Sunday June 26. A warm, sunny afternoon. Gorgeous girls with long legs and flip-flops biking in the Amsterdam's dockyard. Yet, the epicentre stood beneath, in the dark Panama club facing the sea, where Flip the Switch offered a dazzling farewell concert to an enthusiastic crowd of 800.

They hit the stage at 3.50 am, something a bit uncommon for a wild rock'n'roll set, but indeed a perfect time. To revive the wildest, haunting hours of Stones' history, what could suit better than a breakfast show? A minute sooner, you were drinking a beer at the terrace, looking at the Panamanian cargos outside the Panama, Then you watched your step to dive in the vault. You felt suddenly boosted in a twilight zone.
All of sudden, the clock was back in a no man's land of flamboyant, eccentric, and eerie world of shaking guitars.

Flip the Switch played three hours, no less, Stray Cat Blues being the highest point of the show, IMO. No funky bass solo, but a raunchy Gibson sound on the right screwing your mind, Mathjis giving his best to match the legacy of the concerts which blew the mind of thousands of young Americans in 1969, young Britons in 1971 or young European in 1973. Witness the dark versions of Dead Flowers, Midnight Rambler, Let it Bleed, Moonlight Mile and frenzy You Can't Always Get What You Want, where snaky singer Duijf was to been seen in the middle of the volcano, standing on a stool to tease a crowd getting wilder at every moment. So was I, dancing like a mad on the balcony, greeting, jumping, caught by the invisible whip hustling the crowd.

Yet digging in the best roots, the early Taylor years, the band didn't perform a DNA copy of the Stones' genetic code. So there is no point to compare note after note. The bottom line was in the spirit. Drummer Remco and bass guitarist Hayo recreated an almost perfect Stones' combo on Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Hey Negrita and Miss You. Remco had even bettered since the last time I hear him in Lede. His strike was smart, smooth, matching the sober, inventive Hayo who carried a big part of the show, especially when playing counterpoint fills on Let's Spend the Night Together, Street Fighting Man, 100 Years Ago or Paint in Black - all songs of which pop or oriental influence differ a great deal from Chuck Berry's classics, leaving more room to melodic bass. IMO, every number was great, the only weak song of the show being perhaps Dance Pt (1), because of a strange mix : a too noisy guitar attack overruling the funky signature of the song.

Rhythm guitarist Erik deserves the final toast. I don't know FTS musicians as individuals, and I maybe totally wrong, but it seems to me he was the one giving the biggest part of his heart in this final show. Gently mimicking Keith when playing in open tuning – you know, when you can afford a loose left hand because of the capo –he seems also to have a nostalgic insight of the time passing. His band. A generous band. RIP Flip the Switch.

Wow, this is one magnificently beautiful review!! And you hit the mark as well imo!!

Please, can I get your permission to use it on the band's website, as an added fan-review??? Let me know!

Pictures also now available on said website:

www.fliptheswitch.nl

Cheers,
Angie

Thanks for that great report! I wish I could have been there!
Fred Hardin
SAV/GA
Pleased to meet you........

Angie, you are welcomed.

Looks a great day.

Well, well, well...I just don't know what to say, what a fabulous review! It was nice meeting you Joker, and we're glad you enjoyed it! It was a great day for the band, and we feel it was truly great day for saying goodbye.

Mathijs

Seems to have been a great gig.
Congratulations, Mathijs!

No chance of a world wide tour then, just to satisfy us to the real deal comes to europe.

Thanks for the great review, Joker!

Duijf

After reading that review, I wish I had been in Amsterdam for that gig, Joker.

Congrats to all FTS members and crew...

[There'll be no wedding today...]

Actually, Odean 73, they played and sounded like the "real" Rolling Stones CAN'T play or sound like anymore, it was quite a treat....
(I know....it's a bit sad having to say this, but it's the truth.....)

The biggest compliment I could give is : my bladder was near bursting-point, but I never went to the toilet during the three hours they played. (Where are all the catheter vendors when you need one?)

To my own surprise (I'd never even considered seing a "coverband" before), my main impression was that these are gifted musicians. It will be quite interesting to follow up what they do next.....

All the best!

Johanna

PS: One complaint, though ! There were TEN rows of buxom screeching blondes stopping anyone from getting anywhere near the handsome guitarist, quite outrageous, I thought.....

Hi Jostorm,

Your teasing my memories now 'sounding like the real r-stones glad you enjoyed it, there was a chance to see a cover band of the stones in my hometown recently but like your self never really considered it, but if the setting was right like a outside concert and the weather was nice then perhaps?.

Well, sounds like a great concert
Congratulations to the band and good luck with your future plans!

Hey, Odean73

Just as long as it's just your memory I'm teasing.....
Funny thing, this "coverband business"....I've had opportunities galore, but it never ever would have occurred to me to go and see one. Partly because I'm not a "real" fan in the sense that I "have a life" and don't do hero worship in the way many other fans do, partly because the word "coverband" to me implies "fake".
But I have to admit that losing my coverband virginity was real fun. It started with a slight "cringe-factor", the sort of general feeling that no matter how well the sound gets emulated, it remains what it is, a copy.... HOWEVER, and here comes the interesting experience, it only took about two songs for me to think "&%$£* ! They are hot!" and another few to think "Hell, they're as good as the original 30 years ago" and then "Bloody hell, not even the Stones could play it like this anymore!", and before I knew it, the feeling had metamorphosed to the full blown party feeling I've had only at really exceptional concerts.
"Hey Negrita" was the best one I've ever danced to. And Stray Cat Blues was good enough to (CENSORED) to. A memorable concert, indeed!

So, sadly you won't be able to see this one. Not sure how others compare. But I haven't got the slightest inclination to find out. "Stop on a high" being one of my life's philosophies....

Johanna

Hi Jostorm,

the world seems a great place when something like that happens, & stop teasing me pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee.

Have a nice day.

Yes, sounds like a great concert and a great band too. Cogratulations, fellows!

jostorm wrote: ""Bloody hell, not even the Stones could play it like this anymore!". Is this an excess of enthusiasm for the FTS band or the "usual", nostalgic, depreciatory bitching about the Stones of 1989-2005 period? If it's simply the "truth", tell me, who must be replaced by Mathijs on the tour? Ronnie or Keith? And please, don't tell me "they're as good as the original 30 years ago", because to me the Love You Live (what a horrible live album!) period was the worst. Just a matter of taste.

Mathijs, answer me. Ronnie or Keith must be replaced by you?

Jo, sorry for the rows of girls that obstructed your view, but at least I got to meet you!

Thanks all for the kind words, glad you all liked the show!

Mathijs

"the "usual", nostalgic, depreciatory bitching about the Stones of 1989-2005 period?"

Well, I think when some day we will be here at IORR discussing of The Stones 2034-35 World Tour, we are remembering this period 1989-2005 with nostalgic hearts: "oh, weren't the guys a gas then.. They don't do classics like 'Don't Stop', 'Anybody Seen My Love?' or 'Oh No Not You Again' anymore".

But hats off to Flip The Switch! What will you do now, Mathijs? How does it feel now, when "It's All Over Now"?

- Doxa

Dion, you are being exceedingly sticky today....

I don't do nostalgia. Too young for that.
I don't do excessive enthusiasm. Too old for it.
And on a good day I don't do bitching either.

For what it's worth, and we all know it will NEVER happen, IF Mathijs replaced Ronnie and Erwin replaced Keith, the Rolling Stones as we know them now would be so good,so musically cohesive and professional, that we could simply flush all the hornsection, the backsingers, Blondie and especially Chuck down the toilet.
Sadly, the Rolling Stones 50% total unprofessionalism/addiction issues don't allow this to happen. Hence the constant collective bitching on this site...

If you witnessed any concerts of the 40 BankOverdrafts Tour 2002/2003, and if you had had the pleasure of witnessing the guitarists last Sunday, you would agree.

But back to reality.
Mathijs and Erwin and their mates will no doubt do well whatever their musical ventures may be in the future.
And we will see the Stones next year with the brasssection, Blondie, Chuck, etc,etc.......

Mathijs: that's ok, entirely my pleasure, and if you give me just a minute, I'll even get stickydion to deflect the strong light she is shining into your face to produce a confession....

Johanna

I appreciate your houmor about the future and the present, Doxa!

But, who knows, in the 2034 Flip The Swith perhaps will be on tour. What about the ages of the band's members, Mathijis?

Jo, there are countless musicians in all age groups that are technically much better than the Stones. You can go to almost any studio in the world, take some local studio musicans or students from a university and record an exact copy of how the Stones sounded in their height.

But if you take these guys, put them into a room together and ask them to write some classics you will most likely be very disappointed with the result. And that's the point - you don't become a good band because you do covers. The Stones are mainly great because of the outstanding music they wrote and because they are still there, performing!

I have a huge respect for Mathijs, he's definitely capable of playing a mean guitar - this combined with the love for the 70ies/80ies Stones makes him (and his band) definitely interesting for Stones fans. And he has a huge knowledge about the Stones, etc. However, even if I know that you were speaking just hypothetically, it doesn't need Mathijs or Erwin (other guitarist?) to enhance the Stones sound. I could easily name you two or three guys I personally know that would technically be capable of outplaying Ronnie or Keith easily...

I would go and see Flip The Switch if they play their own songs and if they impress me with their own songs, though.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-06-29 17:13 by KeithRichards.

Well, in 2034 we'll all still be 29, so I'd say a reunion tour of Flip would be possible! But if I'd replace Wood, and Erik would replace Richards, what to do with our very own Duijf? I don't feel like going on stage without Duijf, so then we would have Duijf, me and Erik, then it just takes two more and we do have a Flip reunion....

I would like to exchance our paychecks with the Stones though. I really don't mind.

Mathijs

Lorenz: yes, I'm perfectly aware of all the ins and outs of R&R fame,the Glimmertwins' talent for melodies, lyrics and hits, the countless very gifted session musicians floating about unknown, etc...
I was just explaining to odean73 how flabbergasted I was at seing a coverband that could make anyone in their right mind think "I want them instead of X and Y...in the RS ". I also know that to enhance the Stones sound all they would need to do is for Keith and Ronnie to pull up their socks , if for no other reason then because Charlie has defied death to be sitting behind his drumkit every bloody night. And the rest would follow.....But somehow I ain't holding my breath for this to happen.

So, it was just a thought, or have the Eurowankers suddenly banned freedom of thought together with smoking in enclosed places???? :-)

Well, after all that comments, the question is obvious: did FTS record this gig, so we can taste it?

BTW, are FTS going to open the vaults now they already did their Farewell Show??

[There'll be no wedding today...]

Doxa, i appreciate your humor!

jostorm, i had not the pleasure of witnessing the concert last Sunday. No doubt about FTS's quality, must be a great band. But i see the Stones live since 1973 and have my opinion about the past and the present. Am I "exceedingly sticky today" because i totaly disagree with the "Las Vegas event" theory?? Oh, that's so democratic...
Fortunately, the Stones present the kind of "unprofessionalism" (!!) that can attract 23 million people in the last 15 years. Nothing important, in comparison with the "constant collective bitching on this site"...

> So, it was just a thought, or have the Eurowankers
> suddenly banned freedom of thought together with
> smoking in enclosed places???? :-)

Well, I think, just like smoking, other opinions should be banned if they annoy others.

Kidding, of course. And good that you enjoyed the gig!
I'm just getting overly sensitive when someone starts with the "replacement theories", it seems.

First of all: no studio musicians in the world can reproduce the sound of RS at any stage of their career. It's not about fast fingers and paradiddles. For example mr. Jones is a great musician but he can/could never play as good as Bill.

Second: The Stones don't have bad techique as instrumentalists. On the contrary, they all have great technique. It doesn't need to be better.

Stickydion: how come we're suddenly in Las Vegas??? Darn, I forgot to pack the sunscreen, did you bring any?????
Well, 23million spectators in 15 years, or 215 million ££ grossed at the last tour are just statistics,they say bugger all about professionalism! And as we all know statistics are like bikinis, they hide the obvious while showing loads of stuff not everyone wishes to see....
My point being that yes, I think that KR and RW have been very inconsistent and often unprofessional during the last tour, whatever their reasons may have been for this. And regardless of how many nostalgic fans they got to fork out loads of money for a seat to listen to a live compilation CD. It doesn't change the fact that they SUCKED at times.

And what exactly is your point??? (see? I'm democracy personified!)

I agree, it was a great concert. But it's a very good, excellent, cover band. I agree with KeithRichards a bit. But I had a great time. It makes me even more want to go to the real stuff.
It took me a while though before I realized they were playing "get off of my cloud".
But maybe you should reconsider not stopping.