From May 31 until August 14, Chef’Special joins the tour of Twenty One Pilots, performing at venues all across the United States.
The “Cheffies” are back! From May 31 until August 14, Chef’Special joins the tour of Twenty One Pilots, performing at venues all across the United States. The Dutch band finds itself in exceptional company, as Twenty One Pilots was called out as “the biggest new band of the past year” by Rollingstone. After this huge tour, Chef’Special will also perform at two American festivals in August.
Every once in a while a band comes along that instantly connects with people in a way that you can’t fake—and that is certainly true of Chef’Special. You might remember the Dutch quintet from their mellow summersong “In Your Arms,” which was tipped by Billboard as “Tomorrow’s Hit,” or their energetic performances last fall.
Now, the band is about to continue their Stateside assault with a brand new tour alongside Twenty One Pilots and a few shows on their own, showcasing their EP to American audiences. It may only be four songs but their “Chef’Special EP” showcases the different sides of the band’s sound; from the gently fingerpicked ballad “On Shoulders,” to the breezy dance vibe of “Eden.” Starting in Ohio, Chef’Special moves from Colorado, Massachussets, Arizona and Alabama to many other places, before the grand-finale takes place in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
TWENTY ONE PILOTS TOUR FINISHED
Since forming in their hometown in the Netherlands in 2008, Chef’Special has released two albums, toured extensively and built a rabid fan-base across Europe, that instantly gravitated to the band’s unique blend of hip-hop, rock and reggae.
“The first time we ever jammed we realized in two hours that there was this instant vibe and connection, but just as important was the fact that we felt like we all had serious ambitions that we recognized in each other,” vocalist Joshua Nolet says. Soon afterward the band—which also features guitarist Guido Joseph, bassist Jan Derks, keyboardist Wouter Heeren and drummer Wouter Prudon—bought a van and headed down the west coast for a month-long trip that saw them getting to know each other, performing in exchange for beer and a place to sleep in order to solidify the bond between the band members. “We only had one or two songs and just thought ‘hey, we can create something out of nothing and just have fun in the process and that’s really where Chef’Special came into its own,” Nolet adds.
Another huge part of Chef’Special’s success is their legendary live performances in which the audience is just as vital to the experience as the band themselves. “If you listen to our album we go from songs like ‘In Your Arms’ to hip-hop, so it’s really important for us to build the performances up to that high-energy place and then back to the more intimate material while keeping everyone in the flow,” says Nolet. “We essentially just want to create a lot of positive energy and get it back from whoever we’re playing for, so in that sense the live show is the most important thing to us. That’s the only way that you can see how you’re connecting with people in a totally raw and tangible way.” For all these reasons, the tour is definitly worth checking out.