetting the core of his business: singing.

I witnessed a total makeover from a modest, even shy alternative rocker with a guitar to a shaman to be. The only thing I had to get used to, was being with so many people on a small space once again. The rest: a total winner Personal Trainer is.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and buy Big Love Blanket and EPs here:

https://personaltrainer.bandcamp.com/