For more pictures, visit Izaak's website.

Still on a high from Radiohead's concert the day before, we went to see 16 Horsepower at the Brussels Ancienne Belgique. Their 'recycle' album "Olden" might have been a disappointment, they've hardly ever let us down at a live show.

The Dutch band At the Close Of Every Day, 16 Horsepower's support act on this tour, opened the show. Their music, however, seemed more like soft background music for the audience that was slowly entering the room than a real gig. Only their Church-cover "Under The Milky Way" managed to draw some attention from the audience. Mostly though, the buzzing of the crowd drowned out their songs. (TYFC: At this particular show ATCOED recorded footage for a DVD. David Eugene Edwards joined them on the guitar for one song: September Grass)

At this moment, 16 Horsepower tours as a trio. The three remaining members, David Eugene Edwards, Jean-Yves Tola and Pascal Humbert have stuck together. A simple line-up and a selection of old songs coming from mainly "Sackloth 'n' Ashes" and "Low Estate", that's the concept of this European tour.

For more pictures, visit Izaak's website.

"Strong Man" from their first full album sets the tone, followed by "Horse Head". As Edwards sprinkles around his conjuring laments and hypnotic banjo-strumming, the crowd was given the chance to be captivated by their distinctive wave of sound. After some rather unfamiliar songs, Edwards picks up his bandoneon for the very first time as he squeezes out the thrilling "American Wheeze". For a moment, it seems like the show is about to kick off for real now, but somehow the spark refuses to leap over.

Even though the remarkably calm audience as well as the band, try to make it work with classics as "I Seen What I Saw", "Harm's Way" and "Phyllis Ruth". The rocking "Black Soul Choir" seems to push the show into the right direction, but that doesn't last very long. After "Haw" they leave the stage. We do get a some encores, but they do not manage to save the general feeling we get from this gig.

For more pictures, visit Izaak's website.

It even gets very cosy when songs like "South Pennsylvania Waltz" and the lovely "Straw Foot" warm up the room during the encores. Even Edwards, who first restrained himself to his legendary words "thank you for clapping", starts to loosen up. When someone from the audience launches an "I love you"-scream through the room, Edwards reacts rather dryly: "No, you don't".

"For Heaven's Sake" ends the show with a final energy boost, but still we went home with a strange and somewhat disappointing feeling. Why couldn't 16 Horsepower bring about more? Was it their rather unusual setlist, or the lame audience? Was it the amazing concert of the day before that was still buzzing in our heads? Or perhaps the high days of 16 Horsepower are simply over…

by Karolien/Cutting Edge