Artists

The Toasters are one of the original American second wave of ska bands. Founded in New York City in 1981.
Biografie
The Toasters, are "Ska Pioneers" (Billboard magazine) and boldly go where no ska band has gone before. Having been compared to the Ramones, due to their longevity and adherence to core principles, the Toasters are held to be one of most influential ska bands out there. Their lean, mean ska machine has galvanized audiences and musicians alike with their embrace of the Jamaica-born pop music style that overwhelmed England in the 1960's, migrated to America in the early 1980s, and went global in the 1990s. The hallmark Toasters sound sits at the nexus of Reggae, Jazz, Punk and Soul and is the musical equivalent of a brass knuckle-duster.

Formed in New York City by British guitarist/frontman Rob "Bucket" Hingley in 1981, the Toasters exploded onto the Lower East Side scene. Cutting their teeth with a residency at legendary clubs like CBGB and Danceteria, the band has defied gravity and industry skeptics alike by staying true to their original 2-Tone ska roots, whilst logging over 4000 globe-trotting live appearances.

Longtime fans and critics agree, the current "International All-Stars" posse (featuring members of some of the world's greatest ska bands) is one of the most formidable in The Toasters' long and chequered history. Along with the irrepressible Bucket on lead vocals and guitar, The Beat's Andy Pearson is featured on bass. Expect to see Neil Johnson (Planet Smashers) and Tommy Quartulli on saxophone (The Allstonians), Greg Robinson (Mephiskapheles) on trombone and Jesse Hayes (Westbound Train) on drums. Special appearances by Arjen Bijleveld (Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation) and Buford O'Sullivan (Easy Star All-Stars) are also to be expected in 2009. Legendary keyboardist Dave Barry rounds out the posse.

As the founder of Megalith Records (and former boss of the legendary Moon Ska Records, the most influential ska label of the 1990s) the Toasters' leader, Rob "Bucket" Hingley has a ska resume that trumps virtually anyone else in the business. With the aid and support of likeminded musicians such as producer Joe Jackson, who has worked with the band over the years, he has been able to compile a recorded legacy and a songwriting catalog. Among the many ska classics Hingley has penned: "Weekend In L.A.," "Matt Davis," "2-Tone Army," "Social Security," "Dub 56"—and the list goes on and on.

In the commercial realm, the Toasters have recorded jingles for AOL, Cisco Systems, Miller, Anheuser-Busch, and Coca-Cola, and have contributed to movie and television scores (Bleached, Bang!, MTV's Wildboyz, Mission Hill, Kablam!, Showtime's Brotherhood, etc.). Where Bucket and The Toasters truly excel, and live up to their reputation as one of the greatest bands of all time, however, is on the road. Averaging more than 200 performances a year, the band is well on its way to playing its 5,000th gig, a milestone they should achieve by the end of the decade.
Toasters fans from all over the world have known for a long time that their favourite ska band is the coolest group around, a true classic. Now, it's time for everyone else to catch up, and get hip to The Toasters!

The popular acoustic covertrio ‘The Tributes’ is one big improvisation-show with a big portion of interaction with the audience. Played with the energy of a 5-piece band, these 3 men challenge themselves by improvising medleys on the spot, based on audience requests. This often results in euforic moments. The tension, humor and interaction between the musicians and the audience creates a great energy and is a pleasure to watch.
Music from the TOP2000, guilty pleasures and contemporary hitsingels, but also ballads will pass by. GET READY TO BE IMPRESSED.

The Tributes performed last year (amongst other shows) as the for Guns ’N Roses (Goffertpark), The Rolling Stones (A'dam Arena) and Ahoy. They often visit New York, Dublin, Antwerpen, Barcelona, Stockholm en numerous other foreign locations.
You might recognize them from tv, where the members individually contributed to the shows of Lisa Lois, Aïrto, Lange Frans or with original songs. With well over 100 shows a year, this is one of Netherlands most successful coverbands!

The Unemployed is a Rock oriented band from Amsterdam

The Velvet State is a talented four-piece band from Nijmegen. Their music is a mix of funk, rock and pop, accompanied by a strong live performance. Artists like the Red Hot Chile Peppers, John Mayer and Otis Redding influenced the group.

The Very 80 's: the eighties are back!
Live on stage, six man/woman strong and with a sophisticated repertoire full of wonderful memories of a wonderful time.

The Very 80 's are highly experienced in bringijng you the musical highlights of the 1980s , bringing you all your guilty pleasures and let you enjoy the hits from these years. Even the static lovers cannot stand still and dancing secretly on the hits of Madonna, Kool & the Gang, Wham!, Prince, Earth Wind & Fire, and Michael Jackson. But also De Maar, Bon Jovi and Frankie goes to Hollywood must be a part of the show!

The Very 80 's band also makes an occational trip to the "Dance Classics" of the late seventies including Chic, Donna Summer, The Trammps, Gloria Gaynor and many other.
The recognition is great and the sing-along-factor huge. In short: this show should not be missed! The Very 80 's an evening genuine sentiment!!

Conventional wisdom has guided bands in the computer age towards isolationism; find one’s turf, stake a claim, and interpret peer success as a call to arms. Void Union has propelled itself out of cyberspace’s din with a counterintuitive mission statement: Preserve the Jamaican music of the 1960’s, collaborate with Ska’s originators, and actively recruit guest players from the ensembles that have proven equal to the task of reinventing the genre. Some of those musicians include Derrick Morgan, The Skatalites, Lynval Golding (The Specials), King Django, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Chris Rhodes (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Spring Heeled Jack),and David Hillyard (The Slackers, Hepcat), all of whom feature on the Void Union’s recordings. In November of 2010, Vin Gordon (The Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Wailers) joined the group for a watershed European tour.

Thaddeus Merritt (Bass), Rick Smith (Drums), Rich Graiko (Trumpet), Alex Stern (Guitar, Keys), and Anant Pradhan(Tenor Sax), comprise Void Union’s core, but, the band's philosophy lends itself to a collective atmosphere in which like-minded musicians sit in and assure that no show is the same as the one that preceded it. The audience at a gig is not a mere handful of die-hard Ska enthusiasts; a survey of the crowd yields suits, working stiffs, parents, children, dreadlocks, moptops, and...hipsters? All turn out to bear witness to a versatile ensemble that is as at ease providing the jazz-tinged instrumental foil to a Jamaican legend as it is leading a sing-along at a neighborhood bar.