“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are signs that show us the way, and others that tell us we’re on the right path. Meaningful coincidences and fortunate discoveries that seem to indicate we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be. Maybe you turn on the car and your favorite Boris Brejcha track starts playing. ‘Losing Control’. Synchronicity.
As Minerva and I traversed Amsterdam in the days before we made our way to Breda and back for Boris, we enjoyed discoveries that made us feel like our adventure abroad was both blessed and meant to be. That’s the thing about life that at times leaves me feeling awestruck and grateful. It’s a story that feels alive, constantly unfolding, and I’m fortunate to be part of oh so many of its’ magical and majestic moments. Maybe, just maybe… there’s something greater than the amalgamation of man guiding each of us steadily forth. A comforting notion, if you believe, that each of us are right where we need to be, regardless of whether it feels like it or not.
Part two, I’m spitting truth. Bear Swiftly in this hizzy and I’m ready to get bizzy! Call this a stance switch real quick cuz I got some verbosity that I want to flick. There’s so much to Amsterdam, there’s no way one could explore it all in just six days. The difference between coffeeshops and cafés is one is exclusively in the business of providing Haze. Glazed eyes surmise prizes of a city that seems to know oh so much. After just one visit, I haven’t even scratched the surface on the Netherlands, or the Dutch.
Amsterdam feels almost romantic beneath a warming sun. Cruising its canals and streets proved to be an incredible amount of fun. When day gives way to night the red light of the historic De Wallen district springs to life enticing and inviting wanderers into its glow. Let it flow, Minerva and I just kind of liked the vibes, y’know? We’re fans of enchanting graces that intriguing places and beautiful faces do indeed provide. Supply and demand, I’m a scribe, no need to gibe, I just want to tell you some of what I see. That’s my brand. Sharing my sight to your delight, Oh my goddess, that’s one of my favorite ways to shower my love upon thee. A nerd for words, let me entertain your brain. Boris Brejcha’s up next, let’s get on the train!
W00t W00t! That felt good letting the faucet run for a minute, no other way to spin it, you’re in it now. Kapow! *Stance Switch*. As I stated in my last episode, we landed in Amsterdam on September 1 and after a quick nap for Minerva while I straightened out my international data package with T-Mobile, we got to exploring. That was pretty much our daily routine. We’d awaken without alarm, feed ourselves some fuel, then set forth into the city mostly on foot taking in the gorgeous sights that were all about us. I know it’s just a city to the locals, but I often felt like I was walking through a painting as I crossed the myriad of bridges and viaducts that span the canals. How could one not take a few moments to marvel at the wonder of this gorgeous place the Dutch hath built?
It was Thursday when we happened to find the shop, completely by accident, that’s been attached to Boris since 2009. How so you ask? You see, Boris dons a carnival joker mask during performances, and we happened upon a store featuring replicas of said mask displayed prominently in the front window. Thus, we entered and got to speaking with the shopkeep. Since we were in the country for Boris, we inquired about the masks in the window display. He committed to us that Boris had found this very same vendor many years earlier and developed a working relationship with them. They’ve been making his masks exclusively ever since. The masks weren’t replicas after all, they were genuine articles crafted especially for the King of Hi-Tech Minimal!!!! As fate should have it, we just happened to be walking by when these masks mischievous smile caught our eye. Serendipity.
Fast forward to Saturday, it was a beautiful day weather-wise, and Minerva looked absolutely stellar. A striking 15/10, her preparations ALWAYS pay off. We made our way to Amsterdam Centraal amidst the afternoon and boarded the Nederlandse Spoorwegen enroute to Breda. I’m not gonna lie, I love trains. Story time! Long ago, my father worked for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange trading hogs. He would take the Metra rail Pacific Northwest line into the city for work on the daily. Every once in a while, and I remember these days quite fondly, my parents would coordinate a stop for me and my siblings to board the train and sit with my father as he made his way homeward bound. Don’t ask me why, all you need to know is that’s where my love of trains began. Trains, since then, have always been a mechanical marvel I admire and appreciate. In Illinois, there’s no better way to travel from the suburbs to the city, and I did just that for over a year when I studied at Chicago’s The Second City.
Now that you know why I like trains, let me tell you about the Nederlandse Spoorwegen rail line. It’s blue and yellow, its fast, the double-decker seating is super comfortable, and it travels all across the country. Breda is near the border of Belgium, some 55 miles from Amsterdam, and we zipped through cities like Rotterdam, The Hague, and the countryside to be delivered to Breda in barely an hour and a half.
From the Breda station, there was a shuttle that would take us to Breepark (the location for our event). We stepped forth from the station and began looking about to determine the shuttle’s location. An officer of the law took notice and asked if we needed any help orienting our course. We let him know we had a shuttle to catch headed for Boris Brejcha and he replied, “You’re on the party bus”, and pointed us in the proper direction. Synchronicity. We thanked him and boarded the shuttle with other lively looking party-faring folk headed to our main event. After a fifteen minute trip, we were delivered to a bus stop on the Breepark grounds.
The weather on Saturday, September 5, was pristine which was perfect since our concert was held outside. There’s a nature preserve next to Breepark called Beekdal, so the surrounding area is actually quite beautiful. We breezed through a quick security check, scanned our tickets, and were now on the inside. Not gonna lie, the production value gave me homie vibes. Kind of like a backyard cookout meets community gathering, except these locals were serving up techno tunage. There were ample restroom facilities, plenty of picnic tables for chilling, a grandstand offering elevated views for VIP patrons, a couple of food trucks, and a whole mess of bars lining the main area where folks were gathering and getting down. There was also a merch booth selling Boris Brejcha swag manned by Jakob, Frieder, and the lovely lady Allison. Wait… That Frieder and Jakob? German techno duo, Frieder and Jakob? Let me tell you about this shiznit, cuz this interaction was truly unforgettable and one of my favorite parts of this remarkable night.
Let me start by saying, official Boris Brejcha merchandise can be expensive to get in the United States if you’re not at one of his concerts. In addition to roughly $30 shipping and handling, there’s a customs tax that adds approximately another $40. A while back, I bought a red joker shirt and joggers on sale that all said and done ran me over $150 once the customs tax was applied. So whenever you see his merch for a fair price, you might as well empty the bank account. So, I approached the booth and began speaking with a handsome and intelligent young man who identified himself as Frieder. He looked familiar, like I had seen him somewhere before, so I asked, “Frieder, like Frieder and Jakob, the melodic techno duo?” He said no, and I replied, “I bet you get that a lot,” to which he nodded and smiled coyly. Then Allison entered the scene, who happened to hail from New York, and struck up a conversation with Minerva. Those eyelashes catch compliments from all the ladies! Well, after getting chummy with Allison and Frieder, who’s not that Frieder (allegedly), we bought some sweet merch and they even let us leave it at the booth so we could focus on dancing. Thanks homies, we’ll be back!
So we’re chilling, vibing, listening to some beats when Minerva mentions that she thought she overheard Allison is dating Boris Brejcha so I’m essentially like, “Let’s go ask Jakob,” who wasn’t in the booth at the time of our visit, but I had heard his name dropped. Then the wheels in my head started turning. Frieder… Jakob… Jakob… Frieder… HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! So I marched right back to the booth and struck up a delightful conversation with Jakob who was now on site, and we got some things cleared up real friggin’ quick. Right when I was about to get the big reveal, Minerva leans over and informs me, “That is the real Frieder!” Well of course, that’s what his mother named him! And I just looked at him admiringly for a few moments because that was an excellent, light-hearted troll job he had just pulled. I knew who he was, recognized him from the July 29 performance he, Jakob, and Boris Brejcha had all performed, and he still managed to trick my better instincts. Noice, he had to do it! Herr Jakob was absolutely lovely to speak with, we chatted about their club in Germany, and I appreciated Frieder, Jakob, and Allison’s decorum and hospitality to myself and Minerva being so far from home. Also, the shirt I bought at the July 29 Radius showcase ended up with a slight tear in it when I opened it earlier in the day (I saved it special for this occasion) and they gave me a different t-shirt to make up for it. Fckng Fashion is Fckng Serious about taking care of their people and customers.
Back to the action, Boris Brejcha came on at 7PM to roaring applause and hearty whooping and hollering from his audience of supporters. Big fella got right to work laying down a symphony of scintillating sequences for four hours straight. It was unreal, unique in a way that Boris Brejcha presentations always are. It was electric, heavy at times, cool throughout, inspiring and uplifiting, bass-laden, groovy and uptempo for long stretches before he eased off the gas to give the audience a chance to breathe. My body celebrated his vibrations by dancing very nearly throughout the entire night.
*Stance Switch*. No apprehension, into another ‘Dimension’ of sound, we abound, with Boris Brejcha as our guide. ‘Sir Ravealot’ hits the spot before ‘Gravity’ takes you higher. So inspired. ‘Never Look Back’ towards ‘Fear’, the way forward is clear, ‘Vodka & Orange’ makes this ‘Twisted Reality’ easier to cheer. ‘Lieblingsmensch’ is not French, and nor am I. ‘Thunderstorm’ evokes a sonic sky. ‘Up Down Jumper’ will get you feeling high alongside ‘House Music’, ‘Violet Pill’, and a ‘Spicy’ rendition, my guy. Club vibes my friend, then give ‘Level One’ a full send. ‘Atomic Heart’ keeps this party pumping before the ‘Dancing Penguins’ start jumping. Bumping ‘Reflections’ before we ‘Drop The Beat on The Floor’, I want more, it will ‘Be OK’ whether we’re ‘Red In The Desert’ or ‘Lily In The Valley’. Can I get an encore, please? *Stance Switch*.
There you have it folks, what more can I say about the main event of my Netherlands trip that I haven’t already? Well, I loved the crowd. Absolutely one of my favorites ever to be a part of. It was a sweet mix of locals and out-of-towners and most every one was super welcoming. An older demographic as well, and being one of the youths in attendance again took me back. I was among my elders. It doesn’t happen very often, but I have so much respect for the Dutch because they all seem to be aging gracefully and they do it with dignity. They take care of themselves very well and represent through an outstanding sense of fashion. I want to give a special shout-out to Bas and Beau who myself and Minerva got down with plenty often throughout the evening. Very kind and engaging people, Bas was rocking original Adidas Superstar IIs, and they only gently ribbed us for being American. It’s okay, we were born with it, and that’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to us.
Anyway, once the night’s entertainment concluded, we made our way back to the Breepark bus stop to catch our shuttle. It was packed full, standing room only, but got us and all the rest of the ravers back to the train depot to board our respective trains headed home. We arrived back in Amsterdam Centraal around 2AM. By that time, the Metro was no longer running, so we enjoyed a leisurely walk back to our accomodations at the Volkshotel. Before long, sleep took us into the waiting clutches of the Goddess Nyx, and that my friends is where I end this episode and Netherlands centric series. For now.
This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara all you samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
