In a few years, psychedelic blues rock band DeWolff will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Originally from Limburg in the Netherlands, the band has been selling out venues for years. On their Dutch tour, they sold out more than ten shows in a row, including Friday 19 December at De Bosuil in Weert.
Limburg band F.I.X. opened the evening, kicking off with the opening track “Freaking Out” with full energy. Singer Jordy Wolfert has a very unique, energetic way of performing. The packed stage limited his room to move, but he made the most of what he had. Drummer Glenny Kraal was not clearly visible for everyone, but his tight drumming could be heard loud and clear. Colin Braam played the Hammond organ here. He is also a guitarist, which he demonstrated in “I am”. Lead guitarist Peer Hartog produced various sound effects. His guitar playing fitted in perfectly with the music.
At times, bassist Dennis Hendriks played an important role in the intro, at other times it was Colin with the Hammond. The songs were varied, and the tempo and volume changes were well played. Jordy’s inspiration was particularly noticeable in “Pair of Hands”. F.I.X. was appreciated by the audience, but people had really come for DeWolff.
DeWolff.
Frontman Pablo van de Poel greeted the fans enthusiastically. He shouted, ‘Are you ready for Rock and Roll? Are you ready for “Night Train”? Both questions were answered loudly with ’Yes!” During both the vocal and instrumental parts, this singer/guitarist made plenty of eye contact with the fans. Luka van de Poel’s drumming was sublime. Robin Piso played his Hammond very energetically, with his organ stool regularly lifting off the floor with two legs. The backing vocalists also danced, and their vocal contribution was excellent. A better opening to this show was hardly conceivable, and the atmosphere was immediately electric.
One of the guest musicians on their new album “Fuego!” is none other than Joe Bonamassa. Pablo made a joke when announcing him, which caused hilarity in the audience. Pablo said that Joe didn’t dare come on stage, but that Robin would play Joe’s part in “The Fan”. Robin filled Joe’s “absence” perfectly. The guitar playing was partly in the foreground. Through non-verbal communication, the Hammond took the lead a little later, giving Pablo a ‘rest’. Now it was drums and Hammond ‘only’, which was also fantastic. Robin went wild, Pablo was now playing his guitar again and stood in front of Robin, they spurred each other on during this extensive instrumental piece. The transition to a quieter piece formed the build-up to the end of this song.
Medley Fuego!
Many songs had various tempo and volume changes. These were played well, and they often received extra applause for them, which was well deserved. The atmosphere changed during the subdued and/or intensely played parts, as was the case in “Restless Man”. The fans were impressed by what these men pulled out of their instruments.
This was also noticeable in “Medley Fuego!” The steady rhythm had a pleasant flow. Slowly, the tempo slowed down, and DeWolff played softer and softer, the (wordless) background vocals melting into the music. The audience was mainly silent during this impressive moment. The sparse lighting on stage matched the mysterious atmosphere. Although this song was largely calm, it was played and sung with intensity.
Rosita
The fans enjoyed everything they saw and heard, and before they knew it, DeWolff left the stage.
In a packed Bosuil, there was loud clapping and cheering, because the audience wanted more. Of course they came back, but before they started playing, Pablo asked, ‘Haven’t you had enough yet?’ ‘Nooooo,’ came the cry from many throats.
With a rough voice, Pablo sang about his baby Rosita. A moment later, he put down his guitar and walked to the edge of the stage, still singing. He nimbly jumped off the stage and sang among the fans. He did so with passion, and when he returned to the stage, he continued to sing with passion. He made eye contact with the fans at the front from very near. He also thought about the fans on the balcony and further back in the hall, encouraging everyone to sing along with him. He sang in a playful way, and people tried to imitate him as best they could.
Pablo thanked everyone and drew attention to the merchandise, giving a few people a gift. Meanwhile, Robin and Luka continued to play gently. After the information about the on-demand printed T-shirts, the band continued the encore. At first at full throttle, but there were also quieter pieces. Until the very last moment, these variations in the music were well played and sung. In short, it was a fiery performance to reflect on. For many, this was the last gig before Christmas, but certainly one to talk about.
