Butch's diary:

Aug. 26, 2001: Amsterdam, The Lowlands festival. We get in early to the hotel after a long night of ferries and driving. After a quick shower we are transported out to the site for today's festivities. Again the weather is hot and humid but not raining. Koool-G and I are doing our usual warm-up routine of tiddlywinks, cats cradle, and checkers.

It's almost 4:00pm and it looks like a storm is brewing. We hit the stage right on time and the storm's name is EELS. We kick into the first number and the hurricane of rock begins. The tent we're playing under feels like it's going to blow away from the sheer energy that's shared between audience and band. I feel like I'm looking down from above and watching myself perform. We move effortlessly through the set, and the sound and feel on stage is awesome. The crowd is with us on this journey and it fuels our fire. Thank you, Holland.

We look at concerts as an exchange of energy between band and audience. If the audience is with us, we will all have a nice time. If not, it will not be so pleasant for any of us. That's OK with us, because we are still rocking, regardless. But when we are all in synch, then it can be... well, magical. I bet NSYNC are always in synch and never have a bad night. We pack up and just as we're leaving to go back to England all hell breaks loose in the sky and the thunderstorms begin to roar. Pulp goes on stage as lightning hits the catering tent.

[diary originally published on Eelstheband.com - copyright © 2001. Used here uncut and as originally published by BUTCH]