Versatile Dutch singer/songwriter Anneke Van Giersbergen brings her new project VUUR to the North East of England as part of their debut UK headline tour.

Van Giersbergen has had many different creative outlets over the years, including her long tenure with The Gathering and more recently The Gentle Storm, as well as a successful solo career and countless collaborations with the likes of Devin Townsend and Ayreon.

Anneke formed VUUR from the embers of her live touring band for The Gentle Storm project. A clear aim was set to create some of Van Giersbergen’s heaviest material to date. Last year VUUR released their debut record In This Moment We Are Free – Cities. The concept behind the album depicts the tale of various key locations from across the globe, with each song in part taking the name of one of these high profile destinations.

This evening Van Giersbergen and her world-class band showcase their latest offering at The Cluny in Newcastle. Opening the show with a pair of tracks from the record including both “Time – Rotterdam” and “My Champion – Berlin” immediately sets the tone for the night ahead. During the course of VUUR’s almost 90-minute set, the band deliver the lion’s share of their debut album with seven of the tracks featuring in the show.

Mid-set Anneke takes the opportunity to slow down the proceedings with a sublime acoustic solo spot. During this two song interlude, Van Giersbergen performs a folk-tinged cover of both Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” and her crowd-pleasing take on Ayreon’s “Valley of the Queens”. Anneke proves that no matter what style of music she is performing she can do it all and do it well. 

Anneke Van Giersbergen’s impassioned voice fills the room all night long, she has such a phenomenal vocal range. During “Days Go By – London” Anneke demonstrates some exquisite vocal acrobatics; constantly and effortlessly hitting the song’s sustained high notes. Anneke has both the voice of an angel and the spirit of a metal warrior.

Despite the onus on VUUR, during tonight’s show, Anneke takes the opportunity to perform several tracks from her vast body of work whilst at the same time showcasing the many facets of her artistry. She takes the audience back to the start of her career with The Gathering classic “Strange Machines” through to a scorching rendition of Gentle Storm’s symphonic metal masterpiece “The Storm” and an incredible airing of an intense collaboration with Devin Townsend in “Fallout”. No stone is left unturned.

VUUR bring the evening to a close with “Reunite! – Paris”, leaving the stage to rapturous applause from the Newcastle faithful. Tonight VUUR set their North East fan base on fire with their combustible brand of progressive metal. A red-hot future awaits this exciting new project.

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VUUR
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Event Date: 08-Feb-2018

About The Author

Adam Kennedy is an experienced music photographer based in northeast England. He has been shooting concerts for several years, predominantly with the band Vintage Trouble. In 2013, he was one of their tour photographers, covering the UK and Ireland tour including the headline shows and as opening act for The Who. As an accomplished concert photographer, Adam's work has been featured in print such as, Classic Rock Blues Magazine, Guitarist Magazine, Blues in Britain magazine, broadcast on the MDA Telethon on ABC Television in the US, used in billboard advertising for Renaissance Hotels in the US, and featured online via music blogs such as Uber Rock and Guitar Planet. He is also the official photographer at Newcastle Rock and Blues Club.