On my way to the Hoge Stoep Festival, I heard a voice that strongly reminded me of Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. “Oh, that’s great,” I thought, “it hasn’t started yet.”
Upon entering the tent, however, it turned out to be Ralph de Jong, who was already playing in full swing with his band. Throughout the performance, that typical Stones feeling repeatedly overwhelmed me. We were treated to a beautiful version of blues-rock.
Chiron Schut’s restrained guitar playing, in particular, provided a nice contrast with Ralph’s expressive character. Chiron is a truly exceptional guitarist.
Ralph’s expression during the performance also spoke volumes. Well past his allotted playing time, he received a well-deserved and hearty round of applause.
The beauty of the Hoge Stoep Festival is that bands are given ample opportunity to showcase themselves. They have over an hour and a half to entertain the audience. And entertain them – that’s exactly what the next band did: Brave Rival.
Recommended by a musical friend, the festival had managed to bring this British, blues award-winning band to the Netherlands. They were currently breaking records in England, and their schedule was packed. In a sweltering tent, Brave Rival delivered their powerful rock, infused with blues and spectacular vocals.
Eye-catcher Lindsey Bonnick was in top form, but the warmth and passion she brought to her singing took their toll towards the end of the performance. Fortunately, attentive spectators fanned her to keep her cool.
Supported by the power trio Ed, Donna, and Billy, the pace remained brisk. There were occasional breaks, where guitarist Ed Clarke’s talent was fully showcased.
Whether it was raw, ripping, or a subdued ballad, he mastered it all. Brave Rival played in the Netherlands for the first time and undoubtedly won over many new fans with this performance.
Later that afternoon, there was a brief opportunity to ask singer Lindsey and drummer Donna a few questions about the departure of co-singer Chloe.
Donna explained: “The decision to continue was an easy one. With a few adjustments, we were able to continue with the existing repertoire.” The new album, due out later this year, is based on the current quartet. “We’re really looking forward to continuing touring with them.”
Judging by the new track “Wild Child,” it promises to be another spectacular album.
Krissy Matthews – also from England – then brought a completely different sound.
While Brave Rival’s performance was characterized by tightly constructed songs with a beginning and an end, Krissy regularly let loose.
He burst into long, drawn-out, extremely varied solos, expertly supported by his Polish bassist and Belgian drummer.
A pleasant surprise was the performance of his manager, Stephanie Doherty, who, using a bass saxophone, provided three songs with just that little bit of extra variety, making Krissy’s performance an unexpected highlight.
Krissy was relaxed and played songs from his recent album Krissy and Friends, such as the slow blues “Why Are You Ashamed of Me” and the Catfish Blues-inspired “Queen.”
He freewheeled like only Krissy Matthews can.
As a grand finale, Lindsey and Ed from Brave Rival returned to the stage for a fantastic jam. The inevitable musical duel between Krissy and Ed was highly entertaining – both men truly pulled out all the stops.
Initially, I intended to go home a bit early – yours truly was leaving for Cork on Sunday for the Joe Bonamassa & Rory Gallagher tribute performance – but the joy of playing and the irresistible sounds of Doghouse Sam & His Magnatones (Franky Gomez on drums, Martin Ubaghs on bass) kept me at the festival.
Doghouse Sam, with their rock ‘n’ billy blues, is a unique combination. After years of absence, they’ve thankfully found their way back to the stage. Their infectious blend of blues and rock ‘n’ billy, the fantastic drummer on his mini drum kit, and the impressive stand-up bass make a Doghouse Sam performance an unforgettable experience.
For the breaks between performances, the Belgian trio Gutbucket provided the musical entertainment.
This Belgian Blues Award winner perfectly fit the atmosphere of De Hoge Stoep; you felt like you were in the Mississippi Delta when they launched into their Juke Joint blues.
The Hoge Stoep Festival offered a beautifully diverse mix of everything the blues-rock spectrum has to offer.
The meticulous organization, combined with the Brabant atmosphere, completed the whole experience.
