After six years of silence, they are finally back on track next summer: Blowbeat is going to rock the Dutch stages again! With their well-known recipe: energy, speed, surprise, craziness and above all a lot of groove. So of course GROUNDS has to be part of this.

Blowbeat, led by musical jack-of-all-trades Ton Engels, formed in the early 1980s and then played endlessly, mainly in Germany. After 2000, the band operates irregularly, and in a slightly lower frequency: band members Leendert Haaksma, Arthur Lijten and Eric Coenen all play as session musicians with various national (and international) big acts (Anouk, Anastacia, Manfred Mann, Ellen ten Damme, to drop a few). This makes it almost impossible to be permanently active as Blowbeat.

But it isn’t over till the fat lady sings: six years ago Blowbeat last crossed the Dutch fields, but now it is time to blast again! Before opening Bospop in July, they will first pass by GROUNDS to make us dance. Because things must move forward, standing still is not an option.

Line-up:
Eric Coenen: bass and vocals
Ton Engels: lead vocal and guitar
Leendert Haaksma: guitar
Arthur Lijten: drums and vocals

Support act: Idrys Kai

Inspired by artists such as Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Tatsuro Yamashita and Jin-ah Lee, Idrys Kai is a mixture of not only musical approaches but also cultural elements.

Growing up in a Ghanaian household, Idrys Kai’s music is influenced by the rich sound of West-African ‘High Life’ while his voice showcases a background in Jazz, R&B and Hiphop. On top of that, Idrys Kai also dabbles in Korean music and sounds not commonly heard in the Western hemisphere.

To portray a blend of familiar and syncopated sounds while making you curious for more is what Idrys Kai will make you experience.