Shaemless, with Tom Brouwers on the left. © Shaemless
Tom Brouwers (22) is in the third year of the bachelor’s Soil, Water, Atmosphere. He and Daan Sturm (22, bachelor’s Plant Sciences) play in the band Shaemless. ‘We are four dudes and we make a kind of post-punk garage. I play guitar and sometimes scream a bit. Daan plays guitar and sings. We also have a drummer and a bass player. All of us are from Nijmegen. On weekends, we often drive to Milsbeek in Limburg to rehearse together.’
Last year, Shaemless released their fourth extended play (EP), which is available on various media including Spotify. ‘We held a tour for that EP, with around ten shows in the Netherlands and Germany. One of those shows was in Wageningen, in Loburg. That was wild: crow surfing, a mosh pit. Awesome.’ The band will also travel across the country for the Popronde. ‘We will play in Delft, Heerlen, Eindhoven, Arnhem, Enschede, Haarlem, the list just goes on.’
And Wageningen is on that list, too. What can we expect of the show? ‘I think it will be another wild show. Also because many people from our study programmes will attend. They often like that.’
Shaemless will play at 10:45 pm at Unitas, Herenstraat 31.
Foxlane
Joris van der Veeken (23) has a master’s degree in Food Quality Management and is the drummer in Foxlane, an indie band. ‘We are four, and we play harder – though accessible – indie rock. We have been playing together for about four years now.’
Just like Shaemless, Foxlane is mainly a Nijmegen band. ‘It’s very nice to play in Wageningen again. We have previously played in Loburg, De Kater and café Daniels. This time, it will be in the Junushoff. A special place for me, because I worked there for two years. And when we play in Wageningen, people I know come to watch. It’s nice to see their faces. I’m really excited.’
With 28 performances, Foxlane is the most booked band of the Popronde, Van der Veeken says. ‘That can be difficult at times. I am also currently doing an internship, so it gets very busy at the moment. Those things can’t really be combined. The performances are from Thursdays to Sundays. So, for example, when we have a performance in Delft on Thursday evening at eleven, it means I will get home around half past two in the morning, but I still have to go to work at eight. Luckily, the people at my internship don’t mind when I’m a bit tired for once, or if I arrive an hour later after a performance.’
Foxlane will play at 10:30 pm in the Junushoff, Plantsoen 3.
Beerbottle Chopsticks
Master’s student in Biology Sander Koene (23) is a drummer with Beerbottle Chopsticks, a garage punk / skate punk band. ‘I’m not sure what the name refers to, as I wasn’t around when they came up with it. I believe it’s a reference to the amount of beer and fast food that we consume.’
Koene has been with the band for a year now, and he played once a month on average during that time. The Popronde suddenly brings an additional twelve performances in just three months’ time. ‘It’s not an ideal combination with my studies. That’s why I’m only following a single course at the moment. That gives me time for the band in the morning, I can work on my course in the afternoon, and I have time left in the evening to play or prepare for performances.’
It will be the first time that Koene plays in Wageningen. ‘I really look forward to it. Many friends from Wageningen have never seen me play. Now they won’t have an excuse not to come.’
Beerbottle Chopsticks will play at 9:15 pm at Unitas, Herenstraat 31.
The full programme of the Popronde Wageningen is available here.