Best Kept Secret 2023 blokkenschema dag 3 - zondag 11 juni 2023

Few, if any, can do this as well as Kurt Vile: sing a song as if he’s making it up as he goes, yet somehow end up with something timeless and profound. Vile’s instantly recognizable deadpan sits at wonderful odds with his twangy guitar playing, penning meandering jams that often meditate on the very process of penning meandering jams. In doing so, he expertly spreads his hypnotic frequency to audiences everywhere, 'all in a daze work.'

Next to being a Grammy-winning, global pop star, Mali’s Oumou Sangaré has achieved as much of her renown through her activism and philanthropy. Her latest LP ‘Timbuktu’ has her return to her formative years with newfound wisdom, displaying the incredible superpower to lock into any groove at will. Indeed, Sangaré’s floor-filling Wassoulou flavored takes on disco, folk and modern pop can spark any audience into a full-blown frenzy.

Christine and The Queens – now going by the moniker Redcar – has made pop star fluïdity his ultimate calling card in both persona and performance. We at Best Kept Secret feel blessed to have witnessed the magic of this world class vocalist and dancer before, an artist constantly reinventing the iconic into the present. As Redcar, he will outshine the very spotlights again, bursting with funk, romance, vulnerability and flair.

No experimental electronic artist has had as big an impact on popular culture as Richard D. James. Like some twisted glitch in the system, his influence has spread far afield, from rave culture to mainstream pop to the avant-garde world. There's a different Aphex Twin for whomever you ask about Aphex Twin: the spirited sound sculptor on Selected Ambient Works 85-92, the wayward techno pioneer, or the man with the devilish grin on the iconic 'Windowlicker' and 'Come To Daddy'. As his set at Best Kept Secret will prove, Aphex Twin remains as elusive and brilliant as ever.

BKS is proud to present the collaboration between Sarah Neutkens and Kamerata Zuid! Experience the fusion of creativity and innovation as Schouwburg Concertzaal Tilburg and BKS bring together the dynamic Dutch composer, model, artist, curator, and writer Sarah Neutkens and the renowned and genre-bending orchestra Kamerata Zuid. This exclusive collaboration is a must-see performance on the last day of the festival, offering a unique and unforgettable 'Sunday Service'. Last year, the venue was blown away by the intense show of Belgian doom metal icons Amenra, but this year, get ready for a multi-faceted spectacle with compositions arranged specially for BKS by Neutkens. Don't miss the chance to witness Tilburg's finest, Kamerata Zuid, in action.

How many post-punk bands can evoke both Tolstoy and Andrew Lloyd Webber in a single song? Crack Cloud wasn’t born out of bored art school students, but as a fight-or-flight necessity to use art to break the cycle of addiction and mental illness. More a movement than they are a band, they go the opposite direction from many of their peers, leaning fully into the grandiose, maximalist stylings worthy of a Brazil dream sequence.

Julia Jacklin induces both tears and smiles within even the simplest chord change, cheekiest verbal quip and subtlest swell in intensity. If one word could encompass her work, it's heart: her songs feel both urgent and lived in, carried by spells of deft daydreaming and time worn wisdom. Her latest album PRE PLEASURE contains songs of ageless beauty, from the sweeping "Love, Try Not To Let Go” to the achingly gorgeous "Too In Love To Die".

Not many artists had the type of year Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner had in 2021. She not only released her breakthrough album 'Jubilee', she became a New York Times bestselling author for her memoirs 'Crying at H-Mart', and on top of that, scored the videogame 'Sable'. As one of indie rock's premier world-builders, Japanese Breakfast shows strike that sweet balance between grand theatrics and fun quirks.

It's never too late to try a little tenderness, and Arlo Parks's music has been the definition of just that. The Mercury Prize-winning artist has an unmistakable talent for evoking universal themes in an easygoing, unflappable mix up neosoul, alternative pop and triphop. Indeed, Parks performs songs that make the introverts among us feel comforted and seen.

The Mars Volta are like a mystical organism that stretches the parameters of what's possible in guitar-based music. Tumultous psychedelic jams, taut math punk forays, or what about prog rock and free-jazz journeys that reshuffle the very canon of Latin-based music itself. Indeed, anything goes with Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler Zavala. Seeing The Mars Volta is believing The Mars Volta.

You had to have been living in a cave if you didn't hear Röyksopp's breakthrough hit "Eple" at least once in your life. Indeed, when "Melody A.M." came out, the Norwegian producer duo immediately carved out a signature electronic pop sound: the kind that feels like taking a breath mint on a bright blue winter day. Röyksopp haven't stopped innovating since: at Best Kept Secret they bring the perfect blend of nostalgia and newness.

Emptiness can do two things: instill a jaded bitterness within, or spark the thrill of new beginnings. But then there's MICH, the kind of nonchalant cool outfit that traces emptiness like a somewhat amusing rollercoaster ride. Indeed, their infectious mix of post-punk, wave and shoegaze is tailor-made for Amsterdam's always bustling nightlife. But MICH's mysterious bon vivant noise pop works wonders at Best Kept Secret as well.

Brighton’s Lime Garden garnered plenty of buzz on the other side of the channel. Indeed, every song is inventive, danceable and tastefully arranged, with just enough weird elements to keep it interesting. They themselves coined it as 'wonk pop'. Lime Garden are never too naive about the fun factor of playing in a band, their tunes imbued with a cool detachment and je ne sais quoi. Also, Paramore's Hayley Williams is a fan.

On acclaimed debut ‘925' North London’s Sorry became a modern-day poster child for Sonic Youth-ish alt rock swagger. As far as about-faces go, 2022 follow-up ‘Anywhere But Here’ could be considered its introverted sibling; a mystifying, minimalist impression of inner-city paranoia and dysfunctional relationships. As both captivating storytellers and spry provocateurs, Sorry will leave you utterly Starstruck.

Jockstrap is the floodgates of pop music opening up. Addicting hooks, drill-inspired breaks, wonky strings and dancehall-inspired bass assaults, Jockstrap reality-bend familiar sounds into their own distinct pocket universe: one where the bizarre becomes ultra catchy and vice versa. Their shows are a ballroom blitz of eureka-moments that tend to leave an unforgettable impression.

Every once in awhile, a band from New York emerges that feels bigger than just a band; a lifestyle maybe, or an out of body experience. We've felt it with Blondie, and two decades later with LCD Soundsystem as well. Nation of Language are very much cut from that cloth: their new wave stylings emit a grand cinematic scope that feels singular and special. After breaking out during the pandemic, Nation of Language finally meet the hungry masses.

Alvvays's latest gem 'Blue Rev' has become an instant classic in the indie rock-verse: an all-killer, no filler exercise in fuzzy melodies, irresistable hooks and eruptive playing. It's the sound of an already great band reaching that rare galaxy brain peak, bursting out tunes that encompass opposites like joy and pain, soft and harsh or sweet and sour with the flick of a wrist. Too late to stay out, too young to stay in, that'll be Alvvays in all its frantic glory at Best Kept Secret.

Surf Curse once took the main stage at Coachella dressed as the cast from The Wizard Of Oz, which tells you all you need to know about this fun lovin' bunch. The quartet focuses all the best traits of Wavves, The Drums and Japandroids into hook-laden punk nuggets; the kind you can mosh and sashay to in equal measure. If you ever wanted to scream lines like 'I look like shit and I feel even worse' with euphoric abandon, now's your chance!

When you call your latest album 'Hyper Dimensional Expansion Beam', being subtle isn't exactly your forte. The trio of King Shabaka, Danalogue and Betamax are happily obliged to take you to the outer edges of cosmic jazz, Caribbean-styled breakbeats and sprawling club sounds. Commanded by Shabaka's piercing sax attack, The Comet Is Coming bring a joyous exodus of maximalist movement.

If there is one Best Kept Secret show that'll keep you dancing non-stop, it'll be the Queen of Kuduro, Pongo. After a long uphill climb that saw her leave her native Angola for Portugal, her music became a rich wellspring of sounds, forging transatlantic folk with booming club beats. Combine that with Pongo's incredible gifts as an acrobatic, high-energy performer, and you'll inevitably feel an explosion of joy and energy.

“If you said you tried like you've never before. You say you never want to die like you don't care anymore. What'cha gonna do?” In a country that is desperately struggling with its own identity, we need bands like Personal Trainer. To open our ears. To open our hearts. To ask the right questions. On their LCD Soundsystem moment Rug Busters they give the only answer that alway makes sense: DANCE!

There was not one club, concert venue or festival in 2019 that was not blasting the Jarreau Vandal Edit of Kanye West and Denzel Curry out of their willing speakers. It skyrocketed the already promising career of Dutch songwriter, producer and DJ Ellroy Uyleman. Not one to dwell on previous successes, Jarreau now fully focuses on his Surinam roots. Expect a Sunday service of Caribbean floor fillers, selected by a restless genius.

There aren’t many true eclectic DJs anymore. So how lucky for us that with Berg & Beuk, you get two! As proven on many festivals by now, Ilana van den BERG and Katja HagenBEUK walk on the wild side of musical history like there’s no tomorrow.

Grenoble born, Montreal raised and Los Angeles based producer and DJ. Her sound is an empowering blend of Afro Beats and Afro House. And on her latest floor killer Parte de Trás, she even has some light Amapiano touches. Having started her career dancing with some of pop music’s heaviest hitters such as Drake, Camilla Cabello, and Selena Gomez, Karaba knows how to move any type of crowd. The body. The soul. Inspiring people is her main goal. And inspiring people she will.

There aren’t many DJ’s more skilled than Leroy Rey. But he is as much about vulnerability as he is about technique. His sets are an emotional journey through beats, rhymes and life. Whether you catch him at your local bar or at one of his residencies in Paris, you can expect an impeccable mix of house, disco, new wave and jazz.

Thrift Store Talking Heads? Vampire Weekend on an Adderall withdrawal? Indeed, many colorful descriptions apply to Bumble B. Boy, as his weirdo pop leaves audiences bewildered and confused. Wearing an actual beekeeper suit is somehow the most normal thing in a show that involves interpretative dance, field recordings and offbeat nursery rhymes. As a supposed "failed children's party entertainer", we are sufficiently entertained by the anamoly that is Bumble B. Boy.

Somebody Child's Cian Godfrey is able to jump from a warm, heart-tugging timbre to a spine-chilling howl in a split second, which makes him quite a spectacular conveyor of song. This emerging Dublin indie rock outfit soars and canyons with dramatic abandon, tunes teeming with arena-sized ambition and powerful emotions. In other words: bring your lighters for this one.

Some would say Yot Club's viral hit 'YKWIM?' is the spiritual Gen Z counterpart to The Kinks' 'I Go To Sleep'. Ryan Kaiser didn't let success go to his head, however, signing an independent deal to craft debut LP 'Off The Grid' from his bedroom. It resulted in a unique lingo of dream pop, surf rock and post-punk. Yot Club's music is a skater kid's delight: propulsive, with the bruised introspection to drift off into your own inner world.

With members of US Girls and Ought in tow, Cola was always going to be a special project, penning reflective art-punk songs that express humankind's yearning for deeper connections. Led by the charismatic Tim Darcy – who can seemlessly switch from The Fall's sharp-edged poetry to Roy Orbison's lovelorn howl – Cola's music locates the soft-beating heart within the loathing.

Lucas Benjamin started as a hip-hop dancer at a young age and soon discovered his passion for music, which led him to spend many hours in record stores. He blossomed into a bona fide record connoisseur who hauls club goers into the fringes of Soul, Funk and Jazz to tropical African and Brazilian rhythms. Lucas doesn’t allow himself to be limited to a single musical era either: from 70s deep cuts to futuristic sounds, his sets are as timeless and they are genre-breaking.

Liam Howe, Benny Sings, Sega Bodega, Dev Hynes – the array of collaborators orbiting Dutch omni-artist BEA1991 tells you all you need to know about her all-embracing brilliance. As a musician, DJ, producer and radio host, BEA1991 is playful and deliberately obscure in all her artistic pursuits. With little regard for convention, her creative output saunters through music, fashion and academia. Indeed, BEA1991 is one of a kind, always treading that fine line between pop and experimental.