First try-out was for the Kids at the Conservatory of Utrecht on Monday 21 april 2008.

Soundcheck:

The concert:

Comments /Reactions:

Nederlands/Dutch: 1): Een E-mail van Rob en Wil Spelbos uit Utrecht, Nederland d.d. 30 April 2008 met het onderwerp: Gino & Bert van den Brink in Austerlitz

Ja daar gaan we weer op naar Gino!!!!!!!
Nadat we het optreden met Urope mee hebben gemaakt Zondag gingen we Dinsdag 22 april naar Austerlitz voor het optreden van Gino met Bert van den Brink. En Oooooo wat zijn we blij dat we kaartjes hebben want het is voor een heel klein plubliek. Op de parkeerplaats ontmoeten we de trouwe fans Marian en Ron, wonder boven wonder hebben ze toch nog kaartjes kunnen krijgen, dus gezellig even bijkletsen en al gauw komen ook Ton en Isabel erbij en zijn we allemaal benieuwd wat het zal worden deze avond.

Als de deuren open gaan weet Ron als één van de eerste een plaatsje op de eerste rij te pakken te krijgen en houd voor ons ook stoelen vrij (bedankt Ron) Wauw….dit keer zijn de plaatsen wel heel dichtbij het podium !!!!

In spanning wachten we af en al gauw komt Bert op en begint met mooie (bekende) klanken op de piano en dan volgt Gino, en zo te zien weer in topvorm !!!

Het tweede nummer was een heel nieuw nummer, helaas weet ik de titel niet meer maar het was zo MOOI !!!!!!! dat was weer even heel hard slikken !!!!

En we kregen nog wat extra-tjes deze avond, zo werd er uit het publiek een drummer gehaald die tot twee keer toe mee mocht spelen en dat klonk zeker niet slecht.

Ook kwam Thijs van Otterloo meespelen op de saxofoon, wat het ook weer heel speciaal maakte. En People Gotta Move werd dit keer gedaan met een danseres erbij!!! Nou niet gek toch ??

Bij None So Beautiful As The Brave speelde Gino de piano en Bert de accordeon, weer een hele gevoelige uitvoering van dit nummer !!!

Al met al was het weer een bijzondere belevenis,dit was heel intiem en het prachtige melodieuze pianospel van Bert bezorgde ons kippenvel !!!
Een goede keus van Gino !!!!
Na het optreden was er weer gelegenheid om Gino te ontmoeten, al leek het wel of mensen daar raar van op keken en niet goed wisten wat ze hier mee moesten, de vaste fans weten inmiddels dat dit een (hele goede) gewoonte is van Gino en hopen dan ook dat Gino dit zal blijven doen want dit maakt het altijd zo speciaal !!!!

Gino Bedankt voor dit prachtige optreden met Bert samen, we hopen op meer……..
Liefs van Rob & Wil

English/Engels:1): An E-mail from Rob & Wil Spelbos from Utrecht, the Netherlands dated 30 April 2008 with the subject: Gino & Bert van den Brink in Austerlitz

Yes here we go again on our way to Gino!!!!!!!!
After we lived through the concert with Uropa last Sunday we went to the concert of Gino and Bert van den Brink on Tuesday 22 April in Austerlitz. And ohhhhhhhh we are so happy to have tickets because this is for a very small audience. On the parking place we meet the loyal fans Marian & Ron, it's a big miracle that they still could get tickets. So we talked together in a very cosy way and soon Ton & Isabel arrived and all together we are very curious to know what this evening will bring.

When they open the doors of the beauforthuis Ron knows very fast how to get first row seats and keeps seats open for us too (Thanks Ron). He was the very first! Wow...this time the seats are very, very close to the stage !!!!

We wait in excitement and soon Bert arrives on stage and starts to play very beautiful (well-known) tunes on the piano and than Gino follows, and when I see Him He looks in great shape !!!

The second song was a complete new song, sorry but I do not know the title anymore, but it was so very beautiful and emotional !!!!!! And I had to fight the tears again !!!! And we got a bonus this evening, a drummer was choosen from the audience and he played twice in different songs and the sound was pretty good.

There was also Thijs van Otterloo playing the saxophone, he made it all even more special. And People Gotta Move was with a dancer this time!!! Wow GREAT, isn't it ??

When they did None So Beautiful As The Brave Gino played the piano and Bert accordion, and again a very emotional and sensitive version of this song !!!

Again, this was a very special event, very intimate and the wonderful melodious way of playing the piano by bert gave us goose-bumps !!!
Very good choise Gino !!!!
After the performance we got the opportunity to meet Gino again, however people did not know very well what to do, they thought it was strange to see Gino among the audience, only the loyal and true fans know in the meantime that Gino does this all the time and it became a (very good) habit of Gino to do this. And we hope he keeps on doing this after a concert, because these meet & greets make it all so very special to the fans, it's a special treatment !!!!

Gino thank you very much for this performance together with Bert, we hope for more......
Love, Rob & Wil

2): An e-mail from Fay from Amsterdam, Holland dated 29 april 2008 with the subject: Gino Vannelli in Austerlitz

Did you get the letter? My e-mail is working very bad! I was invited to this exclusive try-out and I enjoyed it so much. you definately won't believe the amazing music and voice of Gino Vannelli. And so cute how He invited people from the audience, a drummer and also a dancer during PEOPLE GOTTA MOVE... Thanks for the invitation friend! Fay

PS: B&T I hope you received my e-mails, I hit your copyright line like you told me and yes it became an e-mail. Nice to talk to you two. Congratulations with your website. Love the website and I am now curious, so I'll need to visit each and every page.
Gino is great!

3): A few words again from the editors B&T dated 30 April 2008 with the subject: Gino Vannelli and Bert van den Brink in Austerlitz...

What a cute theatre in the middle of the woods in Holland, we call it woods but compared to other countries it's just a small park, very old building, the Beauforthuis is an old church, but with a great atmosphere and nice people who work there... We dropped Gino in the woods with His great spirit, clothes, sponge-bag and ironing-board... We already heard the piano sound in the building and yes Bert was playing the keyboard and Gino immediately jumped behind the grand-piano and played and played... WONDERFUL!!! We introduced ourselves to Bert and immediately we had a fun conversation... Great humour! The man is blind but the way he moves and plays with his fingers on the keys of the Grand-Piano is totally top energy and amazing... Kind of boogie-woogie style and super fast. That's how we hear it and we are no experts...

Gino and Bert still have to grow together as they say themselves but for our ears it's delightful, emotional and a JOY again... My oh my... A complete new song called: "Somewhere West" yeahhhh what can we say??? Gino's voice fresh and clean, cristal clear, top shape, reliable, superb and melts people's criticism down the drains... The soundcheck took a few hours and at the end the Master was happy!!! We also saw Thijs van Otterloo walking around with his saxophone so that means more good music!

We all had dinner, super nice and delicious and it was cosy, Bert ate like 3 plates of pasta and also salad but he liked the pasta much more... We laughed heartily he probably needed food to get ready for the concert. We can honestly say that musicians and singers can eat like animals, we mean the amount of food... In the meantime the people of the audience came in and saw us eat together and there was a paparazzi who took pictures of us.... So we had to go to the dressing-room but Bert was not ready eating yet and Trees took a 4th plate with pasta for Bert and carried it to the dressing-room. Bert was happy and ate it all with big appetite... Music and food the pleasures of life! Annelotte, Bert's attendant, is also a super nice and very intelligent woman, we had fun and Bert teased Trees with her Rotterdam accent... And Bert started talking as Trees did with the Rotterdam accent... If you only could have seen Gino's face!!!

The concert: A very special performance which blew us away again...

We always say the best concert ever, we know, but this is so intimate, so close by and so impressive, as people of the audience you are right in the middle of the music and Gino's voice goes through your body bones. And Wil Spelbos you are so right about this completely new song soooooooo very beautiful and the title is "Somewhere West"

Nice to see the loyal fans again like Wil & Rob, Ron & Marian, Ton & Isabel, Vincent Vuik and His Wife and more of whom we do not know their names... We know it was very difficult to get tickets for this concert, it's like a big living-room concert. AND WE LOVE IT!!! Great audience, who really listened, no talking, no phoning and we were standing after the last row. Great enthusiastic audience who deeply loved the concert. For us both it was totally new because we never heard Bert play before, we mean live on stage. And "None So Beautiful As The Brave" again in another version was super kicking beautiful and tearpulling... Bert grabbed his accordion, Gino behind the grand-piano and there it came out so deep down from their hearts. BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! To Gino Vannelli and Bert van den Brink.

New music, new piano player, new drummer from the audience and even a dancer during "People Gotta Move", it felt alive and kicking for sure! We can imagine that Gino was touched when He saw and heard Bert play for the very first time. Bert is the sweetest man and a genius on the piano, and we will hear that on Gino Vannelli's new cd in the near future.

Excuse us world for our bad memory... But you can always fill us in and e-mail us the right set-list.
We remember:

Wild Horses
Somewhere West
People Gotta Move
Right Where I Am
A poem
Bother To Brother
Hurts To Be In Love
I Just Wanna Stop
Encore: THESE ARE THE DAYS

"These Are The Days" one of Barend's most favorite Gino Vannelli songs! And Bert told the audience when he first listened to this song he had to cry! Isn't that something?? Yes a Gino Vannelli song can open many emotions in people's bodies... and penetrate people's hearts and souls.

After the concert Gino went back into the audience who had a drink in the bar, but it seems the people of the audience were not used to a worldstar walking around and being among them and doing the same things as they do like having a drink, talk with people, shaking hands and joking around... People looked shocked to suddenly see Gino by the side of them. NOT the fans who are always there they know that Gino comes back most of the time... So they hugged, shaked hands and made pictures together... New people, new circumstances, new expectations and new reactions... We will always remember the surprised faces of the people of the audience when they saw GINO VANNELLI walking towards them in such a small room, to pass by you had to touch eachother for sure...

The ride home was happy and fun!!! GINO VANNELLI: The Man and His Music!!!

PS: The name of the Drummer from the audience is Frank van de Woestijne. Frank e-mailed us Himself and gave us permission to post his name on this web page and he loved to see pictures with his face on it... Thanks Frank! We loved your performance and the way you played with Gino and Bert was fantastic!!!

4): Nederlands/Dutch: Een E-mail van Vincent Vuik uit Ermelo, Nederland d.d. 24 April 2008 met het onderwerp: concert met Bert van de Brink

Beste Barend en Trees,
Weer even een berichtje van een trouwe Gino fan.
Ik zat een tijdje geleden in Baghdad, weten jullie nog wel en heb toen Gino ook steeds gevolgd en zijn muziek bij me gehad.

Gisteravond zijn we naar het concert geweest van Gino Vannelli en Bert van de Brink in het Beauforthuis in Austerlitz. We hadden een prachtig plekje links vooraan (net zoals in Laren) en zaten op 2 meter van Bert van de Brink! Wat een concert gisteren en wat hebben we genoten! De intimiteit van het Beauforthuis bracht Gino ook in superstemming en de sfeer was fantastisch.

Dat was ook te zien aan de wijze waarop Bert als virtuoos op de piano en harmonica speelde. Wat een groot pianist is die man! Het concert was speels en ook met de nodige humor, waarbij Gino Bert af en toe aan het plagen was. De spontaan uit het publiek gehaalde percussionist en drummer, alsmede de swingende jongedame bij "People Gotta Move" bracht ons helemaal in extase.

Hoogtepunt was voor ons "None So Beautiful" van het album Yonder Tree", wat hij ook zong bij de begrafenis van een Amerikaanse gesneuvelde jonge soldaat. We moesten ons goed houden, want we hebben zelf momenteel een zoon van 19 jaren jong in Afghanistan....

En dan die toegift. Terwijl Gino naar het toilet toe was, zette Bert al in met "These are the Days", een prachtig nummer om te eindigen als toegift. Voor Dianne was dit haar derde concert (ik sleep haar steeds weer mee), en zij vond dit absoluut top!

Gino en Bert, bedankt!!! En tot het North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam! Vincent en Dianne Vuik, Ermelo

4): English/Engels: An E-mail from Vincent Vuik from Ermelo, the Netherlands dated 24 April 2008 with the subject: concert with Bert van de Brink

Dear Barend and Trees,
A little message again from a loyal Gino fan.
I was in Baghdad a while ago, do you remember? And at that time I had Gino's music with me all the time and I still followed Him.

Yesterday evening we went to the concert of Gino Vannelli and Bert van den Brink in the Beauforthuis in Austerlitz.

We had such a good seat on the front row at the left side. (Just like in Laren) and the distance between us and Bert van de Brink was only 2 yards! What a concert yesterday we deeply enjoyed it! The intimacy of the Beauforthuis brought Gino in a super good mood and the air was fantastic.

The way Bert played the piano and the concertina (accordion) like a virtuoso showed us all the great spirits. What a great piano player is that man! The concert was playful and with the necessary humour, Gino was teasing Bert once in a while. The spontaneous choosen percussion-player and drummer from the audience but also that swinging young lady during "People Gotta Move" brought us all in ecstasy.

The highlight for us was "None So Beautiful" from the album "Yonder Tree", the song He sang at the funeral of this American young soldier who was killed in the war. We had to keep ourselves bravely, because our own son of 19 years old is in Afghanistan at the moment...

And than there is the encore... While Gino went to the restroom, Bert already played the tunes of "These are the Days", a very wonderful song to end with as an encore. This was the third concert for my Wife Dianne
(I keep on dragging her with me), and she thought this was absolutely super top!

Many thanks Gino and Bert!!! And see you again at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam! Vincent and Dianne Vuik, Ermelo

5): Nederlands/Dutch: Een E-mail van Ton & Isabel uit Amersfoort, Holland d.d. 24 April 2008 met het onderwerp: 22 april

Lieve Barend en Trees,
Het was gisteravond weer een heel feest.
Een prachtige kapel in de bossen van de Utrechtse Heuvelrug, een publiek die de muziek van Gino zeer kon waarderen.

Oftewel heel veel Gino fans die om ons heen zaten en hem al jaren volgden en veel werk van hem kenden. Deze sfeer was ook duidelijk te voelen, rustig maar vol passie,waardering en liefde voor de muziek van Gino vannelli. Een goede combinatie, Bert van den Brink en Gino Vannelli, ze maken samen mooie muziek, vol passie en gevoel. En niet te vergeten de humor, ja wij hebben gelachen, vooral om de nu al legendarische uitspraak van Bert toen Gino even een momentje voor zichzelf nam

“”Don’t rush him, flush him””

Het was een mooie avond en wij hebben erg genoten, ook weer nieuwe prachtige songs en dan het nummer “”None so Beautiful As The Brave” daar krijg je echt kippevel van, zo mooi.

Ook een drummer die uit het publiek kwam om 2 nummers mee te spelen en een danseres die lekker zat te swingen op “”People Gotta Move””
En niet te vergeten een gast van vanavond Thijs van Otterlo die ook niet onverdienstelijk speelde. Al met al weer een prachtige avond
Veel liefs , Ton en Isabel

5): English/Engels: An e-mail from Ton & Isabel from Amersfoort, Holland dated 24 April 2008 with the subject: 22 april

Dear Barend and Trees,
It was a big party again yesterday evening.
A beautiful chapel in the woods of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, and an audience who appriciated Gino's music very much.

And we were surrounded by many Gino fans who follow Him already for years and years and they know a lot of Gino's work. We could clearly feel the good vibes in the air, quiet but full of passion, appreciation and love for Gino Vannelli's music. A good mix, Bert van den Brink and Gino Vannelli, they make beautiful music, full of passion and feelings. And let's not forget the humour, yes we laughed, especially because of the legendary statement from Bert when Gino took a minute for himself:

“”Don’t rush him, flush him””

It was such a beautiful evening and we deeply enjoyed it, and also great new songs and than the tune:
“”None so Beautiful As The Brave” gives us goose-bumps, so beautiful.

There was also a drummer who came out off the audience to play with 2 songs and a dancer who was swinging on “”People Gotta Move””
And again let's not forget a guest musician Thijs van Otterloo who did not play without merit. All together again a wonderful evening.
Lots of love, Ton and Isabel

6): Nederlands/Dutch: Een E-mail van Frank van de Woestijne, de Drummer uit het publiek, Holland d.d. 1 Mei 2008 met het onderwerp: Ik was die drummer uit het publiek

Beste Barend en Trees,
Sorry dat ik jullie op deze manier benader, maar ik weet anders niet hoe ik aan een paar foto's kan komen van mijn , waarschijnlijke eenmalige , optreden met Gino en Bert.
Ik was die drummer uit het publiek die voor de grap zijn hand op stak toen Gino op zoek ging naar percussie. Jullie begrijpen dat dit voor mij een onvergetelijke ervaring is en daarom zou ik zo ontzettend graag een aandenken willen hebben aan dit optreden.
Normaal heb ik altijd een toestel bij me, maar ik ging er eigenlijk van uit dat er niet gefotografeerd mocht worden tijdens het concert. Ik hoop dat jullie mij verder kunnen helpen!
Met vriendelijke groeten,
Frank van de Woestijne.

6): English/Engels: An
e-mail from Frank van de Woestijne, the Drummer from the audience, Holland dated 1 May 2008 with the subject: I was the drummer from the audience

Dear Barend and Trees,
Apologies for the way how I try to reach you, but I do not know another way to get a few pictures from probably the one and only performance of mine with Gino and Bert.
I am the drummer who by accident raised my hand when Gino asked for help and searched for a percussionist. You will understand that this was an incredible unbelievable evening for me and a great experience and that's why I really want a souvenir to remember this great performance.
Normally I always carry a camera with me, but I was convinced that it was not allowed to take any pictures during this concert.
I hope you two can help me.
With kind regards,
Frank van de Woestijne.

The editors e-mailed all pictures we have with Frank the drummer on it to him immediately.

7):An e-mail from Ria in the Netherlands dated 4 May 2008 with the subject: Gino and Bert van den Brink

Hello, just saw your web site through the Beauforthuis web site and I was in that audience on 22 April 2008 and I enjoyed it so much. The relaxed and almost serene atmosphere was fantastic and the music was good. Sorry for my English but i still want you to know that I was there and that it was GOOD!!!!!!! I do not know Gino's music that well but his voice is great! Thanks to the musicians from Ria.

8): Nederlands/Dutch: Een E-mail van Frank Hoek van het Beauforthuis in Austerlitz, Holland d.d. 2 Mei 2008 met het onderwerp: Gino Vannelli

Beste Barend en Trees,
Ga jullie gang.
Ik zal ook een nieuwwsberichtje aanmaken op onze site, dat verwijst naar jullie verslag.
Frank Hoek

8): English/Engels: An e-mail from Frank Hoek of the Beauforthuis in Austerlitz, Holland dated 2 May 2008 with the subject: Gino Vannelli

Dear Barend and Trees,
Go ahead with your links.
I will make a new message on our web site, that also links to your review.
Frank Hoek

9): Nederlands/Dutch: Een tweede E-mail van Isabel uit Amersfoort, Holland d.d. 25 April 2008 met het onderwerp: None so Beatiful

Hi Barend en Trees,
Ik de hele dag None so Beautiful in mijn hoofd en heb maar snel weer “Yonder Tree” gepakt en er weer opgezet. Dit nummer kende ik natuurlijk al wel maar met het verhaal erachter is dit nummer toch heel byzonder ! Veel liefs en alvast een fijn weekend, Isabel

9): English/Engels: A second e-mail from Isabel from Amersfoort in Holland dated 25 April 2008 with the subject: None So Beautiful

Hi Barend and Trees,
Allday I have the tune in my head of None So Beautiful so I grabbed “Yonder Tree” and played it again. I already knew this song of course but the story behind this song is very special ! Lots of love and a nice weekend in advance, Isabel

10): An e-mail from Susan in Naarden, the Netherlands dated 29 April 2008 with the subject: Austerlitz.

Cool this web site! After the concert of Gino and Bert in Austerlitz I surfed the internet and found your site, I see it's in English so I try in English too... hope you do n't mind my English. Great concert, very good voice and the piano was wonderful. I had to get used to the other arrangements because I still see the pop singer Gino Vannelli but I was impressed. I'm such a fan from the Brother to Brother time and I love the Powerful People album. Thanks for your site I will go through it in the next couple of weeks. Need to score some of the Gino Vannelli albums... I'm very curious. I also understand that there is a new album coming up... Ciao Susan

THE PAPARAZZI:

Miscellaneous photos: