Shoegaze & schlagers: Clash of the Titans

Utrecht link

The initial idea was to give a podium to small, unknown bands, says Lenny. There are two conditions for taking part: you must have a connection with the province of Utrecht, and the band must play its own material. ‘The link with Utrecht is reasonably flexible: it’s fine if just one band member lives in the city. The main difference with other band contests is that we don’t have an age limit.’

This year, we had 57 entries. We allow 40 bands to take part in the heats. Lenny and a dB’s employee, who is also a musician, make the selection. ‘He concentrates on the band’s musicality, and I focus on the innovative or unexpected aspects. I love bands that stray off the beaten track. But it can be a difficult decision. Some bands have already produced a complete album, while others just have a self-made video of their rehearsals or a 25-second reel on Instagram.’

Coconuts

Diversity is a decisive factor in the final selection, although annual trends are also visible. Three years ago, post-punk was the vibe, two years ago it was stoner rock and last year, shoegaze. Lenny: ‘This year there’s a surprising amount of psychedelic, jazz and music with influences from the Levant region. This is good. We don’t want to programme 40 alternative rock bands, so acts with a different repertoire have an advantage. In principle, every genre is welcome, including Dutch-language bands or schlagers. I also try to add a few what the fuck bands to the mix. At the end of the day, you want bands that will make you sit and pay attention when they come on stage.’

However, she admits that having all these different genres makes the jury’s job very hard. ‘It’s not so much comparing apples with pears, as comparing apples with pears, coconuts, pineapples and a bunch of grapes.’ The jury often finds it difficult to agree. They have a few fixed criteria to fall back on: musicality, originality, stage presence and potential. ‘We also try to make the jury itself as diverse as possible, so it includes bookers, musicians, journalists, music teachers and keen concert-goers. They give both positive feedback and points for improvement. But they never denigrate the bands, some of which are just novices. The aim is to be constructive and help them on their way.’

Utrecht link

The initial idea was to give a podium to small, unknown bands, says Lenny. There are two conditions for taking part: you must have a connection with the province of Utrecht, and the band must play its own material. ‘The link with Utrecht is reasonably flexible: it’s fine if just one band member lives in the city. The main difference with other band contests is that we don’t have an age limit.’

This year, we had 57 entries. We allow 40 bands to take part in the heats. Lenny and a dB’s employee, who is also a musician, make the selection. ‘He concentrates on the band’s musicality, and I focus on the innovative or unexpected aspects. I love bands that stray off the beaten track. But it can be a difficult decision. Some bands have already produced a complete album, while others just have a self-made video of their rehearsals or a 25-second reel on Instagram.’

Coconuts

Diversity is a decisive factor in the final selection, although annual trends are also visible. Three years ago, post-punk was the vibe, two years ago it was stoner rock and last year, shoegaze. Lenny: ‘This year there’s a surprising amount of psychedelic, jazz and music with influences from the Levant region. This is good. We don’t want to programme 40 alternative rock bands, so acts with a different repertoire have an advantage. In principle, every genre is welcome, including Dutch-language bands or schlagers. I also try to add a few what the fuck bands to the mix. At the end of the day, you want bands that will make you sit and pay attention when they come on stage.’

However, she admits that having all these different genres makes the jury’s job very hard. ‘It’s not so much comparing apples with pears, as comparing apples with pears, coconuts, pineapples and a bunch of grapes.’ The jury often finds it difficult to agree. They have a few fixed criteria to fall back on: musicality, originality, stage presence and potential. ‘We also try to make the jury itself as diverse as possible, so it includes bookers, musicians, journalists, music teachers and keen concert-goers. They give both positive feedback and points for improvement. But they never denigrate the bands, some of which are just novices. The aim is to be constructive and help them on their way.’