What makes for a great Rockin’ night in the Netherlands? Just take one of the best rootsy rockin’ bands from Holland and let them open for Texas’ Nick Curran & the Lowlifes!
First up, The Rhythm Chiefs. Went to see them quite a lot since i first found out about them. They’ve opened up for the Paladins, Jeff Beck, just to name a few. In my opinion they are the cream of the crop as far as bluesy rootsrock goes. Three piece band which is starting to have quite a loyal fanbase. Dusty Ciggaar, vocalist and guitarplayer always sounds somewhat shy speaking to the public when he talks.. this all fades when he opens up the volume on his Telecaster. No need for a smoke machine on stage there. The Chiefs always take time to honour their own kings. For instance, bluesgiant Freddie King, in this case. Their selfwritten songs from the album ‘Ships of wonder’ have grown on them since they first started playing them live. The title track itself is just an absolute must-hear, this is dynamic playing in it’s purest form. Wow..every, every time, Wow..! ‘I’ll never get out of this world alive’ is their hommage to Hank Williams, one of the forefathers of Rockabilly. 
Absolutely love that one. Raphael, Danny and Dusty are all around 20 years old, that’s what makes it even greater if you think about the fact that they play a lot of songs from people who have passed away ages ago. They keep it alive and add something of their own to it, with slight differences every time you go to see ’em live. The Rhythm Chiefs are not monkey’s playing their trick, they dare to step out to new, greater hights!
‘On a regular gig’, Dusty said, ‘we would do a Nick Curran song, but now….Well, he must still be at his hotel anyway, so fuck it!’ And they blast off once again. I would have gone to see them if they were the only act of the night. If you don’t know them, go find out about them or you’re missing out.
I saw Nick Curran first time last year in the same Club, DB’s in Utrecht, backed up by CC Jerome. After that he battled cancer but he seems to do ok now as he showed us last night. Latest album is called ‘Reform School Girl’.
This time his own full band was with him. Doublebass, drummer, and a boogiewoogie electric pianoplayer. Pianoman Derek Bossanova is at least as wild as Nick himself is, jumping on his piano. I sure hope that wasn’t a rental…! This band is loud and the drummer is even louder. Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to understand (or care) about dynamic playing. Maybe he should have come in earlier to listen to Raphael play. 
On the other hand, Nick Curran & his partners are absolute balls out Rock ‘n Roll so maybe a hardhitting drumstyle suits best. Curran has a beautifully raw voice which matches his great style in guitarplaying. This is a player with a different sound and he is able to play all kinds of styles which he gladly shows. He and his almost identical looking boogiewoogie mate are absolute showmen. And he does his great Little Richard voice with all the Oooh’s and aaaah’s real rockers could want. Very wild and good show!
http://www.myspace.com/curranrock
http://www.rhythmchiefs.nl/
http://www.myspace.com/therhythmchiefs
