WRECKLESS ERIC + EUGENE CHADBOURNE + HARRY MERRY

A bill that is almost too legendary to believe. But you better believe it because on this Thursday evening both Stiff Records pop icon Wreckless Eric and the American avant-garde string wonder Eugene Chadbourne, and the Dutch cult phenomenon Harry Merry will be on stage here. And ok, maybe you have never or only vaguely heard of these artists (we cherish few illusions when it comes to underground pop knowledge) but don't let that stop you from seeing these mythical musicians at work, this bill is an absolute opportunity…

Wreckless Eric (real name: Eric Goulden) was in 1978 one of the first artists on the legendary Stiff Records (Ian Dury, the Damned, Elvis Costello), he wrote and recorded the ultimate pop classic Whole Wide World and had a hit with it in 1977 after which bands like Cage The Elephant and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day took it up. Wreckless Eric released about twenty albums over forty years under different names and on different labels (including Kelt). On his latest album England Screaming (on the rather hip Tapete Records) Wreckless Eric once again shows that he is a unique songwriter with an incredibly sharp ear for good pop tunes and sharp lyrics. The man is a legend and moreover still a consummate performer, you don't need to know more about the Donovan or Trash.

'Goulden has enjoyed a genuinely extraordinary career. He is, one assumes, the only person in rock history to have written a Cliff Richard song, been part of the riotous 80s Medway garage rock scene that spawned Billy Childish, and enjoyed a doomed spell working as an artistic consultant to the French ministry of culture, He has also written a vast succession of wonderful songs…' (The Guardian)

The second legend this evening is the avant-garde string wonder Doc. Eugene Chadbourne. Starting with his own influential cult group Shockabilly, followed by a rich solo career (discogs counts 1406 (!) entries) and collaborations with among others John Zorn, Evan Johns, Fred Frith, Han Bennink, Jello Biafra, Violent Femmes & Mother of Invention Jimmy Carl Black (the Indian of the group…). Also live you can expect the strangest turns from this guitarist, banjo player and composer. Besides absolutely virtuosic guitar playing, Mr. Chadbourne is also known for his own inventions such as the electric rake (the grass rake) & bird cage, and a broad musical palette ranging from country, bluegrass, free jazz, and noise, to name a few genres… So, for everyone who is not familiar with this special musician this is the perfect chance for an introduction. Do it! It's part of your general musical development…

The evening is opened by cult phenomenon Harry Merry who comes to present his new album The Darker Side of Chasing a Dream (out on vinyl!). Harry Merry has been working his way in his sailor suit for some time and artists like Ariel Pink and Otto von Schirach are fond of him, as is a loyal and ever-growing band of fans by the way. Love him or hate him, this troubadour of orchestrated chaos. We love! Harry on stage at 20:00.