Three observations in Werchter: the grass on the Heilige Wei is long, the beers brought to your table taste fresh and Balthazar is still a global band. Their latest album Sand can finally count on recognition abroad. In their own country they have been sant for a long time. After swarming into solo projects, the forces have rejoined with a fresh feeling in mind and soul. Performing twice in one day as if your life depended on it? Then it’s fine, yes.
It was a somewhat strange sight, that Werchter Parklife amphitheater. A semicircle where everyone stayed in their own bubble. But sitting on chairs without moving, that turned out to be too much to ask. Balthazar therefore started as if a worldwide pause button had never been pressed. Jinte Deprez and Maarten Devoldere went to the microphone at opener ‘Hourglass’ as if this was their favorite nightclub. The guitars roared into overdrive right away, the distortion knob pressed firmly. Drummer Michiel Balcaen added a new swing beat to ‘Sinking Ship’ and with ‘Do Not Claim Them Anymore’ the last doubters were convinced. Werchter collectively got out of his seat and set the encrusted hips in motion.
This band was clearly ‘On a Roll’. Jinte Deprez unhooked the microphone from his tripod and started crooning, after which ‘Boatman’ was used as a folk festival. The tempo went horny crescendo, was released for a moment and then pimped again. delicious. The chants of the 2,500 attendees swelled by the second. The final chord and a roaring response from the audience resulted in a small collective orgasm. The first of the festival season. Damn, what felt does good.
big wink
Not only the frontmen played the masses. Simon Casier also liked to demand attention. He pumped heavy bass into the meadow during ‘I Want You’. Thijs Delbeke’s trombone provided an extra timbre, with Devoldere’s thin voice as icing on the cake. Powerful cross-pollination.
About half of the set consisted of new songs. That didn’t bother me for a moment. Producer Jasper Maeckelberg (Faces on TV) and his bubble were also (well: standing) in the audience. Reason enough for a big wink from the stage: “We thought the record version was okay, Jasper, but now we’re going to show you how it really should be done.” Balthazar got the meadow blowing spontaneously and that would not stop. Not even at the next ‘Moment’. With dark heavy beats that reminded of Kraftwerk, Balthazar kept everyone on their feet. Some attendees even crawled on top of their chairs and tables. The musicians on stage then crawled back into their instruments.
When even the volunteers of Werchter Parklife pass by with their tray, you know that corona is really out of everyone’s mind. Time for ‘Fever’, but luckily no 38.5 degrees fever. As Jinte Deprez stormed forward, Balthazar’s five voices simultaneously took over the meadow. Guitars whined and squeaked and round dances started around the bubble table. Two pumping synths later, Werchter even started to jump, Frank Vandenbroucke still did! Songs like this made everyone realize what a special, strong band this is. Also during a sultry ‘Entertainment’, with southern drums and again a trombone blaring over the meadow. Deprez turned bright red in the face as guitar chords and maracas flew around his ears. And that for the second time today. This Balthazar clearly had a taste for it.
Before the main act, there was already a piece of Balthazar history on stage. Ex-band member Patricia Vanneste came to present her new project Sohnarr (**). Vanneste was given half an hour to warm up the meadow, but that never really worked. Her music was too intimate for that. The violinist was positioned centrally, with keyboardist Tom Soetaert, a cellist and violinist all around and ‘Tiptoe’ as opener. The half hour that Sohnarr was allotted flew over the heads of the festival-goers like one of the many jumbo jets towards Zaventem. Only with the final chord did Vanneste grab the attention. “If I had been told three years ago that I would share the stage with Balthazar again, no way”, she said. “But it is beautiful this way.” ‘Melomania’ built up layer after layer. With the warm voice of Vanneste – eyes closed deeply -, a sultry cello and clean beats. When the frontwoman struck her violin, she acted like Nigel Kennedy in heels. Sohnnar deserves a second chance in a more intimate setting.
After 70 minutes of play, Balthazar came back for a short round of bis. ‘Bunker’ started softly, with a voice as if Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys had joined this Belgian band. The five were bathed in cool blue light and thin guitars, whining one last time for your attention. With the last rays of the sun on the horizon, closing song ‘Losers’ was launched triumphantly. A summery song like few exist. The Belgian festival summer has been started with force by Balthazar.
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