On Thursday, October 15, Des Rocs returned to Melkweg in Amsterdam. It had been two years since the American rock artist last performed in the Netherlands. Back in 2024, he played at Patronaat in Haarlem, but this time he returned to Melkweg, a venue he had played before.
And what a show it was!
Before Des Rocs took the stage, it was time for support act Finn Forster. The British singer-songwriter brings a mix of indie rock, alternative rock and pop.
Finn was a pleasant surprise for me. I have to admit I hadn’t heard of him before, but I was definitely impressed.
He kicked off his set with Circles and quickly managed to win over the crowd. Together with his band, he brought plenty of positive energy to the stage. They were genuinely fun to watch, and their enthusiasm was contagious.
Finn also performed his latest single, Blame It On You, which was released in early October.
If you’re into energetic indie rock with a touch of pop, Finn Forster is definitely an artist worth adding to your playlist.
After Finn finished his set, the crowd didn’t have to wait long before Des Rocs made his entrance.
He opened with This Land, a perfect choice to set the mood for the night, in my opinion. It’s an energetic track, but not so intense that you’ve already used up all your energy after the first song.
Anyone who has seen Des Rocs live before knows that standing still isn’t really his thing. He’s known for his incredibly energetic performances, and Thursday night was no exception.
With impressive guitar playing, jumps and plenty of movement, he was all over the stage from left to right. There was barely a moment when he stood still, and that energy quickly spread through the venue.
The crowd was enthusiastic right from the start. People were singing along, enjoying themselves and matching the energy coming from the stage.
It was great to finally hear songs from his latest album performed live. Alongside the newer material, Des Rocs also brought back some older tracks, including Never Ending Moment and Dream Machine.
And when he started playing MMC, you could tell that the longtime fans were especially excited.
One thing that really stood out throughout the evening was the amount of interaction between Des Rocs and the audience. A great example was during Nothing Personal, when the entire crowd shouted along to the words “Nothing Personal”.
During a previous show at Melkweg two years ago, the power suddenly went out in the middle of the performance. Since then, the incident has become a bit of an inside joke between Des Rocs and his fans.
When he returned to the Netherlands for his show at Patronaat, he continued the joke by having the emergency lights turned on and performing Maybe I on an acoustic guitar, just like he had done during the power outage in Amsterdam.
And of course, that little tradition couldn’t be left out this time either.
Although the stage lights stayed on this time, an acoustic guitar was brought onto the stage. Danny jokingly announced, “Oh no! The power is out!” before starting Maybe I.
Once he finished the song, he continued the joke: “What?! I just got word that the power is back!”
But the acoustic guitar wasn’t going anywhere just yet. Danny went on to perform Sing Me Back to Sleep, which turned out to be my personal highlight of the entire evening.
Earlier in the show, Danny had joked that hearing Finn Forster sing made him realize he needed to step up his game. But if there was one moment that proved just how well Danny can sing, it was this performance.
I’ve always liked Sing Me Back to Sleep, but hearing it performed acoustically gave the song a completely different feel. His voice really got the chance to shine, and it was genuinely beautiful to listen to.
I really hope an acoustic version of this song gets released someday, because this performance deserves to be heard again.
Before the show officially came to an end, Danny took a moment to introduce his band in a playful way, giving each member their moment in the spotlight.
All in all, it was another fantastic night. Des Rocs and his band once again proved that they know how to put on a great live show. The chemistry between the musicians was great, the music sounded fantastic, and the energy never seemed to fade.
I enjoyed every moment of it and I’m already looking forward to the next time!
If you’ve never been to a Des Rocs show before, I can definitely recommend going to one. You won’t regret it!
Check out the photos from the show below!
Finn Forster
Des Rocs
