Pop Music Reviews : Rotterdam Posse Rocks the House

The best rock ‘n’ roll has always been characterized by a willingness to flirt with anarchy. Hendrix was most amazing when he snatched songs back from the brink of chaos; so in their way were the Stones, James Brown and the Velvet Underground. Punk-rock bands, the Sex Pistols and the Germs, raised the chaotic moment to an institution.

Anyway, the last band you would have expected to make great rock ‘n’ roll was a young funk band from Holland unpromisingly named Urban Dance Squad, but at the Whisky on Tuesday, the Rotterdam posse rocked the house.

Ticky-ticky house beats floated from a turntable, while the guitarist jammed (bits of distortion, shards of wah-wah, Richie Blackmore squeals) over the percolating drums, whucka-whucka deejay scratching and steady bass. Then wham! the twitching bits of rhythm coalesced into a unison power riff whose impact was trebled by the contrast to what preceded it.

“Singer” Rudeboy feinted and jabbed like a boxer (his wrists were even taped), flicking his wireless mike back and forth like something Rocky would have done between the push-ups and the session with the meat, swigging Evian instead of Budweiser, rapping rapid-fire, barely accented English--just how the Beastie Boys’ King Ad-Rock might sound if he had a Dutch uncle.

The obvious comparison is to the Red Hot Chili Peppers (who were in the audience), but Urban Dance Squad is more hip-hop than the Chilis’ funk.