Shikari, Spirit 84, N.B.P. @ Simplon, Groningen 10 December 1999

Michael: That dutch flag on the Spirit84 guitar-amp…
Bas: This first gig was a good reason to start drinking 

From the old bacteria.nl website: Youthcenter Simplon is doing an effort promoting ‘smaller” and hardcore bands. So this time we have three Dutch bands on a Friday night. The concert won’t take place on the usual stage but on the floor. This makes the room for about a half smaller which means a better atmosphere when there’s not too many people. At around 22.30 when Shikari starts, I’m astonished to see the place filled. Eventually there’s more than 100 people! Most faces I’ve never seen before. As for Shikari, I’m not objective. This is the first concert and as far as I can judge, the sound sucks. At least from behind the drumkit. In between songs it’s mass applause. Weird. Normally I’m used to screams, insults, cursing, beerthrowing and other offensive appreciations in between songs. I must admit the average visitor looks like the perfect son-in-law (yes, it’s mostly males), excuisitely and neatly dressed. Obviously with behaviour to match. I’ll get used to that. After 20 minutes of sheer posing and emo-forging, we call it quits. Take it away N.B.P.! Too bad it’s boring crossover (that’s punkrock, metal, new-oldschool…pfff, whatever mixed) from Overijssel. Musically it’s well played with 2 guitars but it drags on for almost an hour. Lyrically there’s stuff about backstabbing and being tough. Hmm. Spirit 84 gets the crowd moving. I was told they are the successors of youthcrew band Mainstrike. Already released a CD on the (in)famous Good Life label in Belgium. First 6 songs are sloppy uptempo youth of today songs. Afterwards more catchy midtempo hardcore parts in the vein of Gorilla Biscuits. I love that kind of stuff. They have great guitarsound as well. Then I notice a goofy sticker on the side of the guitarist’s amplifier: the word “straightedge” with a Dutch national flag… What the fuck?!! It’s getting crazier every year. Khrsna, hardline, christianity, nationalist straightedge. What’s next? I think I don’t want to know. 

Shikari (Groningen, The Netherlands)
Spirit 84 (The Netherlands)
N.B.P. aka Not Born To Participate (The Netherlands)