Whilst I type, the Dutch TV exudes more political debate between primary candidates of the major parties. It is more of the same appalling and meaningless "€10 this way" - "€20 that way" ;-"Yes you did" - "No I didn't" provincial pre election bla bla spiced up unintelligible statistics having ultimately a marginal influence on the real quality of life.
I certainly heard no mention of a report published this week by leading marine biologists concluding that with the present rate of deterioration of marine life there will be virtually no fish left in the seas by the year 2050. Integration; presently the country's most pressing issue has been demoted to an empty sociological buzzword. Nor have they mentioned how they aim to tackle the deepening international divide between east and west. The concept of culture, as in the arts, has certainly no place in these Dutch pre election battles, nor the pending European reliance on unstable Russian energy sources.
Of all the wasted hours of Dutch pre election BS I have witnessed in the last weeks the governments Foreign Policy was not mentioned once and I would have to go to great lengths to recollect mention of an issue such as Global Warming. Nor even the fact that Nation of China undoes all the annual environmentally friendly measures taken by the EU collectively in a mere 84 days....or even the passionate romance flowering between Africa and China....or the fact that Global Warming is warming Africa the most.
Since the murders of Pim Fortyn and Theo van Gogh Holland has become hopelessly lost, polarised and politically fragmented in every conceivable political hue and the politicians scramble - as if in the most undignified way they possibly can - to secure, if not kidnap the votes of an undecided segment which has never been so large, confused and volatile……so without any sign of visionary leadership on the flat Dutch horizon I wish them goodnight…….and good luck.
Meanwhile the Dutch media coaches laugh all the way to the bank and Holland gets the politics it deserves!
If you weren't able to make it to the Vloggies this past weekend in San Francisco, then you can experience the magic in this super condensed version of the awards festivities. Irina Slutsky along with Daniel McVicar hosted this seminal event in front of a crowd of over 300 screaming vlog fans. Enjoy!
Episode links: The Vloggies, Laughing Squid Photos, Podtech, Dan McVicar
Cross posted from Geek Entertainment TV
Wherever you are in Holland you are never very far away from water. Just two minutes walk from my house, the North Sea Canal wriggles through Amsterdam towards the North Sea and is always busy with transport barges carrying bulk goods and containers to and fro. It forms part of a complicated infrastructure junction where waterways, motorways and cycleways thread through each other.
A number of bridges stretch across the canal including the Nescio Bridge, a brand new slender, suspension bridge intended for pedestrians and cyclists. The older Schellingwoude Bridge, intended for light local traffic has become a lively message board for local graffiti artists some of whom are extremely talented. I pass by frequently to see if there is anything new and there usually is. It is constantly changing and there are hardly any accessible surfaces left that have not yet been virorously decorated. This spot is strangely bustling with energy produced by the multiple messages that have been left behind.
I tried to capture the contrast between these two spots during one of my promenades. I Like where I live - its always interesting.
Music - Wie is de Baas (Who is the Boss -from the recent album 4 da Streets Part 2) is courtesy of Black Mosart - and the rapid Dutch rap is by Klaas. You can find more rap in the clip Inside Hip Hop Amsterdam, also to be found on this vlog.
Naturally, different rural communities all over the world have their own flavour of celebrating the harvest. The annual harvest day at Lhee is also however a village fair celebrating historic rural culture specific to the region of South-West Drenthe. The local people here are obviously very proud of their traditions and take a great amount of trouble to put on the best display they can. As you can see this area has a strong regional identity.
Old trades, handicrafts and agricultural methods are displayed as they were practised until not so long ago and passed on; be it not in practice but in memory. It's nice to forget the profound changes that agricultural practices have undergone in the last thirty years just for one day.
Late that afternoon there was a heavy shower and at dusk it produced the right conditions for the bonus material at the end,- with the horses prancing through the mist. I could not resist posting it because magical moments like this also have everything to do with genus loci of Drenthe.
In the coming autumn season Dutchvlog is again going be exploring more urban themes in Amsterdam.
Each posting is an adventure from beginning to end, from inception to hitting the upload to internet button. I never have a preconceived idea of what the end result will be like. I also frequently ask myself what DutchVlog is about? Its about what I see around me , what I encounter, what I feel and of course it has to be Dutch. The V-logs I've done recently also include the passions of others;- the Blues, Hip-Hop, the Dutch songs of Life - whatever, they always seem to be charged with something or other.
This V-log is about an extraordinary region in the north of Holland divided between the counties of Overijssel and Drenthe where time has been arrested to conserve a historical Dutch landscape and all that thrives upon it. It used to be adjacent to the sea until a new polder was added to the west at he start of the last century. To me this is as close as is gets to the scenes depicted in the paintings of Salomon van Ruysdael.
Of course the Four Seasons of Vivaldi would have been perfect as musical backdrop until I called the licensing authorities to ask how much 4min. 30sec. would cost on a video-weblog …€1600,00 at least! A very harsh reality.
Fortunately I found Justus Smits (from the Pianovlog) prepared to help out. So I loaded the rough cut into my camera, played it back on his TV and recorded his improvisations on my mini-disk……its not as easy as it seems but in retrospect it's 1000 times more fun and more meaningful than simply ripping the music from a CD. I have seen the light and I can recomend this method to anyone who wants to use (legal) music on thier vlogs. Many thanks Justus.
If you ever want to see a piece of the real Old Holland you should visit this area. It never fails to surprise and impress with its simplicity, it's beauty, it's peace and it's quiet. Here you can listen to the silence.
Btw - thanks to all those who have recently left (genuine) encouraging comments at different locations.
Links
Chateau Hotel De Havixhorst
Natuurmonumenten - De Wieden
Appi is a happy, self confessed, ripe hippy of the Amsterdam flavour who takes life day by day and sings the songs life in the Dutch language. He has developed a show with his own music and lyrics called Gekkenwerk (Mad mans work) and hopes to get it on the road by autumn of this year. In his first number …Een Goed Pensioen (A Good Pension) his sings of what life could have been like had he behaved himself and pursued a respectable career. Here the punch line is ”…..now it’s too late”!
In his second number he sings of a Casanova who wants to escape the unsophisticated rural provinciality of Veendam, a sleepy small town in the north of Holland which excels only in being exactly that. Via internet-dating he seeks his self realisation amongst wealthy, freethinking ladies of the big city. This song obviously has a large autobiographical component.
This is a selection from “Gekkenwerk en andere Rosse Liedjes”
More from Appi in the autumn and if you don’t speak Dutch……learn it!!
When urban culture hooks up with the digital era anyone can contribute to the exploding Hip Hop scene. Anyone can put a PC and a beat box in their bedroom and pretend they are rappers and use this art form to communicate what’s on their mind. Even the Dutch Minister Donner of the Justice Department and Mayor Leers of Maastricht use this channel of communication and think they are rappers. But are they?
Like everything else an infinite number of hip hop variations and flavours has emerged:- good rap, crap rap, the ubiquitous commercial big boob and bum rap – which is more akin to porno than music – and of course the real rap. The real thing. Whatever, the rap seems to be here to stay, just like the computer. The real rap comes from the streets. It is about the streets and is intended for the streets. In Amsterdam there is an enormous body of positive creative energy producing good and real hip hop music. Dutchvlog went Inside Amsterdam and spent some time with Black Mosart and Just da Rhymes from Greenfield Productions.
Greenfield Productions is firmly anchored at the creative apex of the scene and demonstrates great musical and creative potential. After a busy and intense year of working with a host of different artists the have just released their new album 4 da Streets Vol II completely independently. They even service the distribution themselves just as many of their fellow artist do. It is also amazing to see how they form alliances, working relationships and friendships during the creation of an album with 23 differing, and authentic hip hop numbers. Compare this to what Leers and Donner attempted and you will feel and hear what real hip hopis and what is not.
This stuff is good. Even my mother who is now 77 thinks its great so you should definitely check it out.
Sales points in Amsterdam are Boudisque, Britain, Patta, Fat Beats, Pico, Café Five Star and music stands on the Amsterdam markets.
Information about Greenfield Productions can be found at www.blackmosart.com
For contact or booking send a mail to fordastreetspart2@hotmail.com. You can also leave a comment on this vlog and we wiill pass on your request.
I’ve often wondered what impression the Damrak provides to visitors of Amsterdam? As far as first impressions go, the stretch of Amsterdam between the Central Station and the Dam Square is probably one of the most important. It is however crammed full by stinking snack bars and tourist boutiques selling expensive but useless crap of unimaginable ugliness, and manned by employees who rarely speak decent Dutch and obviously do not come from this neck of the woods. If that were my first impression I would run away frothing, screaming and deluded – as I often do. Whenever I visit a strange city, I like to look beyond the repulsive tourist boutiques and see if I can sense what makes this particular place unique. Finding out what the real natives do usually provides an interesting trail to a city’s hidden, living potential.
If a tourist were to wander beyond the inanimate city exterior in the right place at the right time, for example at Mascha Rutten’s Décor Studio at Sloterdijk they may see Justice Smits exercising his passion; playing the blues on a grand. At the distinguished Artists Club Arti et Amicitiae on the Rokin they may find him at the big black grand beneath a famous Breitner rolling out Softly as in the Morning Sunrise in the spacious classical hall. If they are especially lucky they might see him together with singer Marion Bentoera at Café ‘t Bruine Paard on the Prinsengracht whilst an audience is riveted to their blues. This is what brings Amsterdam to life! This is what goes on beyond the facades - on the inside of Amsterdam.
In the series Inside Amsterdam, DutchVlog is going to reveal just some of the uniqueness that distinguishes Amsterdam from everywhere else. In the next episode DutchVlog will go inside the bustling Hip Hop Amsterdam – so check your life insurance and brace yourselves!
BOOKING
If you would like more information about Justus Smits or to book him you can send a mail to jcasmits@xs4all.nl or call (int.) 00 31 (0)20 6814773 (local) 020 6814773. You can also leave a comment on this Vlog and we will pass on your request.
Utrecht is a provincial city in the geographic centre of the Netherlands. Although it is smaller than Amsterdam, the historic centre is just as impressive with its canals, waterside bars and restaurants, and a fun place to be in the summer when the many terraces are bustling with pretty girls. Check it out some time.
The music scene however is bustling and buzzing all the year round and produces a rising star now and again such as Iris, a 19 year old R & B singer dancer. She already provides lively shows with her dance group and her first CD will be released within a couple of weeks. Go for it Iris!!
Godfried van Utrecht is a painter, photographer from Utrecht who is moving more and more into the realm of video production. With simple means and creativity he has been able to capture Iris and produce this promotional clip to help her on her way. DutchVlog applauds anyone who takes charge of their media and its distribution and is always prepared to provide a platform for emerging artists.
Links / Info
Mangagement : irismusiq@hotmail.com tel. 00 31 (0) 6 - 42 09 83 11
Bookings : Twilight Productions info@twilightproductions.nl
tel 00 31 (0) 348 - 44 40 35 / 00 31 (0) 6 - 55 16 19 90
Music Production and Lyrics : 2 Bounce Productions - Utrecht
