With a smile from ear to ear and a stage full of guest artists, Golden Earring says goodbye in Ahoy

Tears? No. Not when Barry Hay (77), Rinus Gerritsen (78) and Cesar Zuiderwijk (77) fall into each other’s arms. The smile is from ear to ear. Perhaps with a trace of relief that, after five evenings, it is really over. Arms over shoulders. Surrounded by all the musicians of the evening, the three rock titans wave to a cheering, visibly moved Ahoy. And at the initiative of Rinus, their regular rock move follows: clenched fists, elbows to raised knees. “Yeah!”

It is an ending that no one wanted, but that became inevitable when it became known at the beginning of 2021 that George Kooymans, all-round guitarist and singer of Golden Earring, suffered from muscular disease ALS. A festive farewell tour was no longer possible. Kooymans, who died last July, came up with another form: the Earring songs, sung and played with artist friends such as Danny Vera, Acda & De Munnik, Maan, Davina Michelle and Di-Rect.

From the first notes, the collective rock memory is tapped in Ahoy Rotterdam. The four of them were last here in 2019. Now large screens show black and white images of four young men at the start of something big: the tour bus, Pinkpop, the clips, the increasingly larger halls, America. The audience looks back on a life with the music of the Golden Earring as a permanent soundtrack. It was the band that taught Dutch rock how to walk, run and put it on the international map.

Been hanging all week Golden Earring: One Last Night like a final farewell cloud over Rotterdam. In the setting of the Friends of Amstel Live circus – just fourteen beer-soaked evenings behind us – a tribute has been set up as a colorful evening, for five evenings in Ahoy. More compact, earringed, while retaining the pub atmosphere. The band name in large red letters. Three stages, constantly switching. One Last Nightafter sixty years of rocking.

Guest artists

But Earring rock by others: it takes some getting used to. Son Mieux kicks off with ‘Twilight Zone’. Great band, but do we want this? Singer Camiel Meiresonne senses the reluctance, pounds on and speaks about “the incredible honor of celebrating the lives of four people.” ‘Clear Nite Moonlight’ follows. The arrival of Cesar Zuiderwijk behind the percussion melts the ice somewhat. Cheers. Yet the struggle remains.

The absence of the familiar front – Hay, Gerritsen and Zuiderwijk together – is deliberate. Without Kooymans there would be no Golden Earring. The remaining members were crystal clear about this and criticized other well-intentioned farewell initiatives. So no joint performance now, but tonight they split up.

It produces a ratatouille. Sometimes perfectly fitting, sometimes less convincing. ‘Burning Stuntman’ with Acda & De Munnik remains good. ‘Another 45 Miles’ also featuring Guus Meeuwis: really beautifully polyphonic. ‘Why Do I’ by Davina Michelle and Flemming: lame. You feel: is this the tribute you were hoping for? No one is actually looking forward to these kinds of cheerful, typical Friends of Amstel moments. The first number 1 hit ‘Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-Di-Gi-Dong’ (1968) by The Opposites, Maan and also Rinus: had left it alone.

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More adventurous

Finally Barry Hay appears for ‘Candy’s Going Bad’, in his duet with Maan the flame spreads. For the first time, the room really feels rock ‘n’ roll again. And Davina Michelle also hits home with ‘Just a Little Bit of Peace in My Heart’, carried by strings and a strong beat. George Kooymans appears on the screens for the first time. Swallow.

The evening deepens. The repertoire becomes more adventurous. ‘Don’t Be Silly’, an obscure demo edited by the Wodan Boys. And there is plenty of room for Kooymans’ dream: a vibrant, special one One Last Nightband including saxophonist Bertus Borgers (affiliated with Golden Earring for 55 years), guitarist JB Meijers who musically shaped the evening, and Kooymans’ close friend, guitarist Frank Carillo. ‘Bombay’ and ‘Making Love to Yourself’ sound solid, with Rinus and Cesar as an unyielding rhythm base. ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’ is the highlight: Carillo in the lead. Steamy, sweaty, with a screeching saxophone solo.

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Also a direct hit is how Danny Vera sings ‘Hold Me Now’ solo on the center stage – it was really quiet for the first time in Ahoy. Emotion. This song suits him; he wears it unadorned. And the band DeWolff also hits the mark. ‘Avalanche of Love’ and ‘She Flies on Strange Wings’ turn on Ahoy. Barry joins in, with his well-known mannerisms: fingers like a bow and arrow, the swinging microphone stand, the fanatically sucked in lower lip. People rock in red light. Rinus as engine, DeWolff as injection.

‘There is love in the air’

Hay – black turtleneck and trousers – thanks the band profusely. They actually had to play in Paradiso. „There is love in the air“, concludes Hay when he addresses the audience. “This is our last goodbye… but we’ll be staying for a while longer,” he adds theatrically, in a pathetic voice. Audience favorite ‘Going to the Run’, performed by Barry, Rinus and DeWolff, is received with cheers.

The fact that Barry shares the stage with Di-Rect, next to his antagonizing son-in-law Spike, feels like a symbolic transfer. ‘When the Lady Smiles’, Ahoy roars along. ‘Back Home’ follows, with Barry’s flute.

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Rinus gets his moment: a bass solo on center stage. “A real boss,” sighs a group of friends from Brabant. The screen shows his concentrated face, dosing his foot on the pedals. In the dark he is embraced by the band members of Di-Rect, while Cesar plays his last solo slot on the other side of the room. Twisting the sticks, ending with firm bangs on the drums.

‘Radar Love’ (1973) brings everyone together. All the musicians come on stage and roar along. The video panels rotate with the main characters on screen. The moment comes that everything was working towards. There he is on the screens: George Kooymans, in beautiful black and white. Alone with his guitar. His ‘Hold Me Now’ sounds fragile, imperfect and abrasive like the Earring was. Ahoy falls silent, shines lights on phones and holds each other. Tears flow at this final final chord.

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