In 1989 the Amsterdam group Nits sealed its successes with albums like Adieu, Sweet Bahnhof (1984) In The Dutch Mountains (1987) with the live lp Urk. It was the first (and last) triple LP in Dutch pop history. The group was also a pioneer in giving concerts in theaters, the setting par excellence for their artisanal and artistic pop music. Urk, which has now been released on DVD, was recorded in
… the Amsterdam Stadsschouwburg. The recordings are audibly and visibly not from the digital era, but there is a lot to enjoy, such as beautiful and modest versions of In The Dutch Mountains and Sketches Of Spain. The theatrical attempts, in which keyboardist Robert-Jan Stips picks up the accordion and drummer Rob Kloet exchanges the drum set for a pan, seem just as cuddly as they are small-scale. But she is forgiven for this, because Urk mainly shows that in 1989 Nits had already built up a timeless and entirely individual oeuvre. The extras include bonus tracks and a Russian video diary by singer / guitarist Henk Hofstede. As we are used to from Nits, the whole was packaged in a minimal but tasteful way. (MR)more
