Date: 7 July 2007
Originally published in: 3voor12 website (Netherlands)
Written by: Pierre Oitmann
Today is the first day of the 27th edition of Bospop. This annual festival in Weert has a good line-up this year. Bospop 2007 is opened by Angelo Kelly. He is one of the most famous members of the Kelly Family. This family band has sold over 20.000.000 albums and is best known for its sappy songs and fanatic fans. On his debut album ‘I’m ready’ Angelo shows his rock side most of all, a break with the family tradition.
Because of a victory on the Weert Amateur Festival the Limburg rock trio 21 Eyes Of Ruby is featured on Bospop. In the tent the three gentlemen give a reasonably good show. Good rock songs and one of the best drummers in the provence of Limburg.
Roel van Velzen plays radio friendly songs with his band. VanVelzen plays songs from the album ‘Unwind’, amongst which is the single ‘Deep’, that sounds a lot like Tom Jones’s ‘It’s not unusual’. A song by Gavin DeGraw is also played. The sympathetic singer has a nice voice and live it sounds very good. The sun is also good for the atmosphere.
We hear another Limburg trio on Bospop, namely the band Blowbeat. The trio combines rock with funk and blues and mix it well. The audience clearly enjoys the band.
In the eighties she graced the walls of many boys rooms and she was everyone’s favourite pop girl, Kim Wilde. But, blonde is still blonde, despite thirty years in the pop business. After the opening song, ‘Chequered love’, the blonde lets her microphone fall on the stage. And after that she does a few more clumsy stunts. Kim Wilde is not a strong singer and sometimes it’s even off-key. When Kim was still a frail and beautiful little Kimmy in the post-punk era that must have had its charm, but a lady of almost fifty cannot do it anymore really. Some things are best left in the past…
Aside from many revival acts there are also a few retro bands on Bospop. The Answer is one of them. The band is from Ireland and released their debut album ‘Rise’ last year. The sound is comparable to ACDC and comparisons with Led Zeppelin are easily made as well. Not quite as good as Wolfmother, who were very good at Pinkpop this year.
One of the Dutch audience pullers this year was Ilse DeLange. On Pinkpop she was a little out of place, between the hip Britpop acts and the rough rock bands, but on Bospop she fits right in, between bluesrockers and ‘golden oldies’. Ilse is still Ilse, so a parade of hits is presented. Not very exciting.
