Who? McScallyWag
Where? Cleopatra
When? Wednesday 11 January, 11 p.m.
For Tom Kootstra, playing at Cleopatra is like playing a home game. The communication and information sciences student also works as the student association’s building commissioner. With the eight-man band McScallyWag, guitarist Kootstra plays robust folk punk with Irish influences. On 9 December last year, they put out their debut album Dirty Water. It may have been coincidence, but their release party also took place at Cleopatra and they brought the house down. So Wednesday promises to be a good evening as well.
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Who? Arch Origin
Where? Club &ZO
When? Thursday 12 January, 2:45 a.m.
Arch Origin is the next big thing to come out of the lively Groningen drum ‘n bass scene, which has Noisia as its most well-known representative. Daniel van Mourik, European languages & cultures student, already played internationally at Hospitality in London and Misfits in Antwerp, using his DJ name. He was also the supporting act for Pendulum. In January, his debut EP Value Shift is coming out, and he hopes to break through in 2017. Night owls with energy can go to Club &ZO on Thursday morning. It’s a guaranteed good time.
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Who? Kinoo
Where? Café De Walrus
When? Friday 14 January, 9 p.m.
Tjesse Riemersma, philosophy master’s student, is well-known in the Groningen music scene. He used to be the frontman for Sprokkelhout, but now he plays with Baby Salad and Kinoo. Riemersma will perform in De Walrus with the latter band on Friday evening. ‘Kinoo makes krautrock, and our songs are quite personal.’ The recently released Corner/Grips evoke the likes of Real Estate and Ultimate Painting. So the fact that the band opened for the latter in Vera last year worked out pretty well. The band itself says that performing at Subbacultcha was their highlight of 2016. And in 2017? ‘In February, we’ll be putting out a video for our second EP, Categories. After that we’ll be working hard on our live set and we hope to participate in the Popronde in the autumn.’
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Who? The Blind Roofers
Where? Nachtcafé Warhol
When? Friday 14 January, 11 p.m.
Should anyone ever sue The Blind Roofers, they can always count on Karel Harms. The 25-year-old keyboardist is working on his master’s in criminal law, but combines it with playing music that is being called ‘damsterdelta’. ‘It’s what we call our music style: a mix of Americana, classic rock, and country.’ In 2014, the quartet won the POPGroningen Talent Award and in 2016, they released their debut EP, Lost in Wander. In 2017, the band wants to take further steps in their development. ‘We’ll be releasing a new single somewhere in February!’ Fun fact: frontman Antonie is Karel’s younger brother by eighteen months.
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Who? Orange Skyline
Where? Grote Markt
When? Saturday 15 January, 3 p.m.
‘Eurosonic is during the exam period, so I’m pretty stressed’, Stefan van der Wielen says, laughing. The arts, culture, and media student is facing an exciting year. He hopes to finish his bachelor and to finally break through with Orange Skyline. The band, which also played at Concert at Sea and opened for Kensington during their Ziggo Dome performances, will release their debut album The Things That I Hide on 14 January. Radio station 3FM turned the album’s first single, Sound and Fury, into a big hit. The day after their album drops, the electronic, danceable songs should ensure that the audience in the tent at the Grote Markt won’t be able to start dancing. Frontman Van der Wielen sees Eurosonic as a personal test: ‘If I manage to combine studying and performing now, the rest of the year will be fine as well.’