The Bullfight: tour dates

Dutch folk noir band The Bullfight have added a couple of shows to their tour in The Netherlands to promote their latest album 81 Bedford St., a soundtrack for a film noir movie that does not exist: "Most soundtracks are connect-the-dots affairs, with a few well-known popular songs and a run-of-the-mill theme that a composer won't lose any sleep over to create to something memorable. Not so for 81 Bedford St. on which the band's resident writer and multi-instrumentalist Thomas van Vliet went above and beyond with a bunch of songs that are closely linked to create a narrative, but also can hold their own and be enjoyed as such. There is jazz, industrial noise, torch singing, avant-garde, pastoral violin driven baroque pop, and much, much more."

The Dresden Dolls: tour dates

Punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls will be on tour in Europe and North America. It has been a while since singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Brian Viglione hit the stage for a lengthy tour, but now that their 2006 album Yes, Virginia… has been re-recorded in full - they named it "tailors version" - the time is right again.

Cape Sleep: show in Utrecht

Dutch indie band Cape Sleep will be playing at the Sally Family Festival in Utrecht on October 17, sharing the bill with This Beautiful Mess (who celebrate the 25ht anniversary of their Falling On Deaf Ears album) and Ponoka & Mensenkinderen.

» capesleep.com

HCTF review of >Video Day

Mouth Ulcers: "Silent Pictures" video

Watch the Mouth Ulcers video for Silent Pictures, the title track from their debut EP: "Suppressed emotions, a longing for a past where things were supposedly better, being vulnerable but afraid to show it, it's the full monty of angst and weltschmertz that can be overwhelming. Disgruntled youths of all ages will love it. Some of them might even make the trip to the guitar shop, inquiring about the pedal they need to have to buy to get that wall of sound."

Wine Lips: Projector

Toronto psych-punkers Wine Lips get straight to the point on their single Projector, having zero patience with folks who heap their troubles upon them instead of trying to work it out themselves. Drummer Aurora Evans had never sung lead before, but she nailed it, without missing a beat or running out of breath with a don't try this at home performance.

Mouth Ulcers: Silent Pictures

photo: Jake Schneider

London neo-goth quartet Mouth Ulcers's bleak outlook on life is quite fitting for the clusterfuck the UK has found itself in. Their Silent Pictures EP follows the paths that were made by bands like Bauhaus and The Cure, using angular riffs on top of a hectic bass that somehow manages to keep it all together. Mix the drums upfront and make the vocals (well, more like spoken word actually) sound a bit distant and presto: a recipe that made headlines in the 80s is still quite tasty.

Suppressed emotions, a longing for a past where things were supposedly better, being vulnerable but afraid to show it, it's the full monty of angst and weltschmertz that can be overwhelming. Disgruntled youths of all ages will love it. Some of them might even make the trip to the guitar shop, inquiring about the pedal they need to have to get to make that wall of sound.

John Watts: "The Worker" solo acoustic 2 Meter Session

Watch John Watts perform a solo acoustic rendition of The Worker for Dutch show 2 Meter Sessies. He is part of the line-up of a show @ Bostheater in Ommen on August 29, sharing the bill with The Prodigal Sons. He takes his New Wave band Fischer-Z on tour again in the Fall to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Maryscoovy: Bizarre Cast of Characters

photo: Kim Schotanus

Between 2022 and 2025 Frysian psych-punk garage Maryscoovy had the opportunity to mess around and play really fucking loud @ Dee Nijverheid in De Westereen, an "anti-squat" building they themselves lovingly referred to as The Rathaus. It was an oasis for creativity and lots of live music. The quartet honed their craft to create a bunch of super tight high energy songs and the cream of the crop is now available on their debut album Bizarre Cast of Characters, aimed all the folks who don't fit in (and most likely don't want to).

Despite flying the garage flag, the band goes way beyond the limitation of "one two three four" rock songs. Things get weird in a good way and there is plenty to enjoy for fans of Pere Ubu, Pixies, and even the doyen of smart tongue-in-cheek avant-garde, Frank Zappa.

Westside Cowboy: Pin Up Boys

Mancunian indie quartet Westside Cowboy have been playing in Up Boys at pretty much every show for year-and-a-half, but never got around to recording it properly in the studio. They tried and tried, but it never really gelled. A semi live take should have salvaged it, but even that take on the classic loud-quiet-loud approach stumbled and fell flat on its back. That is a pity, but rest assured: they will get it right on stage.

Mandrake Handshake: En Vol

photo: Sebastian Garraway

London based psych collective Mandrake Handshake's fascination with being able to fly continues on their new single En Vol, a dreamy trip to the great beyond, with elements of 60s pop and 90s trip-hop working in unison for a successful lift-off. Is it escapistic? Yes? Naive maybe? Sure, but it can't hurt to dream of exploring the universe as Earth itself is not a particularly fun place to be right now.

Remy van Kesteren: on tour in The Netherlands & Belgium

photo: Nick Helderman

Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren has one show left to play in the Summer. He will back on the road in The Netherlands and Belgium in the Fall.

Live dates:

• 07/03 Wonderfeel 2026, 's-Graveland, Netherlands
• 10/07 Theater aan de Slinger, Houten, Netherlands
• 10/21 The New Church, Den Haag, Netherlands
• 10/23 Muziekcentrum Enschede, Enschede, Netherlands
• 10/24 Chassé Theater & Cinema Breda, Breda, Netherlands
• 10/30 Concertgebouw de Vereeniging, Nijmegen, Netherlands
• 11/04 Parkstad Limburg Theaters, Heerlen, Netherlands
• 11/06 The Storm, Winterswijk, Netherlands
• 11/07 Cultuurcentrum Strombeek Grimbergen, Grimbergen, Belgium
• 11/20 Flint Amersfoort,Amersfoort, Netherlands
• 11/21 CC De Warandepoort, Tervuren, Belgium
• 11/28 Theater De Landing, Amstelveen, Netherlands
• 12/01 Schouwburg Tilburg, Tilburg, Netherlands
• 12/04 Posthuis Theater, Heerenveen, Netherlands
• 12/05 Theater Sneek (Noorderkerkzaal), Sneek, Netherlands
• 12/11 PHIL Haarlem, Haarlem, Netherlands
• 12/17 Theater de Meervaart, Amsterdam, Netherlands

» remyvankesteren.com

HCTF review of Live at Concertlab (Unplugged)

The Fischer-Z Podcast: Episode 12 - "No Bohemia' & "Cuban Rain Falling"

New Wave band Fischer-Z have launched a podcast to tie in with their 50th anniversary. In Episode 12 John Watts looks back on the recording of the Swimming In Thunderstorms and Til The Oceans Overflow albums. Special attention for the No Bohemia and Cuban Rain Falling songs. And he discusses the new album X-Ray Serenade once again, which is due for release on September 4th 2026.

Opus Kink: Will It Come For You?

Brighton based sextet Opus Kink sing about something nasty lurking in the shadows on their new single Will It Come For You?. As per usual they mixed up genre-wise, with a New Wave bass, Tex-Mex guitar, a jazzy conversation between saxophone and trumpet, plus dark folk vocals.

Suffice to say that is pretty captivating stuff. The lure of the dark side is always way more fun than playing it straight. Recommended if you like The Bullfight. The video was made by Kyle McCarthy and Reuben Davies Lindley.

hubris.: Death

Swiss instrumental post-rockers hubris. found some solace in the works of Tolkien, wherein elves considers mortality as a plus. Their new single Death grew out of the opening chords that were written by the band's guitarist Jonathan Hohl after his grandfather passed away.

The band have his back all through the raw emotions that found their way into the song, with an ambient coda serving as a send-off. To keep a listener's undivided attention for a little over 8 minutes is no mean feat, but they pass with flying colours. It bodes well for their forthcoming new album White Shores, due for release in September.

Morgendust: The Art of Breaking

Dutch '80s inspired quintet Morgendust did not waste time coming up with a follow-up for their Monuments of Men, which was released only a couple of months ago. The Art of Breaking kicks off with the political lead single High Horse, an in-your-face anthem that is part satire and part serious about the worldwide rise of right-wing idiots, but the rest of the tracks are keeping it closer to home: a nameless protagonist at a party with all the other guests being lonely as well (Can't Escape) and wanting to shut out the outside world to find some peace of mind (Sunblinds).

There is a token ballad about feeling guilty and ashamed (Broke Your Heart), with keyboards acting as a string section, but they saved the best for last. Old One starts out as a gentle song that becomes powerful as the track progresses, a trick that will be familiar to Marillion fans, albeit with more adventurous percussion bits.

Johnny Marr: new album "The Age Of Everything" in October; stream lead single "Spin"

Few guitarists are as recognizable after hearing a single chord as Johnny Marr. His fifth studio album The Age Of Everything will be released on October 2. Lead single Spin finds him in contemplative mood, trying to make sense of all the thoughts that are clamouring for his attention; "Come around now see what's doing // Stick around now see what we done // Getting lost in the thoughts racing from behind // There's too much coming and too much time".

In Loom: Great Start b/w Yellow Red & Blue

Dutch musicians Gijs Kerkhoven (Showdog) and Sander van Munster (No Ninja Am I) have found the time to enter the studio again for another double A-side single. Great Start goes through hills and valleys, with a fuzzy shoegaze guitar making way for dreamy post-rock interludes and eerie bits of dialog that sound like they were captured from a vintage transistor radio. Yellow Red & Blue starts out as a radio-friendly pop song, before making a sharp left into leftfield psychedelica.

It is a 101 for barebones shoegaze, using only a bass, a guitar and a bunch of choice effect pedals to create a sound that bigger bands are hoping for when they want to go back to basics.

VRLCHT: Ode

photo: Alwin van Wijngaarden

Groningen-based noise/sludge/experimental rock band VRLCHT ("verlicht" without the vowels in Dutch) rose from the embers of Slumbercloud, with three of its members honouring the power trio format. They have been working out on new material and their first release will be 5-part piece Ode, a wake up call for those who are still not aware that fascism is on the rise again.

They recorded it live, in one take. The second part is now available for streaming. The whole thing hits the shops on September 4 (vinyl, digital). The LP on marbled red and black vinyl has the exclusive track O.D.E. on the B-side.

Morgendust: High Horse

Dutch '80s rock inspired quintet Morgendust are painting with broad strokes on their new single High Horse, an in-your-face anthem that is part satire and part serious about the worldwide rise of right-wing idiots who only care about themselves while getting filthy rich. To them it is all a game, but the odds are rigged in their favour. It is quite fitting they promote the song with a shiny, gold-plated AI-generated video, creating a fake reality that quite a few people will think is real (seriously).

The Fischer-Z Podcast: Episode 11 - "World Go Round' & "Damascus Disco"

New Wave band Fischer-Z have launched a podcast to tie in with their 50th anniversary. In Episode 11 John Watts looks back on the recording of the This is My Universe and Building Bridges albums. Special attention for the World Go Round and Damascus Disco songs. And he discusses the new album X-Ray Serenade once again, which is due for release on September 4th 2026.