Pip Blom

Beat Generator, Dundee

30th July 2024

Tonight, I’m excited because I get to photograph one of my favourite bands, Pip Blom.

I’ve spoken previous about bands only playing venues in Glasgow and not coming further north to play venues such as Dundee, Aberdeen or Inverness, so a massive thanks to Pip Blom for taking their tour further afield to the fans.

The Amsterdam band who have been described as lo-fi indie rock are fronted by singer, songwriter, guitarist and band namesake Pip Blom, Tender Bloom and Darek Mercks .

The band have released three albums to date. The Boat in 2019 and then Welcome Break in 2021 with both albums having a more classic indie rock sound to them, but with the release of Bobbie in 2023 the band have taken a slightly different direction with a more synthesizer pop dance feel to the new album.

The band have also added a couple of collaborations on the new album. Frandz Ferdinand front man Alex Kapranos duets on the funky dance track ‘Is This Love’ and Willen Smith from Dutch indie band Personal Trainer on ‘Kiss Me by The Candlelight’.

With a few other upbeat tracks on the album like, Get Back and Fantasies, I’m looking forward to seeing how the fans respond to the band’s new synthesizer sounds.

Arriving at Beat Generators, I was worried that the gig was cancelled because outside was deserted and once inside it wasn’t any better, with only a hand full of people sitting about.

It seemed to be an older age group who were filtering slowly in for this gig and not the usual mixed bag of music lovers and students, but it was still early evening.

Support came from Vanity Fairy and it was a bit of good old disco dancing that got the small crowd who turned up tapping their feet. Her set was full of energy as she danced and swirled around in a long gold sequence dress to her track Top of the Pops. I have to say it was a strange choice of support act for the night, but she was very entertaining and interacted with the crowd throughout her set, also leaving the stage at times to weave in and out the crowd to her upbeat disco tracks.

Pip Blom took to the stage a wee bit after 9pm and started their set off with, Is This Love? With Tender Blom stepping in with vocals. Babies Are A Lie followed and then Not Tonight, also taken from the new album Bobbie.

Standing at the front, I had a quick turn around to see if the crowd had improved which it had slightly, but I was still a bit disappointed as I’ve seen Beat Generators a lot busier.

As the band continued through their sweaty energetic set, it wasn’t long before Tender stripped down to just his jeans before getting back on it with Daddy Issues and School.

I really enjoyed the change of direction from the band as drum machines and electro synthesizer seemed to have taken over from missing band member and drummer, Gini Cameron who had left to have a baby.

The bands performance was electric, and they interacted with the fans throughout their set. They played a total of ten tracks from the new album and finished off the night with one of my favourite tracks from the album, Get Back.

I have to say, this was one of my best gigs of the year so far but it’s just a shame that more of the locals didn’t turn out to see one of the best Indie bands around at the moment.

Set list

Is This Love?

Babies Are A Lie

Not Tonight

Keep It Together

7 Weeks

Red

Kiss Me By The Candlelight

Daddy Issues

Again

School

I Can Be Your Man