The admiration was mutual when Tommy Moustache and Sheep Got Waxed crossed paths at a festival in Denmark. Shortly after that these eccentric and unpredictable bands decided to join forced on stage, resulting in an explosive and inflammable combination of two drummers, two guitarists, two sax players, a bassist and a huge stack of electronics.

The music of Rotterdam-based Tommy Moustache has been described by critics as propulsive, mildly schizophrenic and heavily confusing alternative zap jazz. Sheep Got Waxed from Latvia conjured similar unique descriptions, including ‘a mix of techno, footwork, Death Grips kind of trap and George Michael played by early Beatles.’ But the music also contains free jazz and metal influences according to the band members, who do not eschew complexity, but who avoid unnecessary display of virtuosity.

‘With Tommy Moustache, nothing is as it seems’ (****, Jazzism on Tommy Moustache)

‘They bring about an energy that is rarely produced since the heyday of John Zorn’s Naked city’ (ECM Reviews over Sheep got Waxed).

Jasper van Damme saxophone, Simonas Šipavičius saxophone/synth/electronics, Mark van Kersbergen drums, Adas Gecevičius drums/electronics, Jorn ten Hoopen guitar, Paulius Vaškas guitar/electronics, Bas Kloosterman bass