live on IKON radio

Just at the moment I was going to  explain the kids of my groep 8 about topography of North Africa,  my phone rang. This happens rarely because usually my phone is off in the classroom,  but sometimes it happens and then my private conversations are always very interesting to listen to. So the whole class looked at me and listened expectantly when I answered the phone.  They heard me say: "Ehh, yes, sure, no, you don't disturb me at all, yes, I have time to talk to you..." (no idea to who I was talking) I paused for a moment and then  I was very surprised and asked: ". what... TONIGHT?"  The kids started to giggle because, of course, this had to be a  conversation with a GUY (how do kids always know? :)
When I hung up,  all the children cried  "And teacher, with whom you have a date tonight?"
And yes, I had a date! I was invited to play live on the radio that night!

After school I called my friend Auke and we went together to the central library of Amsterdam. The gig was very interesting. It was a live-recording on radio 5 by the IKON and there were some homeless people in the audience. They got their free coffee and tea and listened  for an hour to an interview and I played two of my songs.( I thought one of them was sleeping, but after the show he came to me and told me he liked the music.) It was a nice interview, by the way. Henriette Smit talked with Reint Jan Renes and he told that people might get 160 years old in the future. So what are we going to do with our lifes if we will get that old? Are we able to live togehter for at least 100 years with the same partner?
Anyway, it was a nice experience, although I had to cycle in a NONSTOP rain to get there.
When Auke and I arrived home late at night we had some good French fries with lots of mayonnaise from teh best chip shop of Amsterdam-Noord. I was really hungry. That's what I really am.

Cafe De Doelen in Amsterdam Centre

Café De Doelen is a nice pub in the centre of Amsterdam.
I played there a year ago just after Christmas and I liked  the atmosphere and the bartenders very much. Last night I played there a lot of my own songs but I started with folksongs which I used to sing in the streets.
I thought this cafe was  suitable for British/ American folk music so I sang  covers of Sandy Denny, Simon and Garfunkel and I also played some Leonard Cohen songs.
It was the first time I put this kind of music and my own songs together in one set. I played for almost 1,5 hours, I sang 22 songs and  I felt very comfortable. This gig reminded me of the years that I was busking. At these times I played at least two hours without a break. But I must get used to fingerpicking again, because then the folksongs sounds much better.
I was  happy that my friends Jan en Frits came to listen,  they helped me to manage the PA so that I had a really nice sound and I was very relaxed because there was also a very nice audience.

If you as a songwriter like to get a gig in café De Doelen they expect you to play from 8 pm - 9 pm and after that there is an open mic. (Every Sunday)

It was almost 10 pm when Etienne came by and so I sang a few more songs and then he finished the night with his Delta Blues. I plan to come back next year so that I got into a little tradition to play here 'round Christmas and New Years Eve :) 

Annette Vogel & Auke de Haan - Irish Girl in Paris

Last night I was host at the SWANnight (SongWriters AmsterdamNoord) and I played together with Auke on vibes! We played three songs and in the future we will do more gigs together.

Next gig together will be on januari 28th on a local radiostation ( omroep Zuidplas bij Taste of Music) !

By the way, tomorrownight i will play at Café De Doelen, I will play there some songs of Sandy Denny and Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen,  and of course my own songs at café De Doelen

Sandy Denny covers (incuding Who Knows/ Fotheringay/ Winterwinds /Late N...

DWAZE zaken !

Singersongwriters from Amsterdam and the rest of the world, you all should try to get a gig at restaurant Dwaze Zaken.
First: this restaurant is a really good restaurant, and second: the people who work there are very friendly. Third: it's a beautiful place and there's a very nice atmosphere with a friendly audience and fourth: the location is right in the middle of our  city Amsterdam.
When I arrived at 6 pm, a  girl offered me a drank and showed me the tabel which was reserved for musicians.
I was impressed by the walls and especially by the toilets, look at the pictures how great this is !

most beautiful women's toilet of the world

most beautiful men's toilet of the world

I did this gig together with Gareth Evans-Jones, he played on cajon and did the backing vocals. I felt very comfortable when we first had a good dinner. 

Gareth

Me, yeah

setlist

We had a pretty good sound, unfortunally my brand new guitar didn't work again,( third time I have to fix it but  now I will bring it back to the musicstore and ask for another!) and so I had to play on Gareth's guitar.

After me another Dutch songwriter - André van Egmond sang his songs, he brought a nice bass-player with him and I had a good time listening to his music. 

André van Egmond

medewerkers Dwaze Zaken

So thank you all for this nice concert, I hope I'll be back soon. 

 

christmas tree

past and future performances

Hi there !

I'd like to tell you about some past gigs. Last month I played my songs at several places like the CC café, Voices, Ikea and SWAN.
At the CC cafe I had a nice time with another band and I played my songs with Mick on bass.

I also went to the party of Roger which is always a great party with a group of songwriters. We all play our songs for each other, while the fire burns in his lovely living-room.

I had a performance at the Voices and actually I planning to play alone but at the last minute I decided to invite some songwriters to play with me. So Francesco Ljubica and Gareth Evans-Jones played with me some of my songs: ANNE (The Raga) and By My Side. Here you can watch the performance: ANNE with Gareth and Francesco at Voices

Then I found this a very special gig: playing at IKEA. I went with the Amsterdam Songwriter Guild to the IKEA where I played a whole set on my own and although there was not much audience I really had a great time. It reminded me of me playing in the streets and I felt very happy. I've had a good meal up there and a nice time with other songwriters.

Here are some pictures of me singing at Ikea

Then my last performance was at a SWAN night, last Friday. Normally I open these nights but this time I was the one who played at the end. It was a great night as always and if you would like to read about it (in Dutch) you can find the report here: SWAN Friday December 6

Next performance will be at restaurant Dwaze Zaken; I will play there with Gareth next Monday, December 16th. And I am really happy to tell you I will go with Christmass to Schiermonnikoog, an island in the north of Holland, and that I will rehearse there with some old friends from Groningen. We will play on Januar 31 th in De Kroeg van Klaas in Groningen. I look forward to !

ZAAL 100

Zaal 100

Last night I had a gig in Zaal 100  As a singer-songwriter you should definitely try to get a gig at this place on Monday- night.  Paul van Dijk is a nice guy you can contact to try to get a gig on the  stage at these' Feel Good ' nights ( Goeie Zin).

Paul van Dijk

Zaal 100 is a place where many activities take place , and one of the rooms is a little restaurant. If you play there you will get food for free and a few dranks. Every Monday-night there are three songwriters acts.

I decided to play there my easy listening songs and so this time I would not bam on my guitar . It was the first time in my songwriter career that I was going to play  a whole set on my own. I arrived a bit late but was well received by Paul and his girlfriend Lynn . She immediately friendly offered me a dinner.

 Gijs Hietkamp , a songwriter from The Hague opened the evening . I knew Gijs already,  he also had played at a SWANnight, an open mic which I organize every month . 

Gijs Hietkamp

Gijs has a beautiful voice and is very relaxed on stage . He also plays in his band Barefoot as frontman. I hoped I could play as relaxed as he was. When it was my turn he said to me: “Enjoy your gig !” And I thought: yes, that is just what’s it all about: making music and believe in what you are doing.

 Danalyze came along because we had agreed that we would sing one song together.   Danielle has a beautiful voice and we recorded this song "By My Side" as an ASG-collab last year (with Craig). It was a long time since I had played this song , so it was a little bit tricky,but it went beyond expectations .

I have to say the evening went beyond expectations anyways. I was not very nervous , partly because I really love to play in Zaal 100  , I always experience the atmosphere  as very pleasant . During this gig I noticed that the audience listened to the lyrics and that reminded me that Sâdhya told me I should articulate the words better. So last night  I did my best to pronounce the words clear.

That brings me to the subject of giving and receiving criticism. I will never forget that I once saw on television how a pretty good singer-songwriter was ejected from a contest with the message: "  Your English pronunciation is very  bad, " and then she responded emotionally : " Why has never someone  told me that before ! "

It is sometimes difficult to receive but also to give feedback in a good way.  it should never be the intention to get someone down , every-one should expres their identity  in his own unique way.  But if you want on the stage to show and share your talent or whatever you want to tell the world ,  you may  be expected that you are open to feedback . You don’t have to agree with all of it, just take what you can take.. But how to give feedback to musicians ? Well here is the answer : in a friendly way . You indicate what you like and you tell the things someone could improve in your opinion. That's all. So please do and tell me what you think.

When I presented last week SWAN I sat next to someone who told me : " If you are going to announce the artists you better take the microphone and stand up straight. You present good, so don’t make yourself little. Stand straight. “The way he said this was very natural and felt sincerely. Then I feel like listening to his critics and do what he told me to do.

A few weeks ago I spoke to someone about my Hooker Song ( On the Corner ) . It could be that this song is perceived as rude. He told me this cautiously. Sometimes it’s better to write songs not in such a direct language, but more as a poem.  As a songwriter that's really something to think about. But…So many people, so many tastes and opinions. But if someone is involved in a positive way in what you do , it always feels good to get some feedback.

Now if you might want to say something about the way I play guitar, all your feedback is welcome.  On the guitar , I'm not so convenient , Many, many years ago I've had three months classic lessons. I taught myself to play guitar and now it's really time for guitar lessons. Recently, I have that and therefore there is a world opened up for me. The decision to take guitar lessons came when I played together on the Noorderparkfestival with Florian , a bassist . In advance we had rehearsed once and then  Florian improvised on my song ' the Raga ' ( ANNE ) I wish I could improvise on my guitar as I used to do on saxophone .

I love funk but also I like jazz and world music and I knew a guitarist who plays in a way I really like.   I got already three lessons and just started to exercise major, minor and seventh scales. I played a piece of my song the ' Raga ' and he came up with a few simple ideas that I 'm working on.

gitaarlick bij de RAGA

But let's go back to Zaal 100 . I am happy with this place and I feel happy about last night. I took  the step to play all by myself a whole set , only the last song Danielle sang with me. There were a lot of nice people and the band that played after me was very nice. This band is called Mr. Pulp, with front man Hielke Verkerk and they did a good job.  I think most of us were satisfied when we got back home.

Mr. Pulp in Zaal 100