Di-Rect

AT Productions BV

Eerste van der Kunstraat 286
2521 AV DEN HAAG
T  070-3301050
E  contact@atproductions.com
W  www.atproductions.com

Di-Rect

Young pop/grunge band from The Hague that becomes very popular over a short period of time.
Full biography

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Members

Frans van Zoest   gitaar, zang
Jamie Westland   drums
Bas Van Wageningen   basgitaar
Marcel Veenendaal   zang
Vince van Reeken   toetsinstrumenten

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Former members

Tim Akkerman   gitaar, zang

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News archive

Di-rect gaat ondergronds (video) (10/8/10) 
Di-rect gaat ondergronds (video) (10/8/10) 
DI-RECT in oktober op Java Rockin'land Indonesië (8/12/10) 
DI-RECT in oktober op Java Rockin'land Indonesië (8/12/10) 
Bij Di-Rect is iedereen frontman (video) (7/5/10) 
Bij Di-Rect is iedereen frontman (video) (7/5/10) 
Zoektocht naar voorprogramma Bon Jovi, Kane en Di-Rect (4/20/10) 
Di-Rect zoekt nieuwe zanger via televisieshow (4/29/09) 
Tim Akkerman verlaat Di-Rect (3/13/09) 
Popmuseum komt naar Den Haag (3/11/09) 
More results Less results

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Concerts & Festivals

by Podiuminfo / Festivalinfo

5/25/12, AJOC Festival, Wilnis
6/1/12, ZOMERfestival, Delft
6/1/12, Zomerfestival Delft, Delft
6/17/12, Julianapop, Den Helder
6/29/12, Drakenboot Festival Apeldoorn, Apeldoorn
6/30/12, Wantijpop, Wantijpark, Dordrecht
7/20/12, Zwarte Cross Festival, festivalterrein De Schans, Lichtenvoorde
8/11/12, Dutch Valley, Spaarnwoude
8/11/12, Dutch Valley, Spaarnwoude
8/21/12, Zeeland Nazomerfestival, Middelburg
8/22/12, Stöppelhaene, Raalte
8/25/12, RTL Viert De Zomer Festival, Zwolle
9/5/12, Pieperfestival, Emmeloord
10/6/12, Park Transwijk, Utrecht
1/19/13, De Vrienden van Amstel Live, Rotterdam
More results Less results

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Biography Di-Rect

Young pop/grunge band from The Hague that becomes very popular over a short period of time.

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1999

Di-rect is formed. Drummer Jamie Westland and guitarist Frans van Zoest are the youngest band members, both aged 15. The oldest is 19-year-old Tim Akkerman.

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2000

Di-rect records its first demo and plays its first gig at the 25th wedding anniversary of the parents of bassist Bas van Wageningen. Radio 3 DJ Rob Stenders gets hold of their demo from which he plays the song 'Just The Way I Do' in his show. Manager Edwin Jansen (Anouk, Kane, Billy the Kid) signs the band to record company Dino. Dinand Woesthoff and Dennis van Leeuwen from Kane help them write new songs and invite them to be their support act on their 'As Long As You Want This' 2000-tour.

Kane

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2001

On April 18 the single Just The Way I Do is officially released. The video can be seen on (Dutch) music channels such as The Box, TMF and MTV. The single also enters the playlists of the Belgian radio stations. The band's full-length debut, Discover, is recorded with Daniël Lohues (Skik). The second single to be taken from the album is the Who cover 'My Generation'. In August Di-rect plays its first gig in Belgium at the Marktrock festival in Leuven. They also play at the second day of the Lowlands festival.

Skik

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2002

The third single to be taken from the album is Inside My Head. Di-rect plays at the Noorderslag festival.

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2003

Inside My Head is also a hit in Indonesia. From January 28 until February 2 Di-rect can be seen at the live music event Vrienden Van Amstel Live! in the Ahoy, Rotterdam. On March 6 Di-rect receives an Edison Music award for Inside My Head in the category Best Single National. On Liberation Day, May 5, Di-rect plays at several festivals across the country. Second album Over The Moon is gem-packed with sing-along rock songs, among which a cover of Q65's The Life I Live.

Q65 Suburbs

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2004

Op January 8 Tim Akkerman plays with Elvis' original band, The TCB band, at the Elvis Second To None Party in a sold-out Paradiso Amsterdam. In the same week Di-rect plays in the big room at the Noorderslag festival. On March 23 the band wins an Edison Award, in the public-voted category Best Album for Over The Moon. At the TMF Awards (April 10) the band wins Best Rock video for Rollercoaster. Guitarist Spike contributes on rap posse ADHD's album Beng Je Hooft (Bang yer Head).

ADHD

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2005

Along with DJ Tiësto, Bløf, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Acda & De Munnik, Dinand Woesthoff, Berget Lewis and Xander de Buisonjé, Di-rect plays on the benefit for the Tsunami victims in Asia on January 6 on the Dam square in Amsterdam. As of January 3 the band is protagonist on a real life television show of music television channel TMF that each day airs the making of Di-rect's new album All Systems Go that comes out on February 18. On January 21 it is preceded by the release of the single Hungry For Love. The album enjoys a number 1 chart entry. On March 19 Di-rect receives a 3FM Award for Best Live Act at the public station's award ceremonies at Amsterdam's panama club. In April it wins a TMF Award for Best Local Band. On May 16 Di-rect plays at the Pinkpop festival. Classical pianist Wibi Soerjadi is featured on the song Blind For You. Di-rect can be seen in a TV commercial and is also ambassador for DFY The People's Condom.

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2006

Di-rect wins Best Live Act at the 3FM Awards in March. Singer Tim Akkerman sings the chorus on the single Ik Wacht Al Zo Lang ('I'm Already Waiting for Quite Some Time') by Dutch rappers Lange Frans & Baas B. The lyrics are inspired by the faith of a good friend of Akkerman who's been seriously ill for quite some time.

Lange Frans & Baas B

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2007

Di-rect is the first Dutch band to perform live on Second Life, the virtual community on the internet, where visitors are able to live a second life. On January 15 Di-rect's theatre tour commences. On March 2 the band's fourth, untitled album comes out. It is preceded by the single A Good Thing. Di-Rect records the track Bring Down Tomorrow, the title song of the comedy Moordwijven (December) by director Dick Maas. The band is also included on the soundtrack of the comedy Alles Is Liefde. In October Di-rect wins the TMF Rocks Award for Best Rock Act.

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2008

In November Di-rect kicks off a tour in which the band plays a Dutch version of the rockmusical Tommy. All song have been translated into Dutch by Jan Rot. For the occassion the band is joined by singers Marcel Veenendaal and Caroline Dest (Ebonique, Soulvation). The band is the official ambassador in the Netherlands for computer game Guitar Hero.

Ebonique Jan Rot Soulvation

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2009

During a press conference at the Hard Rock Café in Amsterdam singer Tim Akkerman announces that he will leave Di-rect immediately after the band's theatre tour. He wants to focus on a solo career. In a statement he says that over the years their musical tastes have changed and that unfortunately his has developed into another direction with regard to the rest of the band. De other band member start a search for a new singer through a TV series. In the docusoap Wie Is Di-rect? (Who Is Di-rect?) the band auditions new singers. On 8 November Marcel Veenendaal from Arnhem is selected to become the band's new vocalist. He has performed with the band before during the tour with rock musical Tommy. The first single to be released with Veenendaal is Times Are Changing (9 November). Keyboard player Vince van Reeken also joins the band.

Tim Akkerman

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2010

In the category Culture, Di-rect wins the Marketing Promotion Award of the city of The Hague. This award honours persons or organisations that have promoted the city of The Hague in a special or distinguisable way.

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Discography Di-Rect

In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.

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Photos Di-Rect

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Video Di-Rect

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