As Holland's most popular live-band, Kane have performed at all the major festivals including Pinkpop and Parkpop.
They have also performed outside of Holland, such as the Marktrock festival (Belgium), Expo 2000 (Germany), Rock am Ring (Germany), Bizarre (Germany), Heineken Jammin' (Italy), SuperBock-SuperRock (Portugal) and Rock Werchter (Belgium).
KANE was supporting act during the most recent European Simple Minds Tour, played several duo-shows with the Callling (Germany and Scandinavia) and gave a specially requested performance in tropical Curaçao.
Their infectious sound owes much to the ability of an extraordinary lead singer but also draws upon international influences from U2 to West Coast American Rock. "What If" is a detailed, almost inimitable record readying KANE to join their international contemporaries throughout Europe.
Besides GOLD and PLATINUM album awards, this band have already amassed 3 Edisons (Holland's most important music award 2001 & 2002), a total of 6 TMF awards (most important local video station), 2 consecutive MTV awards for "Best Dutch act" (2000 & 2001) whilst 2003 saw the band nominated for another Edison award (Best Song: Rain Down On me) Will this year bring another 2 TMF awards? Kane will find out in a couple of weeks being nominated once again!(Best Singer / Best Rock).
As is suddenly apparent, the natural ingredients have always been in place. Dinand, the afore-mentioned lead singer is a striking individual with an unnervingly versatile voice, remarkably blending raw power with delicate precision. Alongside are a talented group of musicians whose diversity is mirrored throughout the bands material, from the anthemic lead single "Rain On Me" to the graceful ballads such as "Before You Let Me Go".
The ongoing struggle described by Dinand as they honed the sound and depth of their material has undoubtedly provided an experience that is translated into their music.
"We struggled for four years to overcome preconceptions over a Rock 'N' Roll mentality in the shroud of dance-based music genres in Holland. But it was here that the vision was born to consolidate what had gone before, in order to move forward and into beyond."
Once this goal was affirmed, the band went back into studio in an effort to obtain every last drop of potential from their work. Three tracks in particular "Head Down, Damn Those Eyes and My best wasn't good enough" were critical to this inspired effort.
"We knew we could get more out the songs so we kept at it, we kept striving for that exlusive romanticism."
It is this romanticism and detail that lends even the most aching ballad a beautiful sense of hope and of future. This curious positive energy runs throughout the record and is present both at the peaks and at the troughs as Dinand explains,
"The record is a story of my life. Sure, there are ironic and funny moments as with 'Can You Handle Me' and 'So Glad You Made It', and equally there is hurt and yearning as expressed in 'Damn Those Eyes' and 'Let it Be'. But what punctuates all of these emotions is an appreciation of life itself - the kind of willingness to carry on as expressed in 'Rain Down on Me', which lends a sort of context to the feelings we encounter."
Kane has continued to mesmerise audiences with the enormous breadth of emotion inherent to their work. Dinand's voice proves a faultless medium for loud and compelling choruses, swiftly answered by verse obliging subtlety and finesse. 'My Best Wasn't Good Enough' is exemplary of this delicate restraint capable of band.
"We are not full of contrived hatred like many other groups making music today. We get the blues like everyone else and sometimes it helps to express that, but we are not driven by negativity, that's not where we are coming from. Songs like 'Hold on to the world' and 'Óur Hearts' will beat as One' for example. These are songs about hope & faith. Songs craving for that holy grail. That's what drives us…even in the darkest hour."
The diversity of feeling within of the track connects with all listeners as it perfectly reflects the unbalance of emotion when one confronts the opposing virtues of love and loss at the same time. An audience stands compelled to witness Dinand's often unpredictable, but always inspiring interpretation with every sweeping cascade of sound and melody.
However, any melancholic mood does not last long as the gentle and frank admission that is "Let It Be" is juxtaposed with the rhythm and energy of tracks such as "Head Down". It is here that the hard-edged rhythmical structure of the guitar-laden Rock tracks is most present. Dinand's vocals soar effortlessly over the strong instrumentation rendering the listener almost tingling with a nervous excitement as the track builds to its inevitable and climatic chorus.
In spite of the frenetic energy from some of the uptempo tracks on the record, Kane never lose sight or judgement of the melodic sensibility upon which their music founded. "What If" is essentially a collection of constructed melodies founded upon, delivered with, real and honest emotion.
In this manner, Kane as a group now speaks a universal language. Their words and music have an irresistible pull and are not tarnished with the ephemeral popularity of other more transient rock bands. We look with eager anticipation to Kane's ascension to the world stage and we invite you to join us being among the very first to welcome them.