The sold-out Phil room in Haarlem was filled last Saturday with happy Kensington fans, who found their ‘lost son’. Because after singer Eloi Youssef left the popular rock band two and a half years ago, he had disappeared from image. He was going to make music again, he said, but it remained unclear how remained unclear.
Whether there will be a solo album is still unknown, Youssef’s first new step is now a tour with the string orchestra Kamarata Zuid, supplemented with four singers of the Dutch Chamber Choir. The tour was sold out so quickly that a reprise is planned for the fall.
In Haarlem it appears that Youssef has made a personal and musical search. His transformation – from rock singer in stadiums, to pastor in a spiritually sounding gourmet evening – has been daring and felt.
There is a group of strings on stage, there are four singers behind it, from bass to soprano. The sound of the cellos, violins and double bass – glittering, carpet, moaning – is already a feast in itself.
Mystery seance
Together they played a variety of covers (an Irish folk song, from Radiohead and Van Silverchair), some songs from Kensington, and a few new songs written by Youssef. In his new role, he is now not the frontman who attracts the center of attention. In black monk-like clothing, where his large expressive hands stand out, he is on the side.
The careful lighting, with flashes of light during the epic ’emotion sickness’ of Silverchair, increases the association with a mysterious seance. The singing voices of the choir members give beautiful pulsating accents.
But even though the audience was headbanging in the seats at Kensington hit ‘No Me’, the elements do not always go together. Youssef’s voice has an effortless power that sometimes theaters through the subtle parties. Cohesion was missing, especially in the first songs.
New numbers
Three new songs written by Youssef were played, such as the ballad ‘Hang On’ in which strings and vocals together got big on steam. Youssef was satisfied: “This is my first error -free version.” ‘Old Rain’ struggled with the eruption of despair and love for his father.
He sings a mantra about the need to ‘be accepted as you are’, and the audience in the room subtly participates. For example, Youssef fulfills his promise: while Kensington is preparing with a new singer, the American Jason Dowd, for a return in December in mega-hall Ziggo Dome, their former singer investigated new possibilities and personal terrain. And then it turns out: Eloi Youssef has found his voice.