The Fallen Reverend Van Tastik:
An ode to a unique artist.
It was June of the year 2023. I had followed Pete Bernhard from The Black Flamingo to Tequila Tattoos, and had been anxiously awaiting the show he was going to do with his band at De Casino. I’ve written at length about that show, but there was a side character of sorts that sorely (and finally) deserves his spotlight. I am talking of course about language specialist, Fallen Reverend and artist extraordinaire: the dishonourable Van Tastik!
We met at the merch-table where he was hocking the wares of opener The Bones of J.R. Jones. Something about me sounding French in my English accent got us talking and made me totally miss the music. A rarity for me to get this distracted when there’s live music THAT good going on. But I am intrigued by this Italian American, who moved to France and has now ended up in Utrecht. I called him an honorary Belgian for his language skills (add a bit of German to the above mix) ,and we start a multilingual conversation about the lighter things in life, such as Belgian politics, rednecks, religion, faith and anarchy. (I love discussing topics most people shy away from, so I feel like I’ve met a soulmate.)
Turns out Van is also a musician in his own right and dear (unholy) god is it good. I had a quick listen outside before the Devilish Three came out after their show, and I was immediately hooked on that voice. I’ll let him describe himself in his own words though:
Little did I know he was about to release his full album ‘The Church of the Fallen Reverend’ later that year. The day it got out I immediately devoured it front to back. One song caught my ear most and it had an enormous effect on me.
I laughed and cried at the same time. It was healing and hurting. It made me whole and strengthened my resolve. Just LISTEN to this and try not to fall to pieces.
It also got my creative juices flowing again and I started back up with a rounding the edges drawing and made a ‘formal’ version just a few weeks ago.
I absolutely love when art inspires art and music will always be my favourite art form to start from.
So, as you can see, this is again a story about synchronicity of chance encounters in the wake of the trilogy (thrillogy?) of things that was 2023. It would be followed by even more interweaving threads in the web of bands and artists that I’d discover in the months after. Right now for instance, Van Tastik is on tour in the States with Lightning Luke and King Strang of The Bridge City Sinners, which I also wrote a gushing review about.
The Fallen Reverend Van Tastik:
Live at Tracks & Tr@vellers club – Knokke Heist November 11th 2023
Six months after meeting the Fallen Reverend, it was finally time to see him perform. ROADTRIP TIME! Off to Knokke I went with my music bestie Jo, who’d been informed about the amazing artist I’d discovered in real time, as we do. This is probably the furthest I’ve gone for a show that wasn’t in another country, but oh my lord, was it worth it! And then some.
Setting the scene of the night: I had no idea Knokke had such a perfect location for music! The Tracks & Tr@vellers blues café is really a treat for a music lover. We’ve only just sat down when Van comes over, shouts ‘Crane!’ and gives me a big bear hug. Seeing his one man band set up on stage is a good omen for what we’re about to experience!
‘Goeienavond, my name is Van Tastik en ik kom uit Virginia. Here’s taste of the sound where I am from in Appalachia.’
It was such a good performance that I sat there completely mesmerised and barely made any notes aside from the songs he played, so I am going to let the videos speak for themselves.
A very different but special rendition of my most favourite song Fire! After which he even got the sadly not so attentive audience (a lot of drinking going on) to join into a sing-along with his cover of John The Revellator.
That voice, that guitar playing, that dexterity in also adding in the drums. And most of all, the purple soul that is Van Tastik who BREATHES his love of music off of the stage into the oxygen deprived world. It was an amazing night I will not soon forget and hope to experience again this year in a Black Flamingo near me!
As a cherry on top of the synchronicitous events that lead to this night, we take this picture under a Jack Daniels Old n° 7 sign, that links back to that Devil Makes Three banger: Old number 7. We have gone full circle now for 2023. It all started with Pete Bernhard, went on an eleven month WILD musical ride with several interlinked turns, to end up here in Knokke-le-Zoute of all places, for the last show of my year in music.
As of last week this disc has been on repeat in my oldtimer car that can only take cd’s. It’s probably the only recent hard copy record I have. All thanks to Jo who bought it for me. See me ride out of the sunset, on another musical ride through 2024!
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