During the last song about chowder, the youth from Berkhout go wild. With singer Edwin de Weerd as the cheerful centerpiece, there is a lot of dancing during a special afternoon performance by the band Oôs Joôs. Held especially for children and the elderly, where volume and set list were adjusted.
The fist of 77-year-old Lida Timmermans-Schilder is clenched afterwards. “Nice rhythm!”, she says cheerfully. For an hour on Saturday afternoon, she and about 300 others enjoyed the songs of Oôs Joôs, the musical pride of Berkhout.
A performance for the youngest and somewhat ‘mature’ fans, who you would not expect at regular performances from the band. “We always play in the evening,” says Edwin de Weerd beforehand. “That is too late for young people and older people often find it too wild and the sound too loud.” Bassist Kees Klaver adds. “You don’t know what you’ll experience in those halls. Things often go wild there. When I’m 80, I won’t have to think about that anymore.”
They indicate that they will play a little quieter on Saturday afternoon. “And we are also adjusting the set list. We won’t be doing songs like ‘Bier en sweare sjek’ this afternoon, with so many children in the room.”
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The Westfriesland Prize that the band received provided the final push to organize the afternoon performance. De Weerd: “We thought it would be fun to play for the youth and the elderly. We approached the local primary school, the Zonnebloem and the senior citizens’ association. There was immediately a lot of enthusiasm. Within a day, half of the tickets had already been sold. ” The proceeds, approximately 1,500 euros, will be divided between two charities: Puur voor Kids and the West Friesland Food Bank.
No steaming, dancing masses in a hot hall, but neat rows of chairs and benches. Coffee and lemonade are served instead of trays of beer and the band members drink water between songs. It takes some getting used to, for everyone. “We have a ‘normal’ performance here tonight,” says De Weerd. “Then we’ll have another beer, you know.”
Children’s polonaise
The initiative soon turned out to be a success. There is an extensive children’s polonaise and De Weerd is helped by three of his sons during ‘Prut an me Leerze’.
The elderly in café De Ridder also enjoy it. Like Mrs Timmermans-Schilder, who has chosen a spot in the back row next to Henk Pietersma – at 93 years old, the oldest in the room. “We are in these places for a reason, because the music must be loud enough. I want to protect my ears a bit.” Her neighbor wonders out loud: “Why does the music always have to be so loud? Then they say: put in the earplugs. But it can also be a little less loud?”
They are clearly enjoying themselves. Rock back and forth to the rhythm of the songs. De Weerd and Klaver are also satisfied and receive the best compliment imaginable from a female visitor. “Young and old together, so beautiful. It moved me”