31 October 2024

6 mins read

Photography: Kelly Vermeer

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with The Driver Era

INTERVIEW: Inside The Driver Era’s Tour Life, Music & More

We caught up with Ross and Rocky Lynch of The Driver Era during their European tour to talk all things music, live shows, and fan reactions. From new releases to memorable moments on stage, the brothers share insights into the ups and downs of life on the road and what keeps them going night after night. Enjoy our chat with Ross and Rocky as they take us behind the scenes of their latest journey!

Q: You’re currently on tour. How’s it going so far?
Rocky: The tour has been really solid. Like any tour, there are ups and downs. It’s a long run, and there’s always some personal stuff to figure out along the way. We’ve got about five shows left, and it’s that bittersweet feeling. Overall, it’s been a good tour.

Strife Magazine: Are you exhausted yet?
Rocky: I’ve been going to bed around 3 AM the entire tour, which helps keep things consistent. I’m not partying or anything, but just sticking to that same bedtime helps keep my energy decent. If I changed it up, like going to bed earlier one night, it could throw things off.

Strife Magazine: Were there any cities that stood out for you on this tour?
Rocky: Yeah, Prague is always beautiful, and Munich was amazing—definitely one of our best shows of the tour. We all came to the stage with this ‘let’s fucking go’ energy, and when everyone’s in that mindset, the show just flows really well.

Ross: I really like Prague. I think it’s a great city. I did a little roaming around, and it’s honestly a beautiful place. Amsterdam was one of the bigger shows of the tour, and we had a big power outage. I think it’s the first time we’ve ever had that happen during a show. It was kind of exciting, to be honest. It made things fresh and exciting. We like it when we’re forced to improvise. Spontaneity is something we’re good at, and we try to apply that to our shows.

Strife Magazine: Your recently released song, You Keep Me Up at Night. How’s the public response been?
Rocky: You Keep Me Up at Night has actually been one of our better-reacting songs recently. A lot of artists gauge how a track is doing by things like playlisting, and this one did well in that way. Both fans and friends have been into it, so it’s felt like a good drop overall. I’m already working on a few new tracks now, too.

Ross: Live, it’s been really fun. It’s at the beginning of our set right now, and it has a great, upbeat energy. It’s a good party starter, and people seem to be really digging it. The reaction has been good, both live and on streaming platforms, so we’re excited for more of that.

Strife Magazine: Is there more new music on the way?
Rocky: Yeah, we’re kinda always working on tracks. Like, that’s just how it goes. Before the tour, we spent a lot of time in the studio, just messing with the songs and trying to round out the album. It’s coming along well.

Ross: Yeah, lots. Hopefully, much, much more. It’s hard to finish a lot of music on tour because you start doing other things. There’s some time here and there, but you need breaks to keep it fresh and exciting. The tour itself is inspiring, and I’d like to tap into that more—I definitely have some ideas I’m excited to write about

Strife Magazine: I noticed that during your set, you sometimes include Disney songs. Why did you decide to do that?
Ross: We only play one song—On My Own from Teen Beach Movie—mostly because it’s a crowd pleaser. It’s not something we plan to do forever, so while people wanna hear it, we’ll play it for now. But it’s probably not gonna last much longer in the set.

Rocky: Honestly, we kinda go back and forth on it. It’s funny—like, do we wanna just play our own stuff and have that ‘we don’t care what people want’ energy? But then, people really love those little surprises, like pulling out a song and seeing them go, ‘oh, fuck yeah.’ It’s a balance between what we want and what the audience enjoys.

Strife Magazine: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals?
Ross: Yeah, we typically do vocal warm-ups to make sure we’re ready for the high notes. But honestly, it depends on the night. Most nights, we’re just kinda messing around—listening to music, maybe doing push-ups to get the blood pumping. Sometimes it’s nice to forget we’re about to play, and then someone comes in and goes, ‘Alright, it’s showtime,’ and we just run out there. It keeps things spontaneous and fresh.

Strife Magazine: Do you still get nervous before shows?
Ross: Not really. There are some shows where it feels like the stakes are high—like in a certain city or with certain people in the audience, you just wanna kick ass. It’s less about nerves and more about setting a high standard. We kinda approach it like athletes, using sports analogies to get in the game.

Strife Magazine: I’ve seen a lot of TikTok videos about you, with fans complimenting your looks. How do you feel about all that attention?
Ross: Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to those videos. I have a TikTok and post sometimes, but I’m usually focused on other things. It’s flattering, but it’s not something I’m really seeking out.

Strife Magazine: What kinds of “bigger things” are you focusing on?
Ross: On meaningful stories, whether in cinema or in music. I’m pretty stoked to be a storyteller, and I want to do more of that.

Strife Magazine: Have you come across any inspiring art or movies lately?
Ross: Oh, for sure. This might sound funny, but I watched Iron Man recently, and I fucking love that movie. I think it’s the best Marvel movie, for sure. I love that movie. It’s so good.

Strife Magazine: Finally, is there a piece of advice that has stuck with you recently?
Ross: Recently, I saw a post from a child with cancer. She said it’s important to do your best, but not more than your best. I thought that was interesting because she was saying, if you try to do more, then you end up—you miss the joys of life, essentially. That really resonated with me.

11 October 2024

4 mins read

Photography: Kelly Vermeer

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with The Struts

CONCERT REVIEW: Unstoppable Energy From The Struts At 013

It had been a little over a year, but this past Wednesday, The Struts were back in the Netherlands. Along with James Bruner and Barns Courtney, they made it a night to remember at 013 in Tilburg.

The doors opened around 6:30 PM, and half an hour later, it was time for James Bruner to kick off the show. I hadn’t listened to his music before, but he pleasantly surprised me. Together with the other musicians, there was a great energy on stage. I thoroughly enjoyed his set and will definitely listen to him more often. I’d describe the vibe of his music as fairly dark, but in a very pleasant way. It was a shame that his set was short, but I’ll certainly keep an eye on him in the future.

After James Bruner’s set, it was time for Barns Courtney. While waiting in the venue, it became clear that many fans had come to the show specifically for him. Unlike James Bruner, I had listened to Barns before. He opened his set with the song Fun Never Ends, and what a banger of an opener it was. The energy was incredible, and you could feel it even at the back of the venue. There was a lot of interaction with the crowd. At one point, the singer tried to take Polaroid pictures with a fan’s camera, but it didn’t quite work out. I loved the vibe of the entire performance. The audience was fully engaged, and there was plenty of dancing. Toward the end of his set, the singer thought it’d be a good idea to stage dive. I hope it worked out better for him in other venues than it did in Tilburg. He didn’t get far into the crowd, and from where I stood, it looked like he almost hit the ground a few times.

After Barns’ energetic set, it was time for The Struts at about 9:25 PM. I had seen them last year in Utrecht, and they blew the roof off. So, I was curious to see if they could do the same in the larger venue of 013. And boy, did they live up to expectations. The band opened with Primadonna Like Me, and I immediately felt the floor shaking. They kept up the momentum with Fallin’ With Me and Body Talks.

There weren’t any slower songs during the set, which I didn’t mind at all. It was a party from start to finish. Frontman Luke Spiller frequently exchanged glances and gestures with the front rows, while encouraging the entire crowd to sing along to certain parts of the songs. The band also played a new track that will be released on October 18th, 2024. Since no one had heard the song Can’t Stop Talking before, Luke taught the audience the basics of the song. Man, what a great song!

As mentioned earlier, there was a lot of interaction with the audience. At one point, there was even a contest to see which side of the venue was the loudest—the side of guitarist Adam versus the side of bassist Jed. To judge this fairly, a path was cleared through the middle of the audience so that Luke could stand in the crowd. In the end, both sides were declared winners.

If you want to have a great night, I highly recommend going to a show by The Struts. The interaction is fun, the atmosphere is great, and even if you don’t know any of the songs, you’ll still find yourself singing along.

James Bruner

Barns Courtney

The Struts

9 October 2024

3 mins read

Photography: Kelly Vermeer

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with The Driver Era

CONCERT REVIEW: A Night Of Music, Cowboy Hats & More With The Driver Era

It had been a while since brothers Ross and Rocky were last in the Netherlands, but after two years, they were back—this time at AFAS Live. A step up in terms of venue size compared to their last performance in Utrecht.

The show began with the band behind a curtain. You could hear them, and their silhouettes were visible on the fabric. After the first song, the curtain dropped, and the band appeared. Immediately, the crowd went wild. Most of the audience consisted of girls, and it was clear that everyone had made an effort to look their best. I totally understood—for a band like this, you want to make sure you look your best.

It’s well-known among fans that the band doesn’t just perform their original songs but also mixes in a few covers. That night at AFAS was no different. First, we were treated to a cover of Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish.

Then, the sound system cut out. Very inconvenient during a concert, but unfortunately, it happened. The crew on stage was busy trying to fix it, but of course, there was still a crowd waiting. Ross came to the rescue and played an acoustic set.

During this time, Ross played several songs from his Disney Channel days. This was definitely one of my favorite moments. I loved seeing that he still embraced that part of his career and occasionally performed those tracks. After On My Own, the band was able to continue with their set. The band’s chemistry was on point—the vocals matched perfectly, and the instruments blended seamlessly.

If I had to describe the vibe of their songs, I’d say most of them had a smooth and moody feel. Even the more upbeat tracks carried a bit of an ‘edgy’ tone, which worked really well with the brothers’ deeper vocal range.

One thing that stood out was the number of cowboy hats in the crowd. Ross even received several hats from fans, trying them on between songs. He could have worn a different hat for every song!

If you’ve checked out TikTok videos of The Driver Era, you’ll notice a recurring theme—many of the videos focus on Ross Lynch’s good looks. A lot of girls posted clips of Ross during the show, shirtless and showing off his dance moves. That was also the case that night—his shirt came off, and the crowd went wild.

Along with the screaming fans, cowboy hats, and a shirtless singer, the band also performed a new song, I’ll Be There. If this was a preview of their upcoming album, I can’t wait for it to drop.

Despite the rocky start with the sound system issues, the night turned into a huge party. The interaction between the band and the audience was fantastic, the music was amazing, and there was more than enough confetti to fill the entire venue.

If you ever get the chance to see this band live, I highly recommend it! Check out the photos I made in the gallery below:

The Driver Era @ AFAS Live, Amsterdam — #image_title

26 September 2024

5 mins read

Photography: Kelly Vermeer

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with DES ROCS

CONCERT REVIEW: Des Rocs In Patronaat – A Night To Remember

This past Sunday, September 22nd, it was finally time. After being away for a few months, Des Rocs was back in the Netherlands, this time at Patronaat.

The doors opened at 7:30, and not long after, the first band kicked off their performance. Pistols At Dawn had the honor of opening the show. The guitarist was the first to step onto the stage. In the spotlight, you could clearly see it was the guitarist, but his face was still hidden, adding a touch of mystery. He was also rocking a cool guitar with red lights on it. It was super eye-catching from the audience’s perspective. Love it!

You could sense the crowd needed a bit of warming up, but the band managed to get everyone engaged. They were full of energy and clearly having a great time themselves. Their interaction with each other on stage was fun to watch too. I hadn’t listened to their music before, but they were a pleasant surprise. The instruments blended well with the vocals, and they even played their recently released track, “Obsessions”. I’m obsessed with it, honestly. In my opinion, it was the highlight of their set.

After Pistols At Dawn wrapped up their act, it was Moon Fever’s turn. All the band members took the stage, with the lead singer coming on last. He walked in with a certain attitude that perfectly matched their music. It was the whole package, visually and musically.

The band, particularly the lead singer, had a lot of interaction with the audience. He’d often squat down to look fans directly in the eyes and sing right to them. At one point, someone from the crowd was brought up to join the fun. And, as the cherry on top, the singer did some stage diving. I’m not exaggerating when I say there was a LOT of interaction. As for their music, the darker vibe really appealed to me. The chemistry between the band members was strong, and their performance felt cohesive and tight.

All in all, Des Rocs brought along some excellent support acts.

Then it was time. The lights dimmed, and the music began. Des Rocs started his set with the usual burst of energy. It seemed like they had cleared more space on stage so that he could easily dance and jump around.

The first two songs flowed seamlessly into each other, and when MMC started, the whole crowd went wild. The singer’s energy is infectious, and you could feel it spread through the entire crowd. It’s amazing to see how well he engages the audience, but also how energetic the crowd is in return.

This was even more evident during Maybe I. The song starts off with some soft guitar playing, but as soon as the full band joined in, I could feel the floor of the venue shake beneath my feet.

A few months ago, when Des Rocs performed at the Melkweg, there was a sudden power outage across all of Amsterdam. This forced the singer to play a bit of an acoustic set. Now that he was back in the Netherlands, he mentioned wanting to make this a tradition whenever he performs here. So, the stage lights went out, and he put down the microphone. Grabbing an acoustic guitar, he began to play Nothing Personal. Honestly, I hope he keeps this tradition alive; it’s something unique you don’t see often.

There was a brief break in the setlist when Danny (Des Rocs) started telling a story about a night when he was sitting in a park, reflecting on all the things that no one really wants to think about. While he was there, a man approached him and said, “You look like you’re going through a pretty rough patch. No matter what you’re going through, I guarantee you—I’m going through something much, much worse.” Danny took one look at the guy and thought, “Yeah, you’re totally right.” The man eventually told him to close his eyes and think about a dream—something he really wanted to achieve. After sharing this story, Danny asked the audience to do the same. “Just close your eyes for 60 seconds,” he said.

He told the story with a lot of humor, and it was genuinely entertaining. It was something special that I hadn’t experienced before during a show. After the story, he launched into Hanging by a Thread, and once again, the crowd was singing along at the top of their lungs.

I have a lot of admiration for this artist and how he consistently delivers a fantastic performance. From playing the guitar behind his back to energetic dance moves and constant engagement with the crowd—Des Rocs is a true performer.

Check out the photos from the night below:

Pistols At Dawn

Moon Fever

Des Rocs

15 June 2024

4 mins read

Photography: Morwenna Boulter

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with BABYMETAL

CONCERT REVIEW: Explosive Energy And Metal Mastery With BABYMETAL

On Wednesday evening, June 12th, the metal band BABYMETAL performed at AFAS Live. I was very curious about the show since I had heard a lot about this band. The opening act was DeathbyRomy, a singer I had not heard of before, but I was eager to see what she had to offer.

From the start of the opening act, the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was enthusiastic and started clapping along to the first song. Although the mood was set, an attempt to get the audience to jump during the second song didn’t quite succeed. Nevertheless, the first mosh pits of the evening emerged during the opening act, and I was certain they wouldn’t be the last.

The singer performed ten songs in about 30 minutes, including a song that was performed live for only the second time that evening.

Just before the last song, the other band members were introduced and received applause. Despite the loud music, the band ended on a cute note. Before leaving the stage, they made heart shapes with their hands.

After DeathbyRomy, it was time to wait for BABYMETAL. Fortunately, the wait was shorter than expected, as the trio took the stage fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled.

The show opened with BABYMETAL DEATH, where the girls marched onto the stage in sync. While this wasn’t particularly remarkable, the effects kicked in during the second song. There was fire, but also live camera footage from the audience was shown.

Unlike the support act, the stage was slightly modified for BABYMETAL. There was an elevated platform on the stage, making them more visible. This platform had a screen at the front that synced well with the screen at the back of the stage, creating a cohesive look from the audience’s perspective. A camera above the stage provided a view of both the band and the audience, and another camera directly above the center of the crowd captured the mosh pits, allowing those who preferred not to participate to still enjoy the experience.

During the third song (PA PA YA!!), I noticed several people in the crowd waving and twirling various items like shirts and flags. The transitions between songs were also noteworthy. At the end of each song, the lights went out, leaving only blue lights on the platform before the next song started.

At the beginning of METALI!!, there was a brief interaction with the audience, and the group performed choreography as in the other songs. The guitars were particularly prominent in this song, which I loved. Halfway through the song, a large mosh pit was created when the group asked the audience to crouch down. After a small choreography segment, they asked, “Are you ready?” and the entire crowd went wild.

Overall, the stage effects were impressive, ranging from visuals and fire to smoke effects. The fire effects were especially notable during RATATATA, with the flames so intense that you could feel the heat at the back of the hall.

One of BABYMETAL’s most popular songs, Gimme Chocolate!!, was also performed. The audience’s enthusiasm noticeably increased when this song began.

For the final song, the girls stood with flags on the stage. Before the rest of the song started, the flags were removed. There were a few more interactive moments during this song, such as singing along with parts of the song and, of course, one last mosh pit. As the girls left the stage, a video was shown, and the show ended. I found the ending somewhat abrupt, but from what I heard in the crowd, this is normal for them.

In conclusion, even though I am not a typical metal listener, I had a fantastic evening. The show was a delight to watch, and the audience had made a remarkable effort with their outfits. If you ever get the chance to see BABYMETAL but aren’t a big metal fan, I still recommend going. These girls certainly know how to put on a show.

DeathByRomy:

BABYMETAL:

Reaching As We Fall:

7 February 2024

9 mins read

Photography: Kelly Vermeer

Written by: Kelly Vermeer

what's happening with DES ROCS

INTERVIEW: Des Rocs On ‘The Dream Machine’ And Life On Tour

During The Dream Machine Tour, Des Rocs made his way to the Netherlands. Prior to his first of two shows in Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to talk with the singer. We discussed not only the tour and his favorite memories, but also his album The Dream Machine and the creative process behind its inception.

First and foremost, how are you?
I’m great, I’m great, still reeling from last night a little bit. Excited to dip my toes into the Dutch world. I’m very excited.

Good to hear! Did you enjoy your day in Amsterdam?
Very much. I really just walked around, and I think the biggest culture shock for me today so far was when I tried to get my shoes shined. So, I went to a couple of shoemakers, walked in, and said, ”Hey, can I get these shoes shined?” And they were like, ”Okay, when do you need it by?” I said, ”In one hour.” And they were like ”We can maybe do February 5th.” They were so shocked at my New York on the man style. I think things are a little bit slower paste here.

How has the tour been so far? What is your favorite memory?
Uhm… the tour has been absolutely amazing. It has been a dream, no pun intended. Too many favorite memories, I think. There is truly not one. Every show has been special, amazing, and I’ve just been so happy to be here. Europe has blown us away.

Have you had any special fan interactions?
I think I was most surprised by Paris last night. Paris has a reputation for being very calm and cool, sophisticated, and people let their guard down last night and went absolutely bonkers. That was cool to see.

Before you go on stage, do you have a pre-show ritual?
No rituals. Not a big ritual guy because if you have a ritual, then every single time you go on stage, god forbid you forget to do it, the whole time you’re thinking, ”Oh, we forgot to do the ritual, something bad’s gonna happen.” So, I don’t like to put that potential thought in my head.

Are there specific venues or cities that you are looking most forward to playing at?
Tonight. It’s historic. I’m really excited about tonight. I think The Ramones played here, and they had a kind of similar path to us. They sold out the small room and then the big room. And they sold that out. So it’s just cool to be in the legacy of a fellow New York rock band.

Having done both, do you notice any difference between performing in the US and performing in Europe?
Yeah, I think the crowds are very different. The crowds in Europe come more ready to rock, and in the US, there’s more guard, and they’re maybe a bit more like ”What are you gonna do for me?” It’s not in a bad way, just that the US is a bit more particular. I think Europe is a bit more open-minded, which I didn’t expect. I thought it would be the opposite. So it has been interesting.

I also wanted to talk a little bit about your album. What was the inspiration behind The Dream Machine?
Dream Machine is like all things big rock music, but very much filtered through my own personal experience and my own life story. Taking all that and putting a strong emphasis on modernizing the production of rock ‘n’ roll records and really pushing it outside the comfort zone. That, to me, is all things Dream Machine.

Were there any particular themes that you wanted to explore within the album?
Oh yeah, so much of it is just about dreaming big. You know, it is the Dream Machine, but it’s a vessel. It’s an emotive escape. That is what rock ‘n’ roll has always been for me, a vessel of escape. And also, in a weird way, like self-realization. Being your truest self in a public setting, that, to me, is a core theme of Dream Machine.

How has the response been so far?
I think it has been amazing! They’re always down to go on an adventure with me. Because I make a lot of different types of songs and records, and they’re always down for the growth of Des Rocs. I always want to be continuously evolving. So the fact that they’re down for that adventure is amazing.

How do the crowds respond to the live performances of the songs so far?
It’s crazy! It’s like what I envision when I’m recording it. When I’m writing it, I’m always thinking about what is this gonna feel like live. And I feel like I have a great sense of that when I’m writing and recording. So when I see it come to life on stage the way I envision, that’s such a beautiful thing for me.

What is your typical songwriting process? Do you start with the lyrics or the melody or does it all weave together?
I would say my songwriting process is me trying to figure out what my songwriting process is. There is no rhyme or reason to my process whatsoever. I’m always just searching for it. Sometimes a lyric or a word will just (boom sound effect), it will just pop into my head. Then other times I spend three, four, five years working on a song and not getting it right. Sometimes I get a better idea in the shower, just a melody in my head in ten seconds. There is really no rhyme or reason to it. I wish I knew what my process was so that I could say ”Today I’m gonna write a song, let’s start the process”. I wish I had that, but I don’t.

What song took the longest time to write?
Well, I mean, there are songs I’ve been working on for five years now that aren’t out yet. But the longest to write recently was a song called ”Natural Born Thriller.” Which went through so many variations over so many years before I figured out what I really wanted to do with it.

When do you know when your song is really finished?
I just know, you know, if you fall in love with somebody, you know, you just know. There’s no test you can take. You know, it’s just a gut feeling.

Is there any song that you’ve put out where you thought, “well, this is an amazing hit”, and the response wasn’t that great?
Yeah, all of them hahaha. I never had, like, a big hit song. There are those songs that I think are just complete bangers that got totally overlooked because so much of life and music is just timing, you know? And some of it’s just out of your hands, and sometimes it’s not meant to be. But coming to peace with that will make you a much happier person. So many years you put out a song, you’re like, no one’s reacting to this. Like, What the heck? What’s wrong with me? And letting go of that makes you much freer to create.

How do you handle criticism from fans or literally anyone?
I’d say medium. You know, sometimes I totally disagree, and sometimes I’ll agree. I think the one criticism I hate is ‘’you didn’t play my favorite song’’. That I hate especially if I’ve just come off stage; that really grinds my gears because every tour is different, and that’s what makes every tour special. I play a certain set of songs, and that’s what makes these Amsterdam shows special. That tonight I’m playing one set of songs, tomorrow another set of songs because we get to have two shows. So I think the whole world is divided into two people: people who say, You didn’t play my favorite song, and other people who are just grateful to have been at the show and had a great time and say, Maybe next time I’ll play that song, you know? It’s two different personality types.

I get that you’re playing different sets for the Amsterdam shows, but throughout the tour, are you playing different sets or just kind of the same?
I make tweaks before I get out there, like to have a good idea of what the theme of the show is musically, curating a cohesive night, musically and thematically, is super important for me. So I have, like, my base, I have, like, 90% of it. And then when I get out there, I start making tweaks.

So when you are on stage or just right before?
More like after, like I’ll finish a show and be like, tomorrow, let’s do this, tomorrow, let’s do that.

And if there was one band or artist where you would collab with, who would it be?
Foo Fighters. Because I just think the whole mission statement of Des Rocs is something that would resonate deeply with Dave Grohl, and I feel like I’m just like screaming from beyond some other void to like, try and get his attention and be like, Hey, look what I’m doing. I think you’re really gonna like this. I feel there’s like, a void in my generation for what we’re trying to do. And I think he would really resonate with it. I could be wrong; he might hate it. So, who knows.

Are you excited for the show tonight? And what do you expect from tonight?
I’m excited for every show. I have no idea what to expect. So that’s my approach to every show. I’m very excited for every show. If it’s 200 people or 80,000, I never know what to expect. That’s the beauty of what I do; you not know until you get out there.