Audience breathless for Kim Janssen en Rue Royale

Dreamdebut for foundation FrontRow

The pair André Kuijpers and Sjaak Thijssen share a wide experience in visiting and
organizing concerts, but above all the love for quality on the stage. Their skills are
combined in the new initiative FrontRow, a foundation with an objective in finding a
stage for acts that deserve (more) attention. Good news for local music lovers, although
local musicians can probably not expect an invitation. FrontRow prefers setting their
sights across the borders. Tonight is the kickoff. The hall of café Trianon is packed from
the swinging doors to the stage and the atmosphere is pleasent and relaxed.

The chatter in the hall disappears like snow in the sunshine when Kim Janssen whispers
his first notes into the hall. Everyone present is silent as if a rare bird had settled down
that no one under any circumstances wants to scare away. The young man from
Groningen sings fragile song from his debut album The Truth Is, I Am Always
Responsible playing an acoustic guitar. So this time it's without a band, strings or choir,
but all alone on stage. His delicate voice is spine-tingling and sounds both sad and
hopeful. Sometimes his voice skips and is even a bit out of tune, but in the image of a
poët with a certain weight of torment this simply works for him.

Inbetween songs Kim makes a shy impression, but nonetheless turns the audience into his
choir during the third song. It's two notes that serve as a warm layer underneath the
refrain. The effect is wonderful. The first refrain Kim sings along with the audience, but
after that he sings over the occasional backing singers. He conducts them in a very subtle
manner. The highlight of his show.

After a short break it's acoustic indie duo Rue Royale's turn. Because Kim Janssen and
Rue Royale have been on tour for quite a while, they've developed a live cooperation.
During a couple of songs the singer-songwriter appears as a modest keyboard player in
the shadow schaduw of the British/American couple. Rue Royale is hypnotising and
absorbing. The audience is possibly even more silent than during the opening act.
Singer/guitarist Brookln Dekker and singer/percussionist Ruth Dekker let ring through
infuences by amongst others Nick Drake. The two voices sound very lovely together,
especially when they leave eachothers key a pure synergy arises. Inbetweeen songs the
couple make an adorable impression and from time to time the dry humor and self-
deprecation is affecting.

As the enchanting set leads them further down the path of sorrow and happiness, the
adience gets more exuberant and enthousiastic. This certainly also applies to the guys of
FrontRow. They clearly enjoy this succesful first step, that will hopefully leads to more
of this kind of high standard quality bookings. The only dissonant of the evening is the
hired announcer. To ask people to "shut their face" was not just rude but also
unnecessary. That was something the musicians were more than capable of themselves.