CONCERT REVIEW

Hailing from Ghent, Les Mecs Du Nord, where one of the highlights I was looking forward to on the Bruges Airbag Festival. With a influences that go as far as Charles Trennet and Georges Brassens but also spawn traces of The pogues, Sixteen Horsepower and Tom Waits this band successfully blends chanson with Western Swing, Jugband and a Punk Rock attitude.

“Les Mecs Dus Nors” Bring their tunes in either English or French but always in a pleasant and enthusiast way. Full of passion at times, subdued at others, but always atmospheric, this band brought us some glorious moments. Squeezeboxmen, Mal-Entendu , The Same Mistakes and many others Where reason enough to leave home and visit their gig at the Air Bag Festival.

Yannick Van Loo, Bram Ghyoot, Remco Houtman-Janssen and Dieter Verkest are the people behind this unique combo, but for their Air-bag gig they were helped out by a charming, good looking violist whose name I can’t remember. She however gave enough room to the rest of the combo to improvise a little and take their instruments to the edge! Banjo, Guitar, a squeezebox, harp, ukulele and much more where presented here, but the finest moment came when one of the guys took out his singing saw and created some haunting music. For more info on the festival or the band, please visit the links mentioned.