Photo: Wout de Natris |
My first show may have been in 2004 or 05 in the Q-Bus, Leiden (the second as well). Since, I saw the band probably twenty times. This was the first time since the release of 'Hackensaw Boys'. I was surprised about how well these songs stood up and by the album itself, so I found after having bought it at the show.
Over the years, and that includes the years before the blog in the magazine of old, I have written so many times about the band, that it is hard to find a new angle. What I noticed most, was how happy the songs make me. Sure, there are very serious songs as well, but all through the show I felt happy, I had a smile on my face and I noticed that the band and its music had the same effect on all around me. The combination in the songs of these elements, dynamics, sing-a-long, energy and speed of playing, make for a potent show that make people sing and dance. While the serious songs have the quality to convince besides. With singer and guitarist David Sickmen the band has a quality songwriter who knows how to create all these effects in his songs and a lyricist with a story to tell.
Photo: Wout de Natris |
The show opened with a solo performance by Groningen (ex-Meppel) singer-songwriter Timo de Jong. Donned with a golden brown deep voice De Jong sings his songs seriously, but also totally appreciative of the support he is providing for The Hackensaw Boys. He knows he is in the way of the audience and the band they want to see. De Jong placed himself in a brilliant spot by proving himself to be a true entertainer. We were invited to sing along to songs we had never heard before and we did! Not as a courtesy but because we wanted to. He told nice stories in between his songs, introducing himself and the songs. A song about an exploding anthead anyone? Timo de Jong has it.
The songs themselves all were extremely nice. In combination with his extremely pleasant voice, they were easy to listen to and absorb. By the end of his show we were all warmed up and eager to hear more music. In a way Timo de Jong was an ideal support act, because his singer-songwriter, folk, country songs fit the bill, but are not in competition with The Hackensaw Boys in any way. What he did was entertain all present and the response of the audience showed their appreciation of his efforts.
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We went home with the album, our first joint album buy, and it lands really well. Too late for a review but you should have gotten the message that 'Heart At Rest' is very much worthwhile. Our three sons all went home with Timo's name written with a marker somewhere on their body. Don't ask me why. A bit crazy but they had a great time with this music of which two had never heard before.
Wout de Natris
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