Valentine – Is back and How!

Master Composer, keyboardist and musical centipede Robby Valentine and top band with Cyril Whistler (guitar), Johan 'Jay-Jay "Williams (keyboard, backing vocals) who unfortunately is absent tonight, Andre Borgman (drums), Liselotte "Lilo" Hegt (bass) Don’t need an introduction anymore. After the dazzling performance on Valentine's Day and the CD-presentation with the release of the album Androgenius we can conclude that his name is buzzing in the Netherlands.

We kick of with a lady who is not subject to the master himself. Not surprising because Robby plays along and composed the songs. Marlies Schuitemaker (vocals) and her band Aniday including Robert Kempe (keyboards / guitar / vocals), Paul Coenradie (guitar / vocals), Danny Simons (drums) and Alex Mol (bass) give us quit a show tonight. That she has ever was fourth at the second Idolsshow is hard to believe, let's put it this way, one can not understand why a singer of her caliber took this step. Although if she had won this popular TV show, we had probably never heard or seen nothing more of her than a couple musical productions. It would be a shame to see this rock diva with a big R to disappear behind the curtain. In random order they play tonight a lot of songs of her solo debut album Delectrified in a dark, but strong and tight power-rock style.

With songs including Can Not Take No More, Hole In My Heart, Lost The Way, Do Not Fool With Me, When Loving You Is Wrong, Not Much Of A Man, Everthing, Dream On and of course the new single Get Funky has Aniday a good repertoire. They pop one after another song on us. It does not matter whether it is a lump in the throat - tears towing - chills delivery disturbing ballad or an up-tempo pure rock song. The pure chemistry and personal interaction with the audience is incredible. The big names in the rock scene can be aware. If they continue like this, they could easily play at festivals like Pinkpop, Lowlands, Waldrock, Graspop and Wacken Open Air and maybe even the honor to conquer the main stage.

If we just cooled down from the rousing action of Aniday we all be overpowered by the first tones of Valentine. For this misunderstood genius there seems to reverse a trend. After years having to feed on the success of the top-40 hit Over And Over Again the time has come to break trough with the album Androgenius. This power rockalbum is ideal for a live show as we may enjoy this evening. The Netherlands has been for a long time, incomprehensible but true, an unexplored area to Robby but now he's back and how.

They start immediately good as they open with the 2008/2009 version of Over And Over Again then songs like What In The World I'm Waiting For, I'm Going Under (Sedated), Dear Dead, I Believe In Music, A New world, Falling Down are being played. Of course, the Valentine and stronger version of ABBA's SOS evergreen featuring 'Lilo' is not forgotten. Because of the musical road Valentine is set with the new single Save Myself, with vocal support Marlies, there seems to be a place to be released in the established rock scene. A song with this bombastic aspects fits perfectly in this day in time and could become a large hit.

The set is dripping from the theatrical elements with a big T. For example, Make Way For The Messenger dramatically inaugurated by Cyril on his "Viotar" (a guitar neck turned into a violin). This is powerfully lead by none other than Sigrid Slagman on vocals. For us as an old acquaintance since she is from our area. Also Fear Of Heights is lead with her strong vocal contribution. When they eventually end the show with the evergreen Over and Over Again it seems that the evening really had two strong performances to enjoy for the price of one.

All in all a night not soon forgotten. After collecting quite a few musical material to lengthen this experience at home again we went home.

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