PERSONAL TRAINER, KLITTENS & REAL FARMER
Pavlis goes Dutch and it is good, very, very good.
I was a bit undecided about coming down to NAC tonight. The batteries were low thanks to work and, maybe, a bit too much socialising but then I remembered that, with the exception of late 80s glam-metal bozos Zinatra, I had never seen a bad band from the Netherlands.
As soon as REAL FARMER hit the stage, I am glad I have made the effort. The music brings to mind the jagged post-punk of the likes of The Fall, Pop Group and Nightingales. Vocalist Jeroene’s style combines James McGovern of Murder Capital with Yard Act’s James Smith and touch of Idles rage. Marrit’s bass and Pete’s guitar bring hints of Killing Joke’s Youth and the late great Geordie Walker, respectively. This often sounds on the brink of falling apart - in a good way - but drummer Leon keeps it all together.
The delightfully named KLITTENS bring some dreampop, shoegaze and no wave to their post-punk party. Marrit makes her second appearance of the night so it is no surprise that the bass sounds magnificent. I know it is lazy to compare one female artist to another but Yaël’s vocals channel both Siouxsie and Kim Gordon, whilst the music brings to mind the likes of Slits, Breeders, early Sonic Youth and UT. That said, there’s also some Joy Division/early New Order in there too and Winnie brings some Dinosaur Jr with her guitar breaks. If I have to be brutally critical, my attention wanders during some of the more jangly moments but 70% of the set - if not more - is really rather good.
PERSONAL TRAINER take to the stage to an intro tape that sounds like a particularly deranged theme song for a 70s kids’ TV show and things don’t get any more normal once the seven piece start playing. I really don’t know how to describe them but, at various stages during the evening, my notes reference the disparate likes of Talking Heads, Of Monsters & Men, Elbow, Arab Strap, Bran Van 3000, Beatles, ELO and Hawkwind. If that makes it sound like a complete mess, somehow it all pulls together to make a wonderful racket. I guess the closest comparison is Warmduscher but Personal Trainer are so much more than that implies.
Vocalist Willem Smit cuts a gloriously eccentric figure, taking the old adage, dance like nobody is watching and maxing it out. Franti Marešová (guitar), new boy Mart (guitar and sax), Abel Tuinstra (keyboards/trumpet) and Kilian Kayser (percussion) aren’t afraid to bust out their moves either. From where I am stood, bassist Ruben van Weegberg and guitarist-turned-drummer Leon Harms (also of Real Farmer) appear more restrained, although that may just be because I can’t really see them, but hold down the groove superbly.
I suppose, when all is said and done, Personal Trainer make joyous pop music. Unorthodox it may be but by ’eck it’s glorious.
