Tivoli: a place. No Means No: an act.
Utrecht, July 2002
 

...and both must remain international music heritage.

Fast facts: NO MEANS NO means strong attitude. Means full action, intense blood and sweat through the body. A rare gig these days with pasteurized showbizz performances. Truly solid material like a precious rock. And Canadian, 100% as said at Mr.Wrong's T-shirt. He is the co-founder of this already long time highly reputed powertrio band. Tivoli is a venue, an enterprise nourished by an independent foundation that basically deals with music events in Utrecht, geographic center of the Netherlands.

As their own website says, with 260 popcultural activities and an 180.000 attendance per year, TIVOLI is among the top5 podiums in the lowlands. Paradiso or Melkweg in Amsterdam have already made history. But some 50 km away in the fourth most populated Dutch city, Tivoli has its charm too. Some Utrechters may prefer stages like ACU or Ekko because of their more independence look-alike. In the end, you can't deny the importance of a hall that already witnessed really great performances of the rock'n'roll world. Of course that there was also many things that don't deserve a mention. Still, try to refuse recognition of names like New Model Army, Queens Of The Stone Age, Marky Ramone & The Intruders, George Clinton & the Parliament, Tricky, Skatalites, The White Stripes, Pearl Jam, Primus, Therapy?, Sebadoh, Mudhoney, Superchunk, Tad, Nirvana as examples of artists who already made the happiness of many. And so did No Means No, supported by the pretty nice compatriots of Removal, like they did a year ago at Doornsroosje in Nijmegen, home of Bambix. By the way, Peter Dragt, the drummer from Duch trio GirlKickAss, confess enormous admiration for the veteran Canadian colleague of sticks and did not miss the opportunity of another lesson. He says that John Wright makes him fell like in need to go to a conservatory. And this time, the Tivoli's audience could check even a jam in the (long like the regular set) encore with the maple guys doing the essential "Hey hey my my". They were the crazy punk horses going into the black!

Coincidentally, while writing and reminding about these testimonies, the ears were stimulated through the pc audio by Harvest Moon (and whom can dare to say that Neil Young has only one hit song, my friend from the days that used to be?) Not being closely related with the agricultural life the only thing to say is that that specific lunar case is known to take place thanks for a Chinese legend at its brightest moment during mid-autumn (i.e. the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar). In the western north hemisphere calendar the precise date changes year by year but it is approximately in september. So completing one more cycle, get this full moon in a rich Luna Kafé navigation you harvesters of gladness.

And how not being happy while No Means No was playing for an incredible huge amount of followers? And this for a tuesday and in a summer when every dutch uses to be abroad. No Means No made the audience dance, sing along and pay the deserved attention as they're very much experts to do with their loyal fans that apparently always show up to cheer up with them. Probably most of that crowd preferred to postpone some days of their vacation for not losing such fun guaranteed night.

If you want to see the playlist email the author who also might please you with some extra pics of that No Means No's 100% NMN action.

Just back to Tivoli. Let's hope that such a building could still remain as an alternative space even to be used by the upcoming new Tivoli which eventually seems to take (other) place after a largely discussed change. A broader area shall be the end of so good moments by the Old Canal. Yet, perhaps you can check how Fishbone and Flogging Molly for instance add to the gallery of beautiful memories still taking place at the Tivoli's 100% traditional room. Let the moon keep running, 100% cosmopolitan as the music must be.

Copyright © 2002 Laudo