History

For the very beginning we have to go back to the year 1994. It was in those days that Sebastiaan Heidt (drums), Jeroen Heidt (bass-guitar) and Mathijs Pongers (vocals/guitar) founded the band Contemporary Madness. They didn't have to wait too long for the necessary enlargement, because a second guitar player was found in no time: Matthijs van der Geest. The musical direction en choice of repertoire is determined very quickly: rockmusic, for the covers as well as for the bands own compositions.		The first performance takes place on the 18th of november 1994. Contemporary Madness competes in the Vlietland Schoolband Festival, the most prestigious festival for schoolbands in the region for years. The gig is a succes, the band reaches the second place in this band competition.

In 1995 Contemporary Madness records a nameless demo-tape, on which six self composed songs can be found (Discography). Unfortunatly this demo never sees the light of day, while Matthijs van der Geest has to leave the band because of his study, shortly after completing the demo... Sebastiaan, Jeroen and Mathijs decide to go on as a three-men-band and to concentrate on the own compositions. The hard work pays off, when the band releases the demo-tape ‘Out With It’ in 1996. This demo contains thirteen own compositions and a live-recording of one of the songs (Discography). It turns out to be a great succes, especially when you realize that the band produced and sold the tape all by itself. Up to 150 tapes have been sold!

On the 22nd of march 1996 Contemporary Madness performs again at the Vlietland Schoolband Festival, but this time as an extra act instead of a participant.

November 1996: the time has come for Contemporary Madness to put the band on a higher level again. The guys decide to add more 'party' songs to the repertoire and decide to expand the band with a guitar player. During the following auditions a very talented guitar player catches the eyes and the ears, and the choice turns out to be an easy one: the new band member is called Aschwin Sutiono.

A period of lots of practice follows and on the 27th of february 1997 Contemporary Madness performs at the always very crowded Adelbert Pop Festival. The band receives very positive reactions, giving the band lots of hope for the next goal: winning the Vlietland Schoolband Festival at last...

The big moment is on the 21st of march 1997. Contemporary Madness competes for the title ‘best schoolband of Leiden’. At the end of the evening, when the jury announces the results of the competition, all the hard work pays off: Contemporary Madness is the winner and can take the trophee back home!		But the trophee is not all they have won: the band also receives a whole free day of recording time in a professional studio!

After this succes the band is very busy. They're working very hard on the own songs for the rappidly nearing studio recordings, and they also perform frequently, among others at a couple of graduation parties.

Then, the weekend of 11 october arrives. Contemporary Madness has bought an extra day of studio time and enters the studio in the early hours of saterday, along with sound engineers Frank van Tussenbroek and Gert-Jan van der Hout. The mission, recording eleven songs in one weekend, turns out to be a tough one. The recordings demand the utmost of the musicians and the producers, but with lots of enthusiasm, hard work and patience the goal is reached at sunday evening: the band recorded eleven songs. The following weekend the recordings are being mastered, and when Sebastiaan has completed the art-work for the CD the big moment has arrived: at the end of october 1997 Contemporary Madness releases the CD ‘Please Do Not Disturb’. The CD, a compilation of own compositions in both Dutch and English, becomes a great succes (Discografie). Over 200 copies have been sold!

At that time Contemporary Madness is a very busy band. On the 7th of november the band delivers a succesfull gig at student society Quintus in Leiden, the following day the band plays at the Wassenaar Pop Festival.

It is during this gig that Contemporary Madness catches the attention of the owner of party-centre De Balken. He's impressed by the band and hires Contemporary Madness for the big party he's throwing at new years eve. The performance that night is a big succes and accompanied by a crowd of 500 people Contemporary Madness enters 1998...

At the beginning of 1998 it appears that Contemporary Madness has become a well known band in the area. The band is now often hired for gigs. In february a gig of Contemporary Madness at cafe de Tregter in Leiden degenerates into a big party and in june Contemporary Madness performs at a big graduation party at discotheek In Casa, performing for a crowd of up to 1000 people. This gig is the biggest one for Contemporary Madness so far and, as it turns out later, also the last one...

September 1998 turns out to be the end of Contemporary Madness. Singer Mathijs moves to Eindhoven to start a new study and therefor has to leave the band. Next, little is heard from Contemporary Madness. Sebastiaan, Jeroen and Aschwin do record a couple of songs in the now fully equipped own studio, but eventually they don't do anything with it. In 1999 a live-CD of Contemporary Madness is released, ‘Live In Leiden’, a compilation of performances in 1998 (Discography).

And then, at last, in 1999 there is news again! After lots of auditions to find an new singer the band encounters Thomas van den Akker. This very talented musician (vocals, guitar, piano) gives the band a new image and sound, so the bands decide to go on under a new name. The beginning of 2000: party- and rockband Balderdash is born!!!

In the mean-time rock- and partyband Balderdash has given great shows on numerous occasions; parties and festivals. A few highlights were the grand succes at student's party The Big Bang and the intimate concert in cafe de Tregter, both in 2001. In their own studio, Balderdash recorded a fine demo, with additional live recordings of the gig on The Big Bang (sound). Balderdash is going to do a lot of gigs in 2002, so watch that agenda!

At the beginning of 2002 Aschwin announces to retire from Balderdash, after being the guitarist for Balderdash for the 5 past years. His retirement is due to other obligations in Rotterdam, which cannot longer be combined with Balderdash.

During the following auditions the remaining members of Balderdash come across Jan Dirk Gerritsen, a tallented guitar player with enough musical experience. It becomes clear very soon that Jan Dirk is the man for the job. Balderdash is complete again!

From the moment Jan Dirk joined Balderdash, the band has been quite busy. After a series of succesfull gigs in, for example, Amsterdam and Leiden, Balderdash has started recording a new demo-CD. May 2003, the new Balderdash demo-CD has been completed!!

With Jan Dirk joining the band, Balderdash has proven once again to be a genuine party machine! In 2004, some really succesful gigs were played. Ranging from wedding-parties to big production-parties!. The highlight of the year for the men from Balderdash was Queensday, for sure. The band played the 29th and the 30th of april gigs which won't be easily forgotten.

2005 has been a good year for Balderdash so far. Multiple gigs on weddings gave a lot of positive reactions in our guestbook. Furthermore, Balderdash played on student-parties and the annual feast in cafe de Tregter.