Focus

Focus appears on 20 December 2026 at Patronaat, Haarlem. Since 1969 the Amsterdam band has been producing idiosyncratic progressive rock: largely instrumental, built on long arcs of tension and sharp tempo shifts, where symphonic rock, jazz influences and classical motifs intersect. The signature is clear: flute and Hammond carry the melody, guitar lines both cut and sing, drums keep the performance agile and precise, and now and then those atypical vocals that made 'Hocus Pocus' so recognisable. Under the leadership of keyboardist and flautist Thijs van Leer, Focus has continued to evolve through the decades; from the early periods with Jan Akkerman and Pierre van der Linden to recent incarnations that supplement the heritage with new material, as on Focus 12 from 2024. Live the quartet moves smoothly between classics and recent compositions, allowing space for recurring themes, for improvisations that breathe and for melodies that slowly unfold. Expect a set that places Focus’s different faces side by side: energetic passages, lyrical interludes and, of course, a nod to 'Hocus Pocus'.