This was Hit The City 2024!
This was Hit The City 2024!
This was Hit The City 2024! With a new date in late summer and a new look: 100+ live acts, outdoor stages and indoor venues and vibrant day and night programs. We couldn’t have done Hit The City without you – a huge thanks to everyone who joined and celebrated our renewed festival with us. See you again in 2025 from Thursday August 28 to Sunday August 31!
Aftermovie Hit The City 2024
Line-up 2024:
MEROL / SAMPA THE GREAT / THE HAUNTED YOUTH / BOKOESAM & THE FAM / GAIDAA / IDALY / MULA B / POLYPHONIC / QUIQUE / SPRINTS / SYLVIE KREUSCH / THE VICES / WIES / ADF ANTJE / ANOTHER TASTE / ÃO / BLUE BENDY / BLUAI / BOWL / BRINTEX COLLECTIVE / BUMBLE B. BOY / CAITC / CARSICK / CHARLIE BENNETT CHARLOT / CHERYM / COCO COCAINE / CRYSTAL CHANAY / CRYSTAL MURRAY / CURLING / DEBBY FRIDAY DURRY / EMMY D’ARC / FACESOUL / FIEP / FLAIRE / GEO GEOSY / GESPUYS / GUSTAF / H31R / HOUSEPAINTERS IRIS JEAN / ISKANDER MOON / JULIA SABATÉ / JET VAN DER STEEN / JOHN-ROBERT / KABEAUSHÉ / KANS KEENAN MUNDANE / KIRIN J CALLINAN / KNIVES / LAMSI LO POLOKO / MADSTER / MALICE K / MARIA ISKARIOT MARYN CHARLIE / MC DRIVAH / MELTHEADS / MEHRO MILOLAATHETLUKKEN MENSA / MIN TAKA / MT JONES NARCO POLO / PEUK / PLEASUREINC. / PORCELAIN ID PRESENTED BY / PROMIS3 / RIJNBAART / SKY FELIZ / SNÕÕPER / SOMEBODY’S CHILD / STAATSEINDE / SUBFICTION / SWIM SCHOOL / SVEN CILLIERS / TAKESHI’S CASHEW / TALK SHOW / TANTRON / THE PILL THE ROYSTON CLUB / THYS / VICEBYLARA / WALT DISCO WHIFF / YELLOWSTRAPS / YVES / ZIMMER90 / ZO LIEF
Did you visit Hit The City 2024? Share your experience and have a chance to win 2 tickets to a show in Effenaar
Did you visit Hit The City 2024? Share your experience and have a chance to win 2 tickets to a show in Effenaar!
Did you attend Hit The City last weekend? Share your experience for a chance to win 2 tickets to a show of your choice in Effenaar. The visitor survey is open until Tuesday, September 10. We value your opinion—thank you for your participation, and we hope to see you again next year!
Everything you need to know about the renewed Hit The City
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Bigger, better, hotter; Hit The City is approaching at full speed. Already? Yes, already! From August 29 to September 1, you can once again indulge in numerous awesome acts during our free city festival, spread across cool locations in the city. And starting this year, Hit The City will take place in late summer. Not only that, there have been some exciting upgrades. Curious? Check out what you need to know about the festival’s new look right here.
Since 2012, Hit The City has been offering a full weekend of music discovery, spanning gritty guitars and danceable electropop to experimental hip-hop and everything in between. “The festival arose from two needs,” explains Robert Schaeffer, programmer for Effenaar and Hit The City since its inception. “Firstly, Eindhoven lacked a city-wide festival, so we aimed to connect more venues across the city. Secondly, we discovered many acts without a suitable platform to showcase them in Eindhoven.”
Effenaar often faces challenges with ticket sales for these emerging acts, making it impractical to host them all through club shows. “I vividly recall seeing Glass Animals at The Great Escape in Brighton. We were eager to bring them to Eindhoven, and Hit The City provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the band. We wouldn’t have taken the risk with a club show, but it worked out well within a festival setting.” The band graced the stage at Hit The City in 2013, back when their global hit ‘Heat Waves’ was just a distant thought in the musicians’ minds.
After several successful editions, Effenaar teamed up with Dutch Design Week in hopes of expanding the music festival by integrating it into the renowned design event. As a result, Hit The City operated under the name DDW Music for a number of years. During this period, Effenaar also partnered with the booking agency Friendly Fire to curate the lineup together. “Ultimately, Dutch Design Week decided to discontinue the music component, which led us to regain our independence.”
Nowadays, the city festival has returned to its original name for a few years. In 2022, Hit The City found a new partner in the tech company ASML, who, along with Effenaar and Friendly Fire, shares the goal of offering a large-scale and free city festival to the residents of Eindhoven.
Moving from October to summer
Moving from October to summer
Although the past editions were held during Dutch Design Week, it turned out not to be ideal for the festival’s growth. “Firstly, because DDW occupies all the spaces where we would like to program. During that week, there simply isn’t room to expand. And being in the Netherlands, we can’t really move the festival outdoors,” Schaeffer laughs.
That’s why, starting this year, Hit The City is shifting to late summer. It’s an exciting move, according to Hit The City programmer and Friendly Fire booker Elvin Usidame, who has been involved with the festival for many years. Initially at Effenaar, where he worked as a programmer from 2014 to 2018, and now for about two years with partner Friendly Fire. “It was closely tied to the vibrancy of Dutch Design Week and the extra people in the city at that time. Now we’re truly breaking away from that. I think it’s a great moment for Hit The City to stand on its own.”
With the new date, the city festival becomes the moment when everyone comes together after the holiday season, explains Schaeffer. “We want to connect the city’s residents, and I strongly believe that music and this festival are great tools for that. Throughout the summer, we scatter across the world, and upon our return, during Hit The City, we can celebrate together how great Eindhoven is. I hope everyone feels like, ‘Oh, I’m glad to be home again, because Eindhoven is a wonderful city.’ That’s what we aim to capture in the festival.”
And to truly unite the city’s residents, the festival must be accessible to everyone. Despite Hit The City’s growth, one thing remains unchanged: the festival is and always will be free. “In today’s world where festival tickets are becoming more expensive, often requiring people to save up for a long time, it’s incredibly special to offer a festival of this size with such a fantastic lineup free of charge to the city.”
Party at Ketelhuisplein
Party at Ketelhuisplein
Moving to the warmer season literally opens doors for Hit The City, as the city festival expands this year with an outdoor area. Alongside 15 indoor locations, Ketelhuisplein is added to the map, allowing you to enjoy great acts not only during the evening and night programs but also during the day – dancing in the sunshine.
The festival kicks off on Thursday evening with an exclusive opening concert by The Haunted Youth at Effenaar. The next day, Hit The City bursts into full swing across the city, where you can hop between indoor venues for a good dose of music. Schaeffer explains, “Then on Saturday, Ketelhuisplein joins in. The festival starts during the day, and in the evening, numerous bands will perform at the indoor locations. On Sunday, we all gather to wrap up at Ketelhuisplein. There, artists like MEROL and The Vices will perform in various styles. We aim to create a cozy atmosphere where you can go with your friends, dance a bit, and hang out on the terrace or grass.”
Sampa The Great performing for free in your backyard
Sampa The Great performing for free in your backyard
Including Ketelhuisplein significantly scales up the festival, accommodating over 7000 music lovers. “This allows us to book much larger artists, which is essential for attracting a larger audience,” explains Renia Heeringa, Hit The City and Effenaar marketer. The festival has lined up Dutch singer MEROL and the adventurous Sampa The Great as its headline acts for the upcoming edition.
“These acts, a lineup like this, you can’t just see for free anywhere else,” she says, still with a hint of disbelief. This marks her third year working on the festival. “During my interview, I emphasized how excited I would be to contribute. Now, it’s growing into something beyond my initial expectations. We can now feature artists who have already surpassed the emerging stage. Honestly, what’s cooler than living near Ketelhuisplein and having Sampa The Great perform in your backyard? Not many people can say that. When I see that square filled, I might even shed a tear.”
Schaeffer is already eagerly looking forward to the show by the Zambian singer and rapper. “It’s going to be an amazing performance. We’ve brought in a large LED screen, there will be visuals and dancers. This will be a type of show that we rarely see in Eindhoven.”
However, the programmer is also feeling a slight stress because his other favorite, the post-punk band Snõõper, begins halfway through Sampa The Great’s performance. “I’m really excited about this booking too. I’m a big fan of theirs. So I’ll try to catch half of each performance. But it also shows how packed with excitement the festival is. There’s just so much cool stuff happening.”
Discover the headliners of the future
Discover the headliners of the future
This year, the lineup boasts over 100 acts on the poster. Alongside the prominent names at Ketelhuisplein, Hit The City continues its tradition as a city-wide exploration, featuring numerous emerging international and national acts from diverse musical genres. Usidame highlights how the extensive program harmonizes well with Eindhoven’s various indoor venues: “I really appreciate Eindhoven’s diverse venues, and Effenaar has crafted those connections beautifully. Each venue has its own loyal following and distinct atmosphere.”
Within this rich tapestry of musical styles, the team of four programmers aims to curate acts right on the cutting edge. “Our goal is to bring acts to Eindhoven that’ll eventually become festival headliners. We’ve seen some great examples of this over the years.” Hit The City attendees have had the opportunity to discover now globally recognized acts in intimate settings. From Glass Animals and Phoebe Bridgers to S10, Khruangbin, Viagra Boys, and Fontaines D.C., they all contribute to the festival’s illustrious legacy. This year, the team hopes to add several more names to that esteemed roster.
“And with the new large area at Ketelhuisplein, we can also bring back artists who break through later,” explains the Friendly Fire booker, using Phoebe Bridgers as an example. “She’s too big now, but if we had made this change a few years ago, we could have brought her back as a headliner. It’s amazing to be able to closely follow artists’ careers now that we have more space to book larger acts.”
So far, the lineup has announced the first 60 names. Which act does Usidame have high expectations for this year? “Facesoul, you definitely shouldn’t miss. I saw him earlier this year at Rotown, where he performed to a sold-out crowd. It was truly one of the best shows I’ve seen in recent years.” Coming from a programmer and booker, that’s high praise indeed.
Big, bigger, biggest
With the addition of a new outdoor area, bigger names, and even more acts, Hit The City is making a significant leap forward this year. But the ambitions for the city festival extend much further, as Schaeffer explains. “We’re currently in phase 2, and phase 3 is right around the corner. In this phase, we’ll be adding various new areas to broaden the festival’s appeal. Our goal is for it to evolve into Eindhoven’s equivalent of the Gentse Feesten, offering more areas with a wider variety of experiences.”
And the best part? It’s all free. “It’s a festival you don’t need to save up for. Although we do encourage festival-goers to support us by purchasing food and drinks onsite, as that’s how we keep it free. So, we kindly ask that you enjoy your own beverages outside the festival grounds.” Looking ahead, the festival’s future plans enjoy full support from the Municipality of Eindhoven, which is actively scouting for suitable venues. “That’s the current challenge. But the municipality is fully on board, ASML is eager to support, and so are we.”
Don't be like Renia
In the final phase, the programmer would also eagerly bring back acts that have now grown to global stature. It’s something that marketer Heeringa jokes would relieve her disappointment. “It’s still a bitter pill,” she laughs. Holding two tickets for Fontaines D.C. — one for AFAS Live and one for their show in London — she reflects on missing out completely on seeing her beloved band.
“When I applied to Effenaar, I had heard of the festival, but I had never been myself. I started reading about it and saw what it was and who had performed there. Then I thought to myself, ‘This is so cool, why wasn’t I here?’ So, I actually missed Fontaines D.C… Now I have to go to AFAS Live, whereas I could have seen them at Stroomhuis with just 150 people, probably standing right in front of the frontman.”
The marketer can’t help but emphasize: “Be there, because this is your chance to experience awesome emerging acts firsthand. Don’t be like me.” So, if you haven’t already: Block August 29th to September 1st in your calendar now, because that’s when you’ll be dancing in the sun at Ketelhuisplein to Sampa The Great or grooving to one of the many up-and-coming talents taking over the city. See you there!
Hit The City 2024 Opening Night: The Haunted Youth + Ão
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The Hit The City opening show is in Belgian hands this year. The popular psych pop band The Haunted Youth around Joachim Liebens, was already an up-and-coming talent at Hit The City two years ago. Since then, he has played at all major festivals such as Pinkpop, Lowlands, Werchter, Sziget, Pukkelpop and Best Kept Secret. His Dutch club tour in 2023 was completely sold out.
The night will be opened by support act Ão. This Belgian quartet mixes Portuguese saudade with indie rock and subtle electronica.
Info & details
Hit The City Opening Night
Line-up: The Haunted Youth + Ão
Date: 29 August 2024
Location: Effenaar Grote Zaal
Doors: 19:30
Show Ão: 20:15-21:15
Show The Haunted Youth: 21:45-22:45
Free entrance, no ticket or registration needed
The Haunted Youth
The Haunted Youth, the band of 29-year-old Joachim Liebens, has become a Belgian indie sensation in no time. The songs, often about the struggle of life coated in gloriously dreamy guitars and synths, are therapy to Liebens and strike a chord with indie lovers all over Europe and even the US. Every single is a hit and debut album Dawn Of The Freak is enthusiastically received by the critics and adored by the fans. With a red-hot live reputation to boot, The Haunted Youth are here to stay.
Ão
Ão is a young and exciting Belgian four-piece blending saudade, indie and subtle electronica, topped off with the phenomenal voice of frontwoman Brenda Corijn. Drawing on her Mozambican-Portuguese roots, Corijn sings in Portuguese and English, her lyrics entwining with Siebe Chau’s southern guitar, the ambient sounds and production of Jolan Decaestecker and the eclectic percussion of Bert Peyffers. Their intoxicating sound is now evolving into something deeper and danceable, much like FKA Twigs, Lhasa de Sela, Arooj Aftab, Çeu and James Blake. Expect nothing short of a mind-blowing, unique and exhilarating live-experience.
Hit The City announces 30 new names, including The Haunted Youth, Sylvie Kreusch and more
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3rd June 2024 |After announcing the first 36 acts; featuring names such as Sampa the Great, MEROL, Bokoesam & The Fam, Idaly, Mula B, Polyphonic, SPRINTS and The Vices, we are now anouncing the next 30 names! This includes the opening show of The Haunted Youth in the Main Hall of Effenaar on Thursday 29 August. Sylvie Kreusch, Takeshi's Cashew, Chardy, Facesoul, Kans, Porcelain Id and many more have also been added to this year's line-up.
Hit The City, a collaboration between Effenaar, Friendly Fire and ASML, will take place from 30 August to 1 September, with a grand opening show on Thursday 29 August. For the first time this year, an outdoor area is added. At Ketelhuisplein you can enjoy acts on two outdoor stages. The complete line-up consists of more than 100 names, ranging from big names to new (inter)national talent to be discovered.
Opening show
The opening show – which is also free entrance – is in Belgian hands this year. The popular psych pop band The Haunted Youth around Joachim Liebens, was already an up-and-coming talent at Hit The City two years ago. Since then, he has played at all major festivals such as Pinkpop, Lowlands, Werchter, Sziget, Pukkelpop and Best Kept Secret. His Dutch club tour in 2013 was completely sold out. The night will be opened by support act Ão. This Belgian quartet mixes Portuguese saudade with indie rock and subtle electronica.
Ketelhuisplein
On the afternoon and evening program at Ketelhuisplein, we find another popular Belgian name: pop singer Sylvie Kreusch is the sub-headliner for MEROL. The Dutch band Another Taste mixes 70’s funk, obscure disco and pop into a wonderful whole. And the American emo rock band Durry plays at Blue Collar Hotel.
Vibrant day and night program
On Friday 30 August and Saturday 31 August, you can discover new names throughout the city center of Eindhoven. For example, the latest generation of hip-hoppers is coming to Dynamo with Chardy, Narco Polo, ADF Antje and Crystal Chanay. The adventurous hip-hop concept Nebulous Forms also announces two new names with the Berlin rapper/artist Kabeaushé and the female duo H31R. Further afield we find the festive psych band Takeshi’s Cashew, up-and-coming indie bands Swim School and Malice K, refined soul of Facesoul and Yellowstraps and the hard-hitting British punk of Knives.
Dutch and Belgian talents are also present at the festival. After an impressive show at ’t Rozenknopje during Hit The City 2023, singer-songwriter Porcelain id returns for a show at Muziekgebouw. You can dance at night with house/IDM DJ Subfiction and the “Neue Niederländische Welle” of Staatseinde, you can headbang with the punks of Maria Iskariot and PEUK, and it is also impossible to stand still with indie pop acts such as FIEP, Min Taka and Housepainters. Punk poppers Vals Alarm, singer-songwriter Iris Jean and post-punk sensation BOWL complete this announcement.
Boost of Brainport
While everyone slowly returns to daily life in late summer, Hit The City invites the residents of the Brainport region – and beyond – to celebrate the city of Eindhoven together. With a recognizable, and accessible free music festival, an important impulse is given to the cultural offerings of the region.
Hit The City 2024 will take place from Thursday 29 August to Sunday 1 September at various indoor and outdoor locations in Eindhoven. Entrance is entirely free. Hit The City has been around for 11 years now and was the place where you could first discover acts such as Loyle Carner, Phoebe Bridgers, Viagra Boys, Fontaines DC, The Haunted Youth, Khruangbin, Joost, S10, Zwangere Guy, Alex G, Baauer, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Lander & Adriaan, Hak Baker, DITZ, Nusantara Beat and more.
Hit The City is programmed by Effenaar and Friendly Fire, and is made possible by ASML and Gemeente Eindhoven.
Info:
Hit The City 2024
Thursday 29 August – Friday 30 August – Saturday 31 August – Sunday 1 September
Eindhoven
Free entrance
Line-up announced so far:
MEROL / Sampa the Great / The Haunted Youth
Bokoesam & The Fam / Idaly / Mula B / Polyphonic / SPRINTS / Sylvie Kreusch / The Vices
Another Taste / ADF Antje / Ão / BLUAI / BOWL / Brintex Collective / Bumble B. Boy / CaitC / Carsick / Chardy / CHARLOT / Cherym / Crystal Murray / Debby Friday / Durry / FaceSoul / FIEP / Gespuys / Gustaf / H31R / Housepainters / Iris Jean / Iskander Moon / Julia Sabaté / Kabeaushé / Kans / Kirin J Callinan / Knives / Madster / Malice K / Maria Iskariot / Maryn Charlie / MC Drivah / Meltheads / milolaathetlukken / Min Taka / Narco Polo / PEUK / Porcelain Id / Promis3 / Sky Feliz / Snõõper / Somebody’s Child / Staatseinde / Talk Show / Tantron / The Royston Club / Vals Alarm / ViceByLara / Walt Disco / Yellowstraps / Zimmer90 + many more to be announced
MEROL, Sampa the Great, SPRINTS and Bokoesam & The Fam among the first 36 names of the renewed Hit The City festival
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8th May 2024 |
With a new date in late summer, outdoor and indoor stages, and a vibrant day and night program, free music festival Hit The City is back with a new look and bigger than ever. From Thursday 29 August to Sunday 1 September, you will see both established acts and emerging artists throughout Eindhoven. The first 36 names of this edition have been announced, including: Sampa the Great, MEROL, Bokoesam & The Fam, Idaly, Mula B, Polyphonic, SPRINTS and The Vices.
Hit The City has traditionally always taken place during Dutch Design Week in October. But as of this year, the festival is moving to the end of August. With the same DNA, in which experimentation and innovation are at the core, Effenaar, Friendly Fire and ASML are once again joining forces to broaden and strengthen the program with local and international acts. With a bigger program and new locations, there is a lot to discover about this edition. Starting with the first names of the line-up that will consist of more than 100 live acts.
New outdoor area: Ketelhuisplein
On Thursday 29 August, Hit The City kicks off with a big opening act in Effenaar, which will soon be revealed. The next day the festival will take place like before in eleven indoor locations in the city center of Eindhoven. During the weekend, two locations at Strijp-S and two outdoor stages on Ketelhuisplein will be added, where 7,000 extra visitors can enjoy great live acts. The Zambian and poetic hip-hop artist Sampa the Great has the honour of closing the main stage on Saturday. And on Sunday the honors go to The Netherlands’ favorite pop act MEROL.
Vibrant day and night programs
During the day, you can let loose in the sun while you enjoy the acts of the moment, such as The Vices, Zimmer90, Meltheads, Bumble B. Boy, Somebody’s Child and The Royston Club. In the evening, we will continue the festival with acts from all genres at locations all throughout Eindhoven. Discover the garage punk band SPRINTS, hip-hop acts Bokoesam & The Fam, Mula B, Idaly and milolaathetukken, the R&B of Crystal Murray, indie-folk of BLUAI, or pop of Julia Sabaté, Kirin J. Callinan and Promis3. From the glam rock of Walt Disco, to (post)punk bands Snõõper, Gustaf or Talk Show.
The true night owl can dance the night away at a night hosted by Beats ’n Bass, a concept of NOX. The highlight will be Polyphonic’s 15-piece orchestra, which will play orchestral versions of well-known drum ’n bass hits.
Boost of Brainport
While everyone slowly returns to daily life in late summer, Hit The City invites the residents of the Brainport region – and beyond – to celebrate the city of Eindhoven together. With a recognizable, and accessible free music festival, an important impulse is given to the cultural offerings of the region.
Hit The City 2024 will take place from Thursday 29 August to Sunday 1 September at various indoor and outdoor locations in Eindhoven. Entrance is entirely free. Hit The City has been around for 11 years now and was the place where you could first discover acts such as Loyle Carner, Phoebe Bridgers, Viagra Boys, Fontaines DC, The Haunted Youth, Khruangbin, Joost, S10, Zwangere Guy, Alex G, Baauer, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Lander & Adriaan, Hak Baker, DITZ, Nusantara Beat and more.
Hit The City is programmed by Effenaar and Friendly Fire, and is made possible by ASML and Gemeente Eindhoven.
Info:
Hit The City 2024
Thursday 29 August – Friday 30 August – Saturday 31 August – Sunday 1 September
Eindhoven
Free entrance
The first 36 names:
MEROL / Sampa the Great / Bokoesam & The Fam / Idaly / Mula B / Polyphonic / SPRINTS / The Vices
BLUAI / Brintex Collective / Bumble B. Boy / CaitC / Carsick / CHARLOT / Cherym / Crystal Murray / Debby Friday / Gespuys / Gustaf / Iskander Moon / Julia Sabaté / Kirin J Callinan / Madster / Maryn Charlie / Meltheads / milolaathetlukken / Promis3 / Sky Feliz / Snõõper / Somebody’s Child / Talk Show / Tantron / The Royston Club / ViceByLara / Walt Disco / Zimmer90 + many more to be announced
Sticks + sor: Hit The City 2023 Opening Night
Sticks + sor: Hit The City Opening Night 2023
Dutch hiphop legends Sticks and sor will play our biggest stage at the Hit The City Opening Night, a special event to kick-off Hit The City festival. Just as the rest of the festival weekend, entrance is completely free. Mark Thursday October 19th in your calendar!
Location: Effenaar, Eindhoven
Doors open: 19:30
Showtime sor: 20:00-20:50
Showtime Sticks: 21-15-22:45
Entrance: free, no ticket needed
Hit The City is a free music festival of all genres during Dutch Design Week. Discover the latest and most promising acts, ground-breaking music and a diversity of genres between 19-21 October, at more than ten exciting locations in Eindhoven
Sticks
Sticks is one of the most influential figures in Dutch hip-hop. Over fifteen years ago, he bursted onto the scene with Rico and producer Delic as a part of Opgezwolle. Album such as ‘Spuugdingen op de mic’, ‘Vloeistof’ and ‘Eigen Wereld’ are now classified as hip-hop classics. You might also know him from collaborations with various artists such as Winne, Jiggy Djé, Wu-Tang clan producer Dr. Moon, Typhoon, A.R.T., and Zwangere Guy. He recently dropped a new album called ‘Alles Over Hoop’, which might just be a hint to the vibe of his upcoming performance at Hit The City. Revelry guaranteed.
sor
A moshpit on violin music? It’s not unthinkable with sor, who is one of the most promising and unique artists in Dutch hip-hop. This Amsterdam jack-of-all-trades (rapper, producer, composer) merges classical music with drill and trap hip-hop influences, accompanied by a whole orchestra. He recently won a contest in conducting music with Maestro, has gained millions of streams with his project Bae Doven, is a prominent member of Black Acid and is signed by Noah’s Ark. This all despite the fact of his intense hearing loss, which forced him to work even more creatively. This Hit The City, he will bring his impressive blend of styles accompanied by strings.
These are the 10 major acts you could've discovered at Hit The City
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Behind the scenes, preparations for the new edition of the annual festival Hit The City are already in full swing. From 19 to 21 October, you can once again enjoy countless up-and-coming artists at the coolest locations in the city. Make sure to block these days, cause here you will discover new sounds and acts that are on the verge of making it big. In other words, a must visit for the true music lover.
At Hit The City you can submerge yourself into new music for a whole weekend. From gritty guitars and danceable electropop to experimental hip-hop, obscure black metal and everything in between. Over the years, visitors have been able to spot a lot of cool acts in the most intimate settings of Eindhoven. A show from Glass Animals on the second stage of Effenaar? Phoebe Bridgers at De Oude Rechtbank? Or S10’s very first gig? For sure! Check here which ten major names you could’ve discovered during previous editions of Hit The City.
2013: Glass Animals
“Sometimes, all I think about is you. Late nights in the middle of June. Heat waves been fakin’ me out”, sings the British indie rock band in their megahit ‘Heat Waves’. With this one track alone, Glass Animals has already reached over 2.4 billion streams on Spotify. The song is on the third studio album ‘Dreamland’, which was released in the summer of 2020 and contains many more catchy gems. How did ‘Heat Waves’ suddenly become such a big hit? The song went viral on the popular platform TikTok.
The hit single has been out for a while when it is picked up by TikTok-users. It takes about 60 weeks for ‘Heat Waves’ to finally reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 2022. The same year, Glass Animals defeats the acts Imagine Dragons, Machine Gun Kelly, Måneskin and twenty one pilots at the Billboard Music Awards for the title of Best Rock Artist. The band also receives nominations at the Grammys for Best New Artist and at the Brit Awards for Best British Rock Act and Best British Single.
What once started as a hobby project of frontman Dave Bayley and his childhood friends Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew MacFarlane, has now grown into a serious act. And that potential was already there in 2013. With a handful of indie tracks, including the nifty songs ‘Psylla’, ‘Black Mambo’ and ‘Woozy’, the Brits conquer Effenaar during the second edition of Hit The City. A year after the performance, the men release their debut album ‘ZABA’, which is the official start of their successful career.
2013: Wolf Alice
During the second edition there was also a nice other find; the alternative rock band Wolf Alice from London. The band is founded in 2010 as an acoustic duo, consisting of singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie. Two years later, bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey join the group to complete the formation. During their show on Hit The City, the act is still at the start of their career, as the first official EP ‘Blush’ has not yet seen the light of day. Of course, they have already released some material at this time, including this demo version of the track ‘Bro’s’:
In 2015, the band releases the final version of the song as a single of their debut album ‘My Love Is Cool’. The album is quite well received and is nominated for a Mercury Prize, a music award for best album released in the U.K. by a British or Irish act. Wolf Alice is one of the few acts of which all albums have ever been nominated for a Mercury Prize. With their second album ‘Visions of a Life’ they manage to claim the prestigious award.
The band often faces a sea of people at various major festivals. Over the years, Wolf Alice has become a familiar face on the stages of Best Kept Secret, Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds festival. And with the show they put on every time, the band earns the NME-title Best Festival Headliner in 2022.
Photo: Patrick Spruytenburg | Loyle Carner at Hit The City
After the second edition, Hit The City continued under the name DDW Music for several years. The concept remained exactly the same; discovering endless new music in different cool locations. And in 2016, one of those artists you can discover is British rapper Loyle Carner. Together with the American Kweku Collins, he plays in FIFTH, located on the industrial NRE site.
By then, the young artist is already well on his way. In 2014 he sets the tone with his debut EP ‘A Little Late’, a record with which he introduces his classic hip hop sound. And that sound is appreciated. The Fader magazine calls him ‘Britain’s most recent new hope in hip-hop’ and the rapper is the support act for Joey Bada$$ and the legendary Nas.
A few months after his gig in Eindhoven, his debut album ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ (2017) is released. But it is not till his follow-up ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’ (2019) that he really takes off. With the album he reaches the third position of the British Album Chart. In 2022 Carner releases his third studio album ‘hugo’ and has made quite a name for himself, which is evident when he sells-out three shows in a row in Paradiso at the beginning of this year.
2016+2018: Khruangbin
You were able to admire the American band Khruangbin not just once, but twice during the festival. Armed with their debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’, the Texan trio travels to the Netherlands for the very first time in 2016, to fill the venue FIFTH with their laidback and mostly instrumental songs. It takes a bit of time, but their success sets in with the release of the second studio album ‘Con Todo del Mundo’ in 2018.
In the summer of 2018, they hit the stage of Best Kept Secret with their mix of psychedelic, surf-rock, folk, soul and Thai funk, and the singing guitar of Mark Speer that ties is all together. With more experience under their belt, the band returns to the festival in the autumn of 2018. This time they take the stage in the completely packed the main hall at Effenaar.
Photo’s: Patrick Spruytenburg | Khruangbin at Hit The City
Unfortunately, you won’t experience the trio in such an intimate setting anymore. In 2022 they play their biggest show in The Netherlands thus far; a completely sold-out AFAS Live. With their most recent and acclaimed album ‘Mordechai’ (2020) as a preview for what’s more to come, the future looks promising for Khruangbin.
2017: Alex G.
The American Alex G. reaches more than 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify with his lo-fi indie folk and experimental songs, but six years ago you could still spot him in the cosy Café Wilhelmina. Compared to many other up-and-coming talents, the singer-songwriter already had seven albums on the shelf, including a number of DIY releases via Bandcamp, his official debut ‘DSU’, ‘Beach Music’ and ‘Rocket’.
And we haven’t listed his work on the albums ‘Endless’ and ‘Blonde’ by Frank Ocean yet, which were released in 2016. In the songs ‘Rushes’, ‘Slide on Me’, ‘Wither’, ‘White Ferrari’ and ‘Self Control’ you can hear the guitar work of none other than Alex G. himself.
Photo: Willem Wouterse | Alex G. at Hit The City
In 2014 The Fader magazine called him ’the Internet’s Secret Best Songwriter’, but by now he is anything but a secret. With his eighth studio album ‘House Of Sugar’ he has won the hearts of a larger audience, and continues this line with his most recent album ‘God Save the Animals’ (2022). In the same year, he makes his TV debut on the Tonight Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he played his latest singles to an audience of millions.
2017: Phoebe Bridgers
The dreamy singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers has risen rapidly in the musical landscape. The American singer was nominated for no less than four Grammys with her second album Punisher (2020), has collaborations with Taylor Swift, SZA and The Killers, and moved thousands of people in AFAS Live last year. All that while you could still cuddle up at her gig in the intimate venue of De Oude Rechtbank in 2017.
That year, Bridgers packs her debut album ‘Stranger in the Alps’ fresh from the press, before she travels to Eindhoven for a touching set. Amidst dozens of atmospheric lights, she enchants the audience with her fine, emotional folky songs. She has not played many small performances in The Netherlands, since she gained popularity unimaginably fast during the corona period. As soon as she is able to tour, she already has the opportunity to take on some bigger shows. Not only did she play a solo show at AFAS Live, she also steps on the stages of major festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury, Rock Werchter and Lollapalooza.
In addition to her solo albums, the singer also releases music with a group called ‘boygenius’. The indie superband consists of Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus and Bridgers. Extra fun fact: the American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus played at Altstadt during Hit The City in 2016.
Photo: Almicheal Fraay | Phoebe Bridgers at Hit The City
2018: Fontaines D.C.
The 2018 edition features a number of names that have built up quite a reputation, including dublin-based post-punk band Fontaines D.C. The five-piece band is formed in 2017 and one year later the acclaimed and rock-solid debut album ‘Dogrel’ is already in the works. Effenaar-programmer Robert Schaeffer is allowed to listen to four songs before the release of the album, and is completely sold. He has to have the band for the festival and books the Irish men for their very first show in the Netherlands.
Photo’s: Roos Pierson | Fontaines D.C. at Hit The City
In a packed Stroomhuis, Fontaines D.C. gives a taste of the poetic lyrics and gritty sound that you find on the album, which comes out six months after the gig. Not only Schaeffer is impressed, the record is named Album Of The Year by the hosts of BBC Radio 6 Music, and nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize. That’s quite a start!
During the tour around their debut album, the gentlemen write their second album ‘A Hero’s Death’ (2020), which results in a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. In 2022, the album is followed by the worthy ‘Skinty Fia’, which lands them a spot at the top of the U.K. and Irish Album Chart for the first time. Clearly, they are also at the top of the list among festival programmers, cause the band tours Europe throughout the whole summer. This year, it’s time for the next step and is Fontaines D.C. ready to cross the ocean and conquer the United States.
2018: Viagra Boys
Another band that went wild in Stroomhuis in 2018, is the Swedish Viagra Boys. The pictures tell it all; it was raw, warm and completely uninhibited. With a cigarette between his fingers and a beer, frontman Sebastian Murphy does what he does best. Rolling across the stage, they play the fresh tracks from their debut album ‘Street Worms’, which was released a month earlier.
Photo: Patrick Spruytenburg | Viagra Boys at Hit The City
In just a few years, the band has become one of the most beloved bands of the scene. Unfortunately, Viagra Boys had to deal with quite a dark period, the loss of core member and guitarist Benjamin Vallé. The 47-year-old musician passed away in the fall of 2021. The album ‘Wellfare Jazz’ is the last album on which his contribution can be heard. “It was strange to work on new music without him, but we honored him as best we could”, Murphy tells 3Voor12 about the proces of the third studio album ‘Cave World’.
Despite their heavy loss, the band is still going full throttle. From performing in Stroomhuis for up to 200 people, they are now owning the stages at well-known festivals such as Primavera, Pukkelpop, Down The Rabbit Hole and Sziget. And this year they will add Lowlands to this ever growing list.
Photo: Max Kneefel | Joost Klein at Hit The City
When the Frisian rapper Joost Klein pursues his passion for music in 2016, he has already made a name for himself as YouTuber EenhoornJoost. As an internet phenomenon with no less than 200,000 subscribers, he changes course with his first EP ‘Homeless’, which he self-releases. A year later, he has a contract with hip hop label Top Notch and his second studio album ‘Scandinavian Boy’ is released. The album also features a collaboration with rapper Donnie, and in 2018 join forces again for the album ‘M Van Marketing’.
A few months after the release, Joost shows what he is made of. The main hall of Effenaar is jampacked, there are moshpits happening and the young musician comes in full force. As expected, he takes the stage at almost every major festival in The Nederlands a year later. After the corona period, he picks up right where he left off and gives sensational shows at Pinkpop, Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop.
In 2022 he added the studio album ‘Fryslân’ to his oeuvre, a record full of deep and honest lyrics, humor, creative twists and undeniable energy. This year, he takes the leap and will play one of his biggest shows to date; on 2 November Joost will take on AFAS Live with his show ‘Joost Klein, Droom Groot’.
2018: S10
This is as early as it gets; Stien den Hollander’s performance on Hit The City was her very first performance as S10 ever. At only 18 years old, with her EP’s ‘Antipsychotica’ and ‘Lithium’ already released, she treats the audience to het honest hip hop. Through singing, rap and spoken word, S10 tells her most personal stories with her music and doesn’t shy away from heavy subject such as mental health.
Photo: Almicheal Fraay | S10 at Hit The City
In 2019 she releases her first full-length album ‘Snowsniper’, for which she is awarded with an Edison in the category ‘Alternative’. De Volkskrant names S10 “the most original voice in contemporary Dutch hip hop”. And she proves this again with her album ‘Vlinder’, which is released a year later.
With her participation in Eurovision Songfestival 2022, she breaks through in every layer of the Netherlands. With her song ‘De Diepte’ she represents the country, and for the first time in eleven years a Dutch song can be heard on the stage of the annual music battle. S10 finishes in eleventh place, but can ultimately count herself the big winner. In recent years she has played countless sold-out shows, shined on the stages of the coolest festivals and in the beginning of 2023 she played her biggest solo show ever in AFAS Live.
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Hit The City is an annual free festival organized by Effenaar and Friendly Fire.
This was Hit The City 2022: Prins S. en de Geit, The Haunted Youth, Ares and many more
Photo: Dick Rennings | Prins. S en de Geit at Hit The City 2022
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This was 3 days of music, 78 artists and 10 venues in Eindhoven. See you at next year’s festival!
Line-up
Ares – Byron Yeates – Cero Ismael – Coloray – Doodswens – Dreya Mac – Ferdous – Hallan – Ikraaan – Jeshi – Jiri11 – Lime Garden – Mazey Haze – Nagasaki Swim – Néomi – Pitou – Pol – Prins S. en De Geit – The Haunted Youth – Willy Organ – Wodan Boys – Woodie Smalls – Yín Yín
Bat Eyes – Buunshin – ChelseaBoy – Cloudsurfers – Cucamaras – De Toegift – Doevoe – Dorpsstraat 3 – Eades – Elephant – Elijah Waters – Ella John – Hatoon – ITUA – Maya Mae – MEYY – Nathan Kalish – Neema Nekesa – Oscar Browne – Poolde – Pxrple Jazz – Q’n – Ramses3000 – SilverLake – T-Shawn + more
Locations
Altstadt – Café Wilhelmina – De Rozenknop – Dynamo – Effenaar – Haven – Stroomhuis – Student Hotel – KEVN – Muziekgebouw Eindhoven
Effenaar x Friendly Fire
This was Hit The City 2021: Hang Youth, Sophie Straat, Personal Trainer and many more
Photo: Davy de Lepper | Sophie Straat at Hit The City 2021
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This was 3 days of music, 50+ acts and 8 venues. A massive thank you to all artists, collectives, and staff that made Hit The City 2021 happen. See you at next year’s festival!
Line-up
Alora – Arno Loriaux – Baby’s Berserk – Boolin’ DJ Team – Bokoedro – Bnnyhunna – Bent Beukelaer – Charlie & The Lesbians – Chibi Ichigo – Commander Spoon – DADA – De Gevreesde Ziekte – Destructo – Don Melody Club – EMY – Feng Suave – FFlean – Gita Buhari – Global Charming – Hang Youth – Illnoledge – Josephine Odhil – Joya Mooi – Juan Juan – Kids With Buns – Le Motat – Lena Hessels – Magnetic Spacemen – Max Frimout – Max Poolman – Nambyar – Nelson – Personal Trainer – Philippine – Pip Blom – POM – Prestcold Molly – Remme – Rites – Sophie Straat – Tramhaus – Veras – Vitamin B12 – WIES – Witchfukker + more
Locations
Altstadt – Café Wilhelmina – De Rozenknop – Dynamo – Effenaar – Fifth – Stroomhuis – Subbar