Do you ever go to festivals? Or club shows? I can recommend it! It’s my personal conviction that music should speak for itself and shouldn’t need a ‘marketing story’ or a video clip for it to be picked up (call me an idealist), but a good live performance can certainly help appreciate a song to the fullest.

Last weekend, I saw Sam Fender play at the Lowlands Festival, one of the most important festivals in the Netherlands. It was a set full of great guitar songs (logical, with such a name), that were sung extremely well. His band, in the classic guitar-bass-drums setup, was very tight and played with clear enthusiasm. The quartet appeared just as overwhelmed by the crowd’s feedback as I was by the great sound. After the show, the public demanded an encore and, a very rare thing at festivals, they got one.

I already liked Sam’s new single Dead Boys, but this great gig brought it back to my attention, resulting in this recommendation. And my repeated advice for you to go and see bands live. It can make all the difference!

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.