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THIS IS WHAT YOU GET when visiting the most solitary big city of the Netherlands for a weekend. We're standing in front of the Vera, one of the most legendary alternative clubs of the country, to see if we've got it right from the newspaper: ARE THE MICROPHONES PLAYING TONIGHT? That would've been a hell of a coincidence: in town for a weekend, and a band we've missed in Amsterdam is playing right here, right now. It turns out luck wasn't meant for us: The gig is cancelled. There you go, disappointed faces in the upper-north of the Netherlands. Can it get any worse? A guy carrying a shitload of stuff is standing in front of Vera and says out loud through the intercom that he's with Voicst; the door gets opened, and as he walks in, he tells us we should come anyway.
After a few drinks in a jazz bar at the other side of the block, we still decide to head to Vera. If the two bands were to share the bill, they probably sound alike. Sounds logical, doesn't it? We get lucky, 'cause we sneak in without paying the membership that the poster on the door said is obligatory. The downstairs bar is half-filled with many young, local alternative kids. The kind of kids I thankfully don't normally see when I go to gigs: This isn't a positive sign. While getting a beer, we check out the instruments. The band's all set up, and we discuss the most likely style of the band. Probably some slow-core, but please, don't let it be another one of those local, creepin' punk rock bands.
The first notes combust with the arches of the small cellar bar. The set starts off with what will soon turn out to be one of the not so rock-outs. The nice melody and angular hooks come as a pleasant surprise. Actually, I'm turning toward a friend and nod as a sign of recognition, "this sounds great." "We're Voicst from Amsterdam," the singer says. As the gig progresses, Voicst starts playing louder and louder. Building up to that point the band really shows off with every song. The trio is self-assured and plays an unbelievable set of strong songs. All noise rock in the tradition of Therapy?. The singer sounds like Eminem fulminating on his mama, in his latest single. The song choruses are catchy as hell and feel like complete relief in the middle of the angular, exciting compositions. The drummer keeps the tight sound together with the melodic bass player, who buys the band beer as a result of his inclination to f**k up once or twice a gig. The songs tend to combine exciting chord changes, melodic lines, and humor. While yelling out loud, the singer gets backed by ha-ha-ha's, pa-pa-pa's, sneering ooooooh's, and talk-throughs. Maybe humor isn't the right description. The songs are meant to be serious, but still contain lighter moments: subtle backing vocals, funny melodies, whispering voices. Voicst is about big rock attitudes, without forgetting it's not the loudness but the compositions. The band seems like a symbiotic come-together of the Beach Boys and Therapy?. Sharp, but catchy as hell. Closing the gig off with a Vive la Fete cover, Voicst completely leaves me stunned. After the gig, the singer/guitar player tells me a split single will soon be released. A split single? Somebody have the decency to give this band a proper record deal and a proper recording budget. The gig's truly amazing.
Now, I'm listening to a four-track demo and pushing the headphones closer to my ears to turn up the volume even more. It's been a long time since I've gotten enthusiastic at a gig of an unknown band. It's been a long time since I yelled along with some singer's lyrics. It's been too long: Thank God for Voicst playing the Vera in Groningen, on what seemed like it'd be a disappointing evening.
http://www.kindamuzik.net/live/voicst/voicst-rocks-the-disappointment-out-of-you/2022/
Meer Voicst op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/voicst
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