The Amsterdams

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Not to be confused with The New Amsterdams.
The Amsterdams

The Amsterdams at the official release of their second album, Electromagnetica, in Kulturhaus Club, Bucharest. Left: Ovidiu Bejan. Right: Andrei Haţegan
Background information
Origin Bucharest, Romania
Genres Indie rock
Years active 2005-present
Labels Post POP Records
Associated acts The Guillotines, The Division of Joy, Kumm, We Singing Colors, Nebulosa, Coughy, Hot Casandra, Trouble Is
Website The Amsterdams
Members Andrei Hațegan
Andrei Ungureanu
Augustin Nicolae
Ovidiu Bejan
Past members Dan Olaru
Alex Ghiță
Paul Ballo
Vlad Stoica

The Amsterdams are a Romanian indie rock band formed in Bucharest in 2005. Their current line-up consists of Andrei Hațegan (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion), Andrei Ungureanu (guitar), Augustin Nicolae (bass guitar, percussion) and Ovidiu Bejan (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, percussion).

The band has toured in the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic and has opened for bands like The Cranberries, Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs.

To date, The Amsterdams have released two studio albums, an EP and four videos. Their second studio album, Electromagnetica, was mastered by Harris Newman (also known for his work with Wolf Parade and Arcade Fire) and features Dan Boeckner, who plays guitar on "This Burial Ground's For Two".[1]

History

Formation and early years

The Amsterdams were formed at the beginning of 2005 by Andrei Hațegan and Andrei Ungureanu, following an advertisement posted by Hațegan.[2] Both musicians were big fans of the British alternative scene, listening to bands like Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins, Travis, Oasis and The Stone Roses. Shortly after, they were joined by the bass guitarist Dan Olaru and the drummer Vlad Stoica. The name of the band was especially chosen to express the idea of artistic freedom,[3] or, as Andrei Hațegan puts it:

"We weren't actually fond of the hard, garage, underground, chemical elements or funeral-like names, so we thought that the best we could do was to choose a name that would've express the idea of free spirit, in all of its aspects, which is why Amsterdams came up really naturally. The is because people had to know that we were those Amsterdams... The only ones!"[4]

The band played its first gig in 2006, in Big Mamou Club, Bucharest.[2] That summer, Stoica and Olaru left The Amsterdams due to musical divergences, and formed a new band, called The Guillotines. Olaru was replaced by Augustin Nicolae, and shortly after the band was joined by the guitarist Ovidiu Bejan. During the following months, The Amsterdams struggled hard to find a new drummer, working with no less than thirteen people; eventually, they chose Alex Ghiță.[3][4]

In 2007, the band recorded two songs, "Taking Care Of Anna" and "Fireworks". "Taking Care Of Anna" was played on a local radio station, 89FM,[4] while "Fireworks" was included on a compilation called The Next Dog Desert Island Selection, produced by Roadrunner Music.[5] Later that year, The Amsterdams were invited to play at the third edition of UnderLondon2 Festival, in Bucharest.[6] They were also part of the line-up for Stufstock 5 Festival, which had The Dandy Warhols as headliners. Their performance impressed the American band and led Courtney Taylor-Taylor to dedicate to them the song "Country Leaver", calling them "the best Romanian band".[7]

In autumn the line-up changed. Ghiță left the band, and was later replaced by Paul Ballo (Go to Berlin).[4]

Automatic

The Amsterdams playing in the National Theatre Park in Bucharest, April 2009. Left to right: Andrei Ungureanu, Andrei Haţegan, Vlad Stoica, Augustin Nicolae, Ovidiu Bejan.

On May 28, in Fire Club, the band released their first studio material, an EP called Automatic with four songs.[8] They also released their first video, for the song "Petrolize All Mice".[9]

Following this release, The Amsterdams played at the Europa Vox Festival, in France and then went to London for a gig in the Dublin Castle Club.[10] The EP was promoted in the United Kingdom, gaining some favorable reviews.[11][12] "Suffering And Surfing" and "Petrolize All Mice" were played on several minor radio stations, like Cambridge University Radio[13] and at BBC6 Music.[14]

In summer 2008, the band was invited to several festivals, such as Peninsula,[15] B'Estfest[16] and Stufstock, this time on the main stage, with Apocalyptica and Air Traffic.[17] Meanwhile, Stoica rejoined the band, replacing Ballo.[4]

At the end of February 2009, the band opened the series of live concerts broadcast on MTV Romania's official website, a project destined to promote local alternative music.[18] In April, The Amsterdams performed an unplugged gig at the local radio station ProFM, including some songs from their first album.[19] The radio station subsequently invited them to play during its sixteenth anniversary.[20]

Adolessons

The Amsterdams at the official release of their first album, Adolessons, in Silver Church Club, Bucharest.

On May 22, 2009, The Amsterdams released their first studio album, called Adolessons. The release gig took place at The Silver Church Club in Bucharest, with Doru Trăscău (AB4, The Mono Jacks), Dan Olaru and Alex Ghiță (Rain District) as guests. The band performed the new songs from the album and some old songs.[21]

The album was produced, distributed and edited by the band, under their own label, Post Pop Records. It was recorded at the Studio ISV, mixed by Alex Dragomir at Raza Studio and mastered by Christian Mike Sugar at CSM-Lab Bucharest.[4] Andrei Hațegan explained the title in an interview:

"We're still living in a musical adolescence, as we're not playing together for a long time, and the album tells the story of all these years. It's like a lesson we have to learn while we're adolescents, for having a happy life afterwards..."[22]

The band also filmed and released a video for the first single, "Chased by the Housewives".[23] It was directed by Anamaria Lazarovici and first shown on MTV Romania's official website.[24] The singer, Hațegan, explained this choice by stating "We chose to make a video for this song because we like it a lot, it has less than four minutes, so it can be aired on TV without any problems, and, least but not last, because we were forced to do so." while bassist Augustin Nicolae specified "We thought that it's the kind of infectious song - it's like when you get a flu and it sticks with you from April until August. Even after you get well, you'll remember perfectly why you got sick in the first place."[25]

In September 2009, following an invitation from The Blog Parties, the band performed two gigs in two cities in the Netherlands, Utrecht (Ekko Club) and Amsterdam (Winston Club).[26]

The Amsterdams opening for Handsome Furs in Control Club, Bucharest.

In October, The Amsterdams and The Mono Jacks played as opening acts for the Canadian band Handsome Furs in Control Club, Bucharest.[27] Impressed by The Amsterdams, the lead singer of Handsome Furs, Dan Boeckner, agreed to collaborate with them on a song. Initially called "Burial Ground For Two",[28] the song later appeared on their second studio album under the name "This Burial Ground's For Two".

At the beginning of 2010, The Amsterdams had their first national tour, Home And Dry Tour 2010; they performed in several cities from the north-east of Romania and also in Chişinău, Moldova.[29]

On April 17, 2010, the band released a video for the song "Apple".[30] The video, directed by Irina Stănciulescu (also known as Color Nurse), was projected during the concert held by the band on a roof above a record store in Bucharest, called Off the Record.[31]

In May, The Amsterdams were invited to tour with Wolf Parade as the opening act. The Canadian band was promoting its newest studio album. The Romanian band performed in Budapest, Prague, Salzburg, Bologna and Torino.[32] In July, The Amsterdams opened for The Cranberries at a concert in Bucharest.[33]

During the winter, drummer Stoica left the band. The remaining members eventually decided to give up the search for a new drummer and to continue as a four piece band instead.[1]

Electromagnetica

At the beginning of 2011, The Amsterdams finished recording their second studio album, Electromagnetica. In February, a month before the official release, the band went to the UK to promote the new material.[34][35] A song from it, "Coalmine", had previously been played on BBC6 Music.[36]

The official release of Electromagnetica took place on March 3, at Kulturhaus Club, Bucharest.[37] The release concert had Hot Casandra and Sophisticated Lemons performing as opening acts with Electric Brother (the producer of Electromagnetica) and Vlad Stoica as guests. The name of the album comes from Electromagnetica, a factory in Bucharest, inside which the band has a rehearsal room.[1]

The album was released as a digital download on April 1 and received several positive reviews.[38][39][40] The band described their new material as being more elaborate than Adolessons.[1]

At the end of May, The Amsterdams performed in Zaragoza, Spain. The gig was part of a multidisciplinary project called Zaragoza Latina, which was supposed to encourage the development of interest in Latin culture.[41]

On August 31, the band released a fourth video, "Summertime", directed by Alina Manolache.[42] The song has Roxana Niculae (We Singing Colors) on vocals and was recorded at The Great Below Studio, mixed by Paul Ballo and mastered by Cristian Varga.[43] Hațegan said in an interview that the band would release a video for the song "Coalmine" as well.[43]

On October 8, The Amsterdams performed at Sala Polivalentă in Bucharest, with Electric Brother, Morcheeba and Parov Stelar Band.[44]

On June 13, 2012, twenty-two years after the June 1990 Mineriad, the band released a video for "Coalmine". It was produced by piq.ro and it is a compilation of various events filmed in Bucharest during the Mineriad.[45]

In July, The Amsterdams started a campaign on their official website to promote their new single, "Sunology". The site showed the cartoon versions of the band members underwater, with no oxygen supplies. Website visitors had to type O2 multiple times, until the band members emerged from the sea; at that point, the song could be heard clearly and the visitors were invited to download the song for free, to watch the video on YouTube and to share it on Facebook.[46] The video includes parts of Eu, tu și Ovidiu (Me, you and Ovidiu), a Romanian film directed by Geo Saizescu.[47]

In September, the band was invited to play at MTV Romania, during the first local edition of "MTV Unplugged".[48] This was followed by several other concerts in various cities across the country, including a concert in Panic! Club in November, when the band opened for Ken Stringfellow.[49]

The Amsterdams continued their touring in 2013 as well, and were invited to play at several Romanian festivals such as Peninsula Félsziget[50] and Focus Festival.[51]

Winds Apart

On December 19, 2013, The Amsterdams released their first unplugged album, Winds Apart,[52][53] followed by a video for the song "Where To Go", directed by Alina Manolache.[54]

Winds Apart consisted mainly of re-recorded songs from Adolessons and Electromagnetica, with the notable exception of "Crackers" and "Where To Go".[52] The band stated that the work to the album took a year, and although more than twenty songs were recorded, only fifteen made it on the final release. They also confirmed that a new album was in the making.[53]

Additional projects

Many of the band's former members, as well as the current ones, have additional musical projects. Hațegan and Niculae have a band called We Singing Colors, described on the official Facebook page as follows: "We play around at home and sometimes music comes out. oh, really?"[55] Ungureanu is part of a band called Nebulosa, with Noamme Elisha on vocals and bass guitar and Vladimir Proca (Robin and the Backstabbers) on drums. Nebulosa released an EP called Chimes in 2010.[56]

Nicolae plays in The Division of Joy, a Joy Division tribute band, with Gabi "Pipai" Andrieș on vocals, Janin Pasniciuc (Dekadens, ex-AB4, ex-Zebre) on guitar and Paul Neacșu on drums.[57]

Bejan and Stoica have a project named Coughy, which is described as "Experimental Shoegaze Screengaze Electronica Noise Neo-Post-Rock" on the official Facebook page.[58] The band had already released a studio album.[59]

Ballo is known for his activity as a drummer in Go to Berlin and Kumm,[60] and for his two electronic projects, Hot Casandra[61] and Trouble Is, the former being a collaboration with Matei Țeposu, his ex-bandmate from Go to Berlin.[62]

Discography

Studio albums
  • Adolessons (2009)
  • Electromagnetica (2011)
  • Winds Apart (2013)
EPs
  • Automatic (2008)

Members

Current members
  • Andrei Hațegan – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion (2005–present)
  • Andrei Ungureanu – guitar (2005–present)
  • Augustin Nicolae – bass guitar, percussion (2006–present)
  • Ovidiu Bejan – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, percussion (2006–present)
Former members
  • Dan Olaru – bass guitar (2005–2006)
  • Alex Ghiţă – drums (2006–2007)
  • Paul Ballo – drums (2007–2008)
  • Vlad Stoica – drums (2005–2006; 2008–2010)

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Interviu The Amsterdams: "Fabrica Electromagnetica a produs multe lucruri electronice, iar acum a produs si un album"", thegig.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Amsterdams, hăituiți de gospodine", old.cotidianul.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Amsterdams", metropotam.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Adolessons", librarie.carturesti.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  5. ↑ "COMPILATIE ROADRUNNER MUSIC", vip.radiolynx.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  6. ↑ "The Amsterdams deschide UnderLondon 2", afterparty.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  7. ↑ "Dandy Warhols au cantat o piesa pentru "cea mai buna trupa din Romania"", artline.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  8. ↑ "Trupa The Amsterdams lanseaza EP-ul "Automatic"", life.hotnews.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  9. ↑ "The video for the song "Petrolize All Mice", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  10. ↑ "The Amsterdams", bucuresti.24fun.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  11. ↑ "Amsterdams: Automatic EP", pennyblackmusic.co.uk, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  12. ↑ "The Amsterdams - Automatic EP", popnews.com, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  13. ↑ "The Amsterdams live on Cambridge University Radio (UK)", youtube.com, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  14. ↑ "Romanian band of the week: The Amsterdams", romania-insider.com, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  15. ↑ "Peninsula alternativã: trebuie sã alegi", peninsula.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  16. ↑ "Bestfest 2008: The Amsterdams", metropotam.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  17. ↑ "Stufstock 2008", infoarte.ro, retrieved 30 June 2011 
  18. ↑ "Concert The Amsterdams LIVE pe mtv.ro", mtv.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  19. ↑ "Facem Records cu The Amsterdams la ProFM's COOL", mtv.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  20. ↑ "AZI, PROFM ADUCE MUZICA IN STRADA!!! 15 GRADE, AMSTERDAMS SI FUNKTASTICS!!!", profm.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  21. ↑ "The Amsterdams au lansat albumul Adolessons", life.hotnews.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  22. ↑ "Lectii despre adolescenta cu The Amsterdams!", profm.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  23. ↑ "The video for "Chased by the Housewives", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  24. ↑ "The Amsterdams cu Chased By The Housewives, in premiera pe mtv.ro", mtv.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  25. ↑ "Interviu: The Amsterdams - inainte de lansarea albumului Adolessons", metropotam.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  26. ↑ "The Amsterdams canta la Amsterdam!", mtv.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  27. ↑ "Handsome Furs din nou in Romania", vip.radiolynx.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  28. ↑ "Concert The Amsterdams la Cluj Napoca", studentie.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  29. ↑ "The Amsterdams, in primul turneu national !", comunicatemedia.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  30. ↑ "The video for "Apple", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  31. ↑ "One night in Bucharest with the Amsterdams", vimeo.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  32. ↑ "The Amsterdams pleaca intr-un turneu european alaturi de Wolf Parade", 4arte.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  33. ↑ "The Amsterdams canta in deschiderea concertului Cranberries", thegig.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  34. ↑ "The Amsterdams isi promoveaza noul album in Marea Britanie", studentie.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  35. ↑ "The Amsterdams @ Purple Turtle & Cavendish Arms, London", icr-london.co.uk, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  36. ↑ "TRACKLISTING. MONDAY 09/08/2010", bbc.co.uk, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  37. ↑ "The Amsterdams launch new album @ Kulturhaus", empty-stage.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  38. ↑ "The Amsterdams: Electromagnetica", themusiccritic.co.uk, retrieved 10 October 2011 
  39. ↑ "Amsterdams: Electromagnetica", pennyblackmusic.co.uk, retrieved 10 October 2011 
  40. ↑ "albums - may 2011: The Amsterdams - 'Electromagnetica' (Post Pop)", tastyfanzine.org.uk, retrieved 10 October 2011 
  41. ↑ "The Amsterdams concerteaza in Spania", thegig.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  42. ↑ "The video for the song "Summertime", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 1 September 2011 
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 "“Summertime”, noua piesă The Amsterdams, vorbește despre fâstâceala dinaintea marelui amor", b365.realitatea.net, retrieved 1 September 2011 
  44. ↑ Morcheeba si Parov Stelar Band la Sala Polivalenta, pe 8 octombrie, retrieved 10 October 2011 
  45. ↑ "The video for the song "Coalmine", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 14 June 2012 
  46. ↑ "Supraexpuși la muzică, The Amsterdams au făcut Sunology – VIDEOCLIP", infomusic.ro, retrieved 23 August 2012 
  47. ↑ "The video for the song "Sunology", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 23 August 2012 
  48. ↑ "Din 16 septembrie ai MTV Unplugged. Trupa care da startul primei editii: The Amsterdams", mtv.ro, retrieved 18 October 2013 
  49. ↑ "The Amsterdams, Mary’s Flower Superhead şi Ken Stringfellow în Panic! Club", no3.ro, retrieved 18 October 2013 
  50. ↑ "Gambrinus Rocks Cluj, o nouă scenă la Peninsula 2013. Vezi artiştii confirmaţi!", iconcert.ro, retrieved 16 January 2014 
  51. ↑ Focus Festival 2013 la Sibiu, retrieved 16 January 2014 
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 "The Amsterdams lanseaza albumul "Winds Apart"", maximumrock.ro, retrieved 16 January 2014 
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 "De vorba cu trupa The Amsterdams despre noul album acustic Winds Apart si alte obsesii", metropotam.ro, retrieved 16 January 2014 
  54. ↑ "The video for the song "Where To Go", on YouTube", youtube.com, retrieved 16 January 2014 
  55. ↑ "We Singing Colors on Facebook", facebook.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  56. ↑ "Nebulosa (official site)", nebulosaband.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  57. ↑ "Concert Division of Joy in Fire Club", studentie.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  58. ↑ "Coughy on Facebook", facebook.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  59. ↑ "Coughy: Psychedelic Salad from the Carpathian Garden", easterndaze.net, retrieved 17 October 2012 
  60. ↑ "Dominic Csergo nu mai canta la Kumm", vip.radiolynx.ro, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  61. ↑ "Hot Casandra on MySpace", myspace.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 
  62. ↑ "Trouble Is on MySpace", myspace.com, retrieved 1 July 2011 

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