Wavefest XII - Sad Lovers & Giants ^{+ Spasmodique + Desinteresse}

Wavefest XII @Maassilo

For the twelfth edition of Wavefest, Baroeg has managed to enlist a number of Dutch and local top acts, such as Spasmodique and Desinteresse. We have also managed to convince the 80s icons Sad Lovers & Giants to make the crossing from England once again. The musical accompaniment will be provided by DJ CO2 and DJ Dragnet.

Sad Lovers & Giants

British Sad Lovers & Giants mix their new wave and post-punk with influences from psychedelia and folk music. Their pure-sounding but not overproduced recordings combine reverberating guitars, atmospheric keyboards, urgent rhythms and sharp lyrics. Having grown up in the 80s, their music tends towards gloom and melancholy but avoids melodramatic clichés. Sad Lovers & Giants has often been compared to bands like the Chameleons and the earliest work of The Cure; they have also acquired their own cult status in underground music history. The band previously played twice in a sold-out SoundVille, of which audio and video recordings were made. This time too, the band will make recordings for a real documentary about the band.

The Imaginary Son Band

La Bande-Son Imaginaire came, saw and conquered at Baroeg Open Air 2024. Labeled by many as the discovery of that festival, the choice to bring the band back to Rotterdam was quickly made. La Bande-Son Imaginaire was founded in 2014 by brothers Oscar & Angelo Ternat, they draw their inspiration from elements of Mexican indigenous cultures, French poetry, theater & film. With their unusual fusion of dance, violin and synths, the Mexican trio brings their pleasantly crazy show to the Maassilo, so let loose on this Mexican wave!

Spasmodic

Spasmodique hardly needs an introduction. The internationally renowned cult band was formed in 1981 in the corridors of a psychogeriatric nursing home near Rotterdam. The band developed into a ruthless live act that played all over Europe in the 80s and early 90s. Spasmodique, with charismatic frontman Mark Ritsema, now plays several exclusive live shows a year. Spasmodique stands for underground rock and postpunk, intuitively created and dominated by guitars and hypnotically tight rhythms. The band plays wolf-gray music without despair or fear, but refers to the urgent and inspiring primal scream that has driven them for over forty years.

Smudged

Smudged is a thundering demonstration of musical freedom. Risen from the primeval mud of the Rotterdam club scene, the quartet weaves together a fabric of krautrock, noisepunk, electropop and techno in an unheard-of way. Live shows structurally unfold in new forms of madness and chaos. You have to see it to believe it, and even then you will wonder: what on earth happened here? And that is exactly how this Rotterdam formation likes it. With frontman, batter and professional daredevil Bart Hoogvliet at the forefront of the battle, Smudged already performed on stage at Baroeg Open Air in 2023. This time they can unleash their brilliant musical qualities on the Wavefest audience.

Pol

Brothers Ruben and Matthijs Pol are working hard to become the most famous new wave exponent in the Netherlands. With an EP and a number of singles under their belt, the duo can regularly be found on international stages. With their analogue-driven sound, Pol sounds like synthpop bands from the 80s such as Visage, Japan or Duran Duran. With their background in fashion, Pol is also a visually interesting live act. The brothers also make music for various fashion shows and, among other things, they provided the music for a sneaker campaign for Louis Vuitton. In December, the single 'The Chameleon' was released and the following month Pol already made a name for himself at EurosonicNoorderslag.

Disinterest

Desinteresse is a Dutch coldwave act consisting of Bart (bass), Joppe (drums) and Sem (vocals/synth/guitar). As a duo, they released their debut album 'Voor Altijd' (April 2023) and the EP 'Ik Wil Dood Als Ik Het Vergeet' (November 2023) on cassettes. Their most recent release is the 7-inch 'Grijze Dromen' (August 2024). All releases so far have been released on their own label 'DECADENCE'. They do this with original equipment from the previous century, as a form of art, expression and identity. Cold, abandoned and non-existential feelings characterize the dark and minimalistic music of Desinteresse. The band will open this twelfth edition of Wavefest, so be on time to get in the right mood right away.