# Live review & Photo album: Walter Trout, Tommy Castro & the Painkillers and others at Festival Verslag Moulin Blues 2025

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2025/05/14/live-review-photo-album-walter-trout-tommy-castro-the-painkillers-and-others-at-festival-verslag-moulin-blues-2025/
- Published: 2025-05-14T00:03:19+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Line-up: Walter Trout, Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, Ian Siegal meets Johnny
Mastro, The Seatsniffers, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Quinn Sullivan, Andrew Duncanson,
La Perra Blanco, Shawn Pittman, Tad Robinson, GA-20, Les Greene & The Swayzees, 
The Gerry Hundt Trio, Trickbag, Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra, Leif de Leeuw
Band, Big Dave & the Dutchmen, The Freaky Buds, The Lowdown Saints, Doghouse Sam&
his Magnatones, Jo Harman, Doctor Velvet, Truck Stop Cutie.**

![Moulin Blues 2025 (foto)](https://i0.wp.com/711571cc.delivery.rocketcdn.me/wp-
content/uploads/2025/05/Moulin-Blues-20250502-Photography-Marco-van-Rooijen-N9-8943-
002.jpg.webp?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1 "Festivalverslag Moulin Blues 2025 Ospel 1")

![Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen](https://i0.wp.com/live.staticflickr.
com/65535/54515094245_d75758e89c_b.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1 "Festivalverslag Moulin
Blues 2025 Ospel 2")

The most frequently heard topic: the weather. No one had forgotten the heavy rain
of last year. Everyone still remembered the long lead time, which amounted to two
hours.

Waiting, driving meters, waiting, driving meters to the festival site. The help 
of tractors from local farmers to help cars on their way.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

How different it was at the 38th edition. Only very nice weather on Friday, some
rain and cooling on Saturday, you could just sit outside until late.

But anyway, Blues and Roots, that’s what we went for. We’ll leave the weather to
the KNMI.

Put Your Red Shoes and Dance the Moulin Blues. The text on the (once again very 
nice) posters of this year. And indeed, sitting still was certainly not an option.

![](https://i0.wp.com/live.staticflickr.com/65535/54514755936_68e46b01de_b.jpg?w
=640&ssl=1)

**WALTER TROUT**

But first to the ‘winner’ of this episode: Walter Trout and his band. For the fifth
time at the festival, the first time was in 1991 (!!). What a man, what a musician.

Especially impressive how he told a packed tent about what John Mayall meant to 
him and then commemorated Mayall in a beautiful version of Say Goodbye To The Blues.
But his introduction to Courage In The Dark was also one.

[⌊GA-20 | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊GA-20 | Moulin Blues
2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Fortunately, a man who has an eye for what is happening around us in a crazy world
and wishes everyone some extra courage, guts and daring. Trout was candid about 
the battle he had to fight when his life was hanging by a thread. He did that so
openly and sincerely and told it all with a healthy dose of humor and self-mockery.

[⌊Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊
Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

The emotions he also showed when he went into a guitar duel with his son Jon. Clearly
a proud father (and an equally proud son). Very nice to be able to experience. And
of course he had a great band with bassist John Avila, Michael Leasure on drums 
and Richard T. Bear on keys.

It’s typical of him that somewhere halfway through a song in which he pulled out
all the stops he felt 25, at the end he felt 95 and had to catch his breath. Trout
closed nicely with Going Down, the Freddie King classic.

![Walter Trout | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen](https://i0.wp.
com/live.staticflickr.com/65535/54514755936_68e46b01de_b.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl
=1 "Festivalverslag Moulin Blues 2025 Ospel 4")

**REGULAR OFFENDERS**

The Özdemirs. In 2023 they were at Moulin Blues. In 2025 they were not in the line-
up, but they were there. Father Erkan Özdemir (bass) together with his sons Kenan(
guitar) and Levent (drums).

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

They formed the backing band for: Andrew Duncanson on Friday, Tad Robinson and Shawn
Pitman on Saturday. So they were really busy, Kenan a little less so, with Shawn
Pittman he didn’t have to join.

The Ciggaar brothers, Darryl (drums) and Dusty (bass) were also busy. On Saturday
together with Big Dave & The Dutchmen and a few hours later they made sure that 
Ian Siegal and Johnny Mastro came into their own.

[⌊Doctor Velvet | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Doctor Velvet
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

**DIVERSITY in the PROGRAMMING**

The programmers of Moulin Blues had done their job well again. Lovers of the various
movements in blues and roots music all got their money’s worth:

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

**SOULFULL**

The kick-off on Friday afternoon was for Andrew Duncanson. He very recently released
his first solo album (California Trap) and was assisted on Friday by co-producer
Michael Peloquin on keys. Duncanson already has a considerable career. Especially
for many years as singer and guitarist of the Kilborn Alley Bluesband. His style
can be described as soul blues/americana.

That his debut had not gone unnoticed by everyone was evident, as the big tent was
already quite full on Friday afternoon. Duncanson and band (horns, the Özdemirs 
and keyboards) were in good shape. He played many songs from his album. Live he 
reached the level of California Trap with apparent ease. Singing easily, playing
his guitar smoothly and with twinkling eyes he enjoyed himself and we enjoyed ourselves.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

**BLUES and BLUESROCK**

The blues/blues rock lovers got their money’s worth for two days. GA-20 was the 
first to perform for this group. Bluesmagazine colleague Jos Verhagen, unfortunately
unable to attend Moulin Blues, was curious to see how GA-20 would fare in its new
line-up. After all, only guitarist Matt Stubbs was left of the ‘old’ line-up.

[⌊Big Dave & the Dutchmen | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Big
Dave & the Dutchmen | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

It was quickly clear, Jos can rest assured: the band has not suffered. Cody Nilsen
as singer/guitarist and drummer Joshua Kiggans played the roof off. As usual, GA-
20 plays a mix of their own songs and songs from the rich, mainly Chicago blues,
archive. Hound Dog Taylor, Sonny Boy Williamson etc. all came by.

Quinn Sullivan was there early. He is 26 and his first album was released when he
was twelve (!!). Picked up by Buddy Guy, he took his first steps on the blues path.
He had to get going. That was partly thanks to the Spanish fury La Perra Blanco 
who had turned the place upside down for him. But in the end he did just fine. Especially
when the tempo increased after a few slow blues numbers, we witnessed that Sullivan
is a very good singer/guitarist. We will hear a lot more of that.

[⌊GA-20 | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊GA-20 | Moulin Blues
2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Tommy Castro and his Painkillers closed the Friday. Castro knows the ropes, who 
once again conjured up beautiful sounds from his guitar, supported by his experienced
band.

Blues lovers had to be there early on Saturday.
 Big Dave & The Dutchmen kicked 
off at twelve o’clock. Who??, yes, that one: top musicians. Big Dave (Reniers) has
a big name in Belgium, mainly thanks to The Electric Kings. His Dutchmen: Mischa
den Haring (guitar), Roel Spanjer (keyboards), Dusty (bass/guitar) and Darryl Ciggaar(
drums) also have a lot of experience.

[⌊La Perra Blanco | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊La Perra 
Blanco | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

It was a great performance, songs from their recently released self-titled album,
some classics (Spanjer did the traditional Mathilde for example). A super tight 
accompaniment, den Haring and Spanjer who went all out and Big Dave who sang, played
the harmonica and happily introduced the songs. Absolutely great.

A little later the same bass/drum combination, now with guitarist Nick Croes, was
on stage to support Ian Siegal and Johnny Mastro at their show, Siegal and Mastro
already have some Moulin Blues experience and apart from that also a lot of experience.

[⌊The Seatsniffers | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊The Seatsniffers
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

It was enjoyable, almost their entire ‘Easy Tiger’ album was performed bubbling.
Raw, smoky, swampy, growling and buzzing. Siegal called attention to the death the
previous day of Joe Louis Walker, whom he named as a great example and mentor for
him. He was clearly affected by it, too bad that part of the audience barely reacted
to it. An encore was unfortunately not in it.

After that raw blues, Shawn Pittman was on stage with two-thirds of the Özdemirs.
Good wine … etc. What a mastery of the guitar. A bit of a shame that Kenan Özdemir
didn’t play along, as was the case on the recent tour and album My Journey. Pittman
can really do a lot, but with Kenan there would probably have been a bit more dynamic.
But a great performance

[⌊Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊
Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

**We’ve already talked about Walter Trout’s show.**

Between the blues guns Siegal/Mastro and Pittman, Leif de Leeuw performed with his
band. It’s well known that Leif has moved from blues rock to Southern Rock/Americana,
mainly inspired by the Allman Brothers. Extensively spun-out numbers, nice guitar
duels with Sem Jansen. Jessica as one of the highlights. It went down like a treat.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

So, that was the blues. Then we had two more party numbers:

**PARTY IN THE TENT**

La Perra Blanco, Spain. Alba Blanco (29) vocals and guitar, supported by ‘Guille’
double bass, Jesus drums and the name of the keyboardist and saxophone player escapes
me.

[⌊Leif de Leeuw Band | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Leif de
Leeuw Band | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Last year in the Moulin Blues café, now in the big tent. What a wonderfully crazy
person, what energy, what a pounding on her guitar. What a show.

This is a band that comes into its own live. Apparently a large group of spectators
remembered her from last year. When presenter Wouter Celis (aka Doghouse Sam) asked
who was there last year, many hands went up in the air. Fortunately, Celis let us
know that the Spanish for party is fiesta, and fiesta it was. They were also reinforced
by the next party number Les Greene with a Little Richard number.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

That Les Greene is made of elastic, even if you’re not a fan of their repertoire,
it’s unbelievable what stunts he does while singing, somersaults, splits, flying
across the stage.

Not a second of rest, into the audience, getting everyone around him to sit down
quietly. His Swayzees are hardly inferior to him, especially the saxophonist was
in good shape. Drummer Precious had a birthday and gets a cake with candles and 
a balloon from Alba Blanco.

[⌊Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊
Ian Siegal meets Johnny Mastro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Sitting still was not an option with these two bands, who threw rockabilly, rock-‘
n’-roll, hillbilly etc. into the mixer. You name it, they gave it.

**MOULIN BLUES CAFE**

But we’re not there yet: the Moulin Blues Café: That was a long party, surprisingly
nice bands. If this is to be the gateway to a performance in the big tent, Wouter
Celis, aka Doghouse Sam, deserves the promotion with his Magnatones.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

But it already started with a surprisingly good performance by Jo Harman, not with
a trio, but with everything. Good voice, sometimes rocking nicely and hard. Great.
And because Trickbag had gone wrong somewhere along the way, they also played a 
second set.

This Scandinavian company plus a Spaniard had to make do with one performance, which
went smoothly, and the somewhat special form of humor of pale-faced Tomi Leino gave
it an extra touch. We saw Tomi again on Saturday with The Lowdown Saints.

[⌊Leif de Leeuw Band | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Leif de
Leeuw Band | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

There is nothing more English than Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra, the name, 
the outfits, the tongue-in-cheek humor, dry. Rockabilly, country, rock-‘n’-roll,
that is how the organization described this company and that was it. Fun, swinging,
once again standing still was not an option.

The last Friday was Doghouse Sam and the Magnotones. The Moulin Blues Cafe was packed,
the music was loud and good and they are also a very nice company that makes great
music. Nobody left early to go to Tommy Castro. Compliments.

[⌊Walter Trout | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Walter Trout
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

One Belgian closed the Friday, the next opened the Saturday: Truck Stop Cutie from
Antwerp. At first I thought they had brought ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle,
it turned out to be Johnny Trash. They played two sets full of country and Americana,
they had a lot of fun and despite the early hour the spark ignited. Party again.

Doctor Velvet from Amsterdam was seen a bit shorter, sometimes you need to eat something.
It sounded good and looked great too. We will definitely hear more of them.

[⌊Tommy Castro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Tommy Castro
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

The French Freaky Buds got two sets. Damn, what a great band. Raw blues, Lester 
Butler, good interaction, especially by frontman singer/guitarist Max Genouel. Remember
that name. You can find their album Hard Days, Fuzzy Nights on Spotify.

Missed Gerry Hundt Trio, find a good spot in the big tent for the Walter Trout show.
After Walter Trout we went to The Lowdown Saints from Sweden/Finland. They confirmed
what was already clear during the entire festival: good bands, lots of blues and
often good contact between artist and audience due to the more intimate environment
of the big tent.

[⌊Tommy Castro | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Tommy Castro
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

And then I was done. Compliments to the organization, the volunteers, the toilet
ladies, the food tent staff who quickly provided us with food. And to all the artists,
it was a great festival.

**ORGANISATION SATISFIED**

The organisation itself was also satisfied with this edition. Jac Mazereeuw of the
organising foundation: ‘As an organisation, we are very satisfied with this edition.
And we are not alone in this. This was confirmed by the many compliments from both
visitors and artists.

[⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

We are therefore proud that almost 6000 visitors found our Moulin Blues festival.’
Moulin Blues had a VIP arrangement on Friday for the first time this year, especially
for companies. Mazereeuw about this: ‘The VIP arrangement was a success and will
certainly be offered again next year, hopefully with even more enthusiasts for this.’

A target group that Moulin Blues likes to see is the youth. They could make use 
of an extra discount on the entrance fee. ‘More than a hundred young people made
use of this. In addition, among the many volunteers there were many young people
who committed themselves in this way to make our festival a success. In order to
be future-proof, we really need the youth, and we succeeded in doing so,’ says Mazereeuw.

[⌊Walter Trout | Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Walter Trout
| Moulin Blues 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

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