There’s no denying that San Holo and his team at bitbird have created one of the most encouraging, fan-friendly collectives in music. Consistently spreading positivity and happiness through social media outlets and beyond, San Holo has become an idol for many aspiring musicians through his ceaseless showing of gratitude for his fans. To return the favour, fans of the bitbird label-head should attend the album1 tour if it stops by a place near you, as it is a remarkable showcase of San’s continuous grind.
Since its release in September of last year, San Holo has been busy touring the world showcasing his album1 project in a new, unparalleled live show that blurs the lines between a concert and a rave. When I found out that the Dutch musician was going to be in Amsterdam for the final show of the European leg, there was no question that I had to attend. And, despite dozens of shows and countless hours of travelling, it was obvious that San Holo gave it his all for his hometown (well, home country) crowd.
As the first and only opener, Taska Black took the stage early to deliver a whirlwind of a set as the crowd gathered. It’s not obvious getting people to a show at 7:30, and the room was fairly empty when he first took the stage, but as the crowd quickly grew, so did Taska Black’s energy. After only ten minutes into his set, it was obvious why San Holo chose such a talented artist as the opener to his tour. Playing a diverse mix of his originals and remixes as well as future bass and trap classics (think along the lines of Point Point’s ‘All This’), the Antwerp native had the crowd going wild for the entirety of his set.
When San Holo took the stage, the room was fully packed. The venue played to San’s advantage with a large dance floor and two levels of surrounding balconies, perfect for fans who either wanted to get sweaty in the crowd or enjoy the show from a distance. Among the latter included dozens of San Holo’s family and friends who gathered from around the Netherlands to support their Zoetermeer-born legend.
San Holo’s performance was truly exceptional. Playing album1 (mostly) in order while peppering in classics such as ‘We Rise’, the ninety-minute set was a beautiful offering of San’s musical genius. From playing the guitar riffs and singing the lyrics of his tracks live, to throwing in some emotional guitar solos, to getting behind the decks and making live edits of his soul-stirring originals, San Holo had the crowd engaged from start to finish. The time and effort spent into making the experience sonically and visually immersive did not go unnoticed, and the energy poured into his performance made it difficult to believe this was his eleventh show of the month. Although he spoke Dutch to the crowd for the majority of the show, there’s no denying the connection he made with the die-hard fans in the front row, while also acknowledging the people in the stands on multiple occasions, catering the show to all who attended.
An encore featuring another riveting guitar solo and the euphoric ‘Light’ capped off the phenomenal evening. As this was the first live performance of a producer that I’ve witnessed, San Holo set the bar high for these concert-rave crossovers. Any fan of both indie and electronic music will have the time of their life at San Holo’s album1 tour. Get your tickets here if he comes to a city near you in the coming months.
All photos by Haley Lan.
