Record Store Day: Indian Askin and Loupe live

Photo: Wout de Natris

Saturday 22 April was Record Store Day all around the world with live music in record stores all over the world. Karen and I celebrated in Haarlem and visited both record stores. In fact I visited North End for the first time. The store has been chosen as the best record store in The Netherlands some years a go and winds up in the top 10 each year. It's too far away, it's that simple. In search of the shop in the mall I ran into my football hero of old, Willem van Hanegem for the first time in my life as well.

We drove there to watch Indian Askin once again. Nelson Ayala played an acoustic set with a friend accompanying him on guitar. In 2023 there isn't a band any more. It did not survive the pandemic. There is a new single, 'Possessed', see last Sunday's singles post, and new music waiting to be pressed on vinyl scheduled for late September.

Good songs are good, also when played around, in the case, an imaginary campfire. The atmosphere was almost as relaxed as at one. The banter on stage, the little mistakes, the response from the audience, all made the show very informal. Like it should be when in such a small venue. We learned about different tunings of the guitar and that Ayala plays nearly every song in a different tuning, where his companion only had to make sure to remain in tune.

Indian Askin is a band that should be a lot better known than it is. It has the songs and the live shows I saw all were fascinating because they are up to a certain point unpredictable. A song can wonder off, at least for the unsuspecting listener and land on its feet again a bit later. Just like they did in North End: here we go and the solo started or the bridge ended, etc. With a good new single, the band/singer deserves attention, again.

Photo: Wout de Natris

In the afternoon we cycled to Sounds in the city centre and saw Loupe setting up gear in a spot of a few combined stamps at best with people walking straight through the setup the whole time, records in hand. A spotty teenager with 'Roxy & Elsewhere' second hand under his arm? Cool.

Loupe is working towards its debut album to be released in June. The three ex'-Dakota members and a new singer. If someone had told me she is 13 or 14 I would have believed him or her. At the same time she was standing there as if nothing could touch her. Simply enjoying the option to sing and play, where the other three never seemed totally relaxed. I had never been this close to an artist performing not even in my own living room.

The to be released new songs all sound extremely promising. The dreaminess of Dakota is still in place. Loupe is able to mesmerise listeners, even when playing loud. Despite the issues with the sound for the band members, they made the songs come totally alive. The harmonies sounded nice, the great guitar lines came through beautifully and Loupe gives each song a punch at the right moments. Oddly enough, from my position right next to the bass player, I could here everything perfectly. Loupe is ready for the next step when the album is there. We have to be patient just a little longer.

Wout de Natris

You can find and order Indian Askin's music here:

https://indianaskin.bandcamp.com/track/possessed

and Loupe here:

https://thisisloupe.bandcamp.com/album/do-you-ever-wonder-what-comes-next