Hooverphonic had scheduled a return to Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, for two special live shows, accompanied by a string quartet, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their iconic album “The Magnificent Tree”. Naturally, Myth of Rock could not miss the show in Athens, and below you can read all about what we experienced that unforgettable night at Fuzz Club.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
It was Holy Thursday, and the atmosphere of the performance was almost ritualistic, elevating the evening to something far beyond a typical concert.
The evening began with Slow Pilot, the solo project of singer and guitarist Pieter Peirsman, who is also a touring member of Hooverphonic. As anticipation for the main act steadily built, Slow Pilot’s set provided a welcome and soothing prelude. Performing alone on stage, Peirsman captivated the audience with his tender, well-crafted compositions, offering a moment of calm that made the waiting not only bearable but thoroughly enjoyable. With his velvety voice and joyful guitar playing, he delivered a heartfelt performance that resonated deeply with the crowd. Each of his delicate, melodic songs floated effortlessly through the packed venue, creating an intimate atmosphere that set the perfect tone for the night ahead.
After approximately thirty-five minutes, Slow Pilot left the stage floor to the applause of the audience, who were there for the headliners. Hooverphonic were punctual, and just a few minutes later, they took the stage, ready to mesmerize us with their compelling songs. The violinists and the cellist were seated on stage, and the members of the Belgian trip hop/electro pop/rock band showed up. You can effortlessly imagine the explosion of the fans when Hooverphonic started playing their “The Magnificent Tree” album in its entirety! The first track of the show and the album was “Autoharp”, a marvelous song delivered fantastically live!
Then Hooverphonic played their biggest hit, “Mad About You”, and everyone was deeply moved! It was a magical moment for both the fans and the musicians. The rest of the album followed, and everything was perfect – it was obvious that during “Jackie Cane” and “Vinegar & Salt”, the people at Fuzz Club were hypnotized, ecstatic, hysterical! Geike Arnaert sang like an angel, Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts were incredible, mythic, but at the same time, very open and friendly – especially Callier, who had a great interaction with the fans, making jokes and communicating between the songs. After “The Magnificent Tree”, Hooverphonic played fourteen other classic and fan-favorite songs, like “Eden”, “2Wicky”, “Badaboum”, “Sometimes” and “Barabas”, plus a cover of “This Strange Effect”. The show was incredible – we experienced something great, and we are grateful to Geike, Alex, Raymond, and the others for giving their all just to make us happy. The sound was almost ideal, the live orchestrations lush and delicate, the sentiment so true and unique. We left the club after two hours, super-satisfied with what we saw, heard and lived!
For me, it was the first time seeing Hooverphonic live, and I must say—this band is simply superb, and their concerts are even more beautiful and majestic in person! Once again, the Greek audience had the privilege of experiencing Hooverphonic in a live performance that combined musical beauty, emotional depth and artistic excellence. Truly monumental!
