They released their song for Euroivison 2021 on 4 March. And now, just under a month later, Hooverphonic have performed “The Wrong Place” live for the first time. The Belgian group popped over to the Netherlands on Saturday and visited the Muziekcafé show on Dutch radio station NPO Radio 2.
Hooverphonic perform “The Wrong Place” live
Hooverphonic — that’s Alex Callier, Raymond Geerts and Geike Arnaert — used the live performance to expertly convey the darkness and menace of the studio version. Newly returned lead singer Geike Arnaert delivered a flawless vocal performance.
The Belgian group have had a bumpy year inside the Eurovision bubble. Their decision not to join all the other Eurovision 2020 acts in the “Love Shine A Light” sing-a-long during the Europe: Shine A Light replacement show rubbed many fans up the wrong way. While the way they unceremoniously dropped their previous lead vocalist Luka Cruysberghs in favour of Geike also left many unimpressed.
However, slowly but surely, fans appear to be coming back-on-side. Undoubtedly, Geike’s live performance is one of the main reasons. The YouTube comments for the Muziekcafé clip are overflowing with praise for her. “wow what a voice!”, writes one viewer. “Geike’s vocals are too good. The juries are going to eat this up”, says another. A third proclaims “Geike is so incredible”.
Hooverphonic on “The Wrong Place”
Hooverphonic describe “The Wrong Place” as being about “a one night stand gone wrong” — a woman who wakes up and asks “What the f*** is he doing here?!” The song is more playful than 2020 entry “Release Me” and has the classic Hooverphonic sound. When the band first heard the song, they felt an instant effect and received a lot of enthusiastic reactions from their friends and family. The song has had a lot of work done on it — there have been 21 mixes of the song.
Lead singer Geike Arnaert, who recently returned to Hooverphonic says that the two male band members Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts have calmed down since her last time in Hooverphonic. “A lot has changed, but it still feels very familiar and I feel at home”.
The band have already said that they’re curious to see how Dutch listeners will react to the song as The Netherlands is able to vote for Belgium in the first semi-final of Eurovision. Judging by the reaction to Saturday’s radio performance, they should be expecting a few Dutch votes to go their way.
What do you think of Hooverphonic’s first live performance of “The Wrong Place”? How will they do at Eurovision? Let us know below.
Additional reporting by Robyn
Frankly I’m still amazed and thunderstruck that one of my favorite bands back from the high school years is participating in ESC. A dream come true.
I actually think Belgium could be a dark horse this year.
I read the article title as “Watch Hooverphonic perform IN the wrong place.”
Silly me. 😉
Me too! 😀
I was first thinking that the the video could be reproduced in the staging, because we’ve all had those morning after moments. Though without the beheading.
Expecting good things stagewise too, especially since Tom Eerebout will do their styling. He also happens to be Lady GAGA’s stylist… (check his Instagram)…Fingers crossed!
A very, very good song indeed! Reminds me of Common Linnets.
It’s just me or this seems in one or two parts very similar To a UK entry “We will be free (lonely symphony), by Frances Rufelle https://youtu.be/cXtXpj2FGF8
This UK entry is one of my favourite all times and probably it’s why I like this Belgium song too.
Update – my personal top 10
On the bottom are Moldova. Croatia, North Macedonia, Poland and Cyprus
Then very close San Marino, Spain and Netherlands. I even like Denmark but it can´t reach the top.
Amazing taste!
Both are quitely different. Romania is neither typical ballad nor really “indie” and Slovenia could be too dated, especially for the public vote.
And Slovenia’s place in the running order doesn’t help. Also, a lot of natural allies (ex: Bulgaria) are competing in the SF2. North Macedonia has more chances to qualify, even if I don’t consider it as a natural-born finalist.
“The Wrong Place” is not a ballad.
Wow this is incredible. Right now in my top 10. I really hope this doesn’t get underrated like Elliot in 2019 or Sennek in 2018, because it has big potential.
This is going to be loved by the juries but I don’t know if televoters will appreciate it
Elliot and Sennek weren’t underrated, they were bad on the night even if the studio cuts were great. This is a much stronger vocal performance live than either of those two. I’m optimistic the juries will take it through because I’m also worried about the televote being low.
I like this- musically it is much better than some of the other favourites that are disposable pop entries or ‘Fast Food pop’. The juries will like this.
She sounds fantastic! Loving this dark and moody earworm of a song, very different to everything else this year, and clearly they can deliver a live performance. This deserves to reach the final.
Such a good song!
Considering that the issue for Belgium’s last two NQs were live performances, this is a good sign for their chances in May.
She’s got such a nice voice and kills it live! This song’s also become one of my favs now!
She killed it. As expected. We all knew Geike is an excellent live performer anyway. Belgium’s issue is staging. It has been for years and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ruined their chances this year too… Let’s hope not.
I was left cold when I’ve listened to this song for the first time, but it works much better for me in the middle of an Eurovision 2021 playlist, because Hooverphonic’s music is so different from anything else in the lineup. The live performance also helps its case, because the studio version is too slick and here we can see Geike vibing with the song while singing it.
Many Eurovision contestants are newcomers and unexperienced, and every year there’s concerns that some might bomb live (and some do…). But Hooverphonic and Geike have over 20 years of experience touring and singing live in front of large audiences all over Europe, and this is the difference it makes: you will get quality and a flawless live performance. They’re in a killer SF so I’m not even 100% sure they will qualify, but they certainly deserve to. This should do well with the juries and with some friendly countries in their SF (Netherlands, Germany + some countries who tend to… Read more »
I think this will. The juries have to put this top 10 and it stands out compared to the other songs in that half of the semi. 5 are upbeat female bangers.
Agree! I’m also wondering now if semi 1 is actually the killer semi we were expecting. Now there will only be 6 NQ, and Sweden, Norway and Russia have all delivered songs that are weaker than I was expecting – any of them could realistically NQ. I think Belgium have a respectable chance, especially if their live performance is this good.
I agree, but somehow it remains very unpredictable to me. I would say the most likely to NQ are Ireland, North Macedonia, Slovenia and Israel. There’s a couple of traditionally strong countries that have middle-of-the-road entries this year: Sweden, Norway, Russia and Australia, so I think at least one of these might NQ as well (my bet would be on Norway). Not sure what to make of Croatia, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and Ukraine: the songs are ok but nothing great so we might have a surprise there too. All in all, this should leave 1 spot open for Belgium, but I… Read more »
I think they will qualify, Geike is an excellent live performer
Classy.
She´s really great a great difference to all this wannabe-popstars.
One of my favourites this year, actually the third place in my list, behind Lithuania and France. Good luck !
Top quality, I really hope they get through to the final. It is so frustrating that we in the UK can’t vote in Semi Final one. This is one that I would vote for.
people saying its not for ‘eurovision’ are those who want to keep eurovision campy and amateuristic… we all want the best show with the best music so how tf this aint ‘eurovision’…. you guys are the real problem here.
She amazing live
This won’t qualify in SF1. It’s just not memorable and the staging is not exciting. Where will the points come from? It’s not a jury song and Belgium doesn’t have a voting block. Netherlands should give them some points, but that’s about it.
its a radio show where do u see any staging, nowhere so dont tell lies.
Maybe there’ll be a few points from the Netherlands (and maaaaybe Germany?) as they’ll be voting in SF1, but I see your point and expect it not to do well either. Maybe the people most likely to vote for this are the ones who are familiar with Hooverphonic pre-contest
Agree. Nothing against them or the song, which is a fine song. It’s just not fit to get a lot of points at Eurovision and especially not SF1.
They won’t be judged on this staging, this is not even the back-up performance. We have not seen the staging yet.
That wasn’t the question..
I expect they will get the full 24 points of my country this year. The dutch viewer will see this as the ‘common linnets’ kind of quality entry and our commentators will like it + the fact that they are our southern neighbours will make them vote for it faster.
How can you compare this to common linnets? It’s not even in the same universe. It’s so different. You might as well compare it to Lordi.
Did i say they sound the same?
Not the same universe but both high quality and professionnal. Hooverphonic will be noticed by the juries and will get through I think. Plus the staging should be good this time as the artistic director is the same than for Common Linnets in 2014, Douwe Bob and Laura Tesoro 2016, and others.
Yes I think Netherlands are going to give them 24 points. My country is going to give them many points too, not the 24, but I guess at least ~10-12 from juries + televoters as out jury will surely give them many points and maybe a few points from the public.
We’ll see in May, Belgium is jury material, many other songs will not voted by juries in semi 1.
You’re hilarious… And by the way have you seen the staging already? Tell me all about it…
This is in my top 10!
Welcome to the club !
Same, it’s a song I’m going to replay and enjoy beyond Eurovision. Same for Italy.
While I love both “Release Me” and “Wrong Place”, I feel like “Release Me” unintentionally captured the zeitgeist (with the pandemic, lockdowns..etc), and it was more jury-friendly due to Luka’s exceptional vocals. I simply cannot imagine voters lining up to vote for a song about a one-night stand. Surely juries will respect the radio-friendly song with top-notch production, and they will not hesitate to put their name behind a group with an exceptional resume, but will it be enough? I think it will depend on, as usual, the staging. I am assuming they will leave it to Pannecouke as usual.… Read more »
I’m sorry… So you can’t imagine people lining up to vote for a song about a one night stand… Are you serious? What has the meaning of a song to do with it? So basically catholics are not gonna vote for example Cyprus because she sings Diablo… How ridiculous… But okay…
I think the staging will be nice, the artistic director is great. But you’re right, Belgium failed with the staging from 2017 to 2019. I loved Blanche’s song but I still don’t know how she managed to get a 4th place with this vicals and this staging.
Blanche staging suit her and the song. That’s how it was 4th. Simple and effective.
It was all about her. Those beams and lightning. There was an atmosphere and it clearly worked. I don’t know what people expected or what people think it’s a good or bad staging. Most of the times, things are more simple and easy imo.
But don´t forget: Only the public vote saved her in 2017.
Alex knows about the importance of staging, he did not like Sennek’s – he has said he will be working with new people and won’t make the same mistakes.
top10 material
Much better live. This is how you show experience of performance without relying on modern tricks.
beautiful song and wonderful voice.. but it’s not for eurovision..
it’s a song in a song contest, how isn’t it for eurovision?
are you sure ESC is really just a song contest? if so Finland wouldn’t have been eliminated in 2017 in semi-final 🙂
Why isn´t it ? I´m sick of this same-sounded songs in Europop style (there are a lot of them….) and this kind of music could stand out from the rest.
I guess you are here because you are a Eurovision fan. …And Eurovision is an event about diversity, diversity in music for example. Having said this, I guess every single music genre is welcome to the ESC stage.
Yeah guys, don’t forget the only genres “for Eurovision” are 1. The Eurovision ballad or 2. The Eurovision bop
This performance was exactly what I had in mind for Hooverphonic at Eurovision. It could use a little bit of polishing To make it pop more, but at its basic level it is exactly in line with my imagination. Let’s hope Belgium doesn’t drop the ball with the staging.
And this is how you sing live!
very strong performance,reduced and far away from that average studio music video version. 🙂
At least this year we won’t have to worry about whether our singer will be up to the task in front of a live audience. Love or hate the song, there’s no denying Geike’s vocals are on point.