"A showcase of artistry and good taste" - Lukáš Rytíř, Director of the Bluegrass Dokořán Festival

"One of the pleasant surprises in the Czech Twelve hit parade in 2022”- Martin Hrdinka, radio DJ 

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​The trio Loes & The Acoustic Engineers bring an original repertoire and an impressive collection of acoustic instruments to the stage. This Czech-Dutch band is the winner of both Porta 2021 and Interporta 2022. Frontwoman Loes also won second place at the Sofia Singer Songwriter Fest in Bulgaria in the fall of 2022. The latest addition to the band's trophies is the  “Golden Twelve”, a small broche in the shape of a microphone, which the band can boast owing to the long-running success of the single "Princess" in the Czech Radio's Czech Twelve hit parade.

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When it comes to genre, the band's style is like a quilt: colorful, diverse, and comforting. They describe their work as "chamber folk pop" or "Europicana" (Americana with a European twist), mixing storytelling lyrics in various languages (mostly in English) with bluegrass virtuosity and catchy melodies.

Frontwoman Loes is primarily a storyteller who avoids grand gestures and instead brings a natural sound and a memorable smile—if she's having her day. Because of this, people compare her style to Joni Mitchell or Tracy Chapman,  a style that has been said to be lacking in the Czech Republic.

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The band plays not only songs from Loes's solo album, but also compositions written by violinist Honza Bartošek or multi-instrumentalist Michal Rudolf Cádra, as well as collaborative new work. These charismatic "acoustic engineers" can create so many interesting sounds that one might forget there are only three of them on stage.

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Although the band works well as a trio, they love to collaborate with guests. These include musical wonders of the world like Ondra Kozák, who plays a big role on Loes' album All I Ever Really Seem To Say, or David Benda, who had the prerogative to introduce himself as World Champion of the Banjo in 2020 and masterfully makes the band's repertoire even more multifaceted and colorful. Jan Řepka and Anna Marie Hradecká have translated some of Loes's songs into Czech, Anna Marie also contributed piano and vocals to the singles "Princess" and "Není se vůbec čeho bát (Being Here)".

Loes van Schaijk: vocals, double bass, guitar
Michal Rudolf Cadra: vocals, guitar, accordion, mandolin
Honza Bartosek: vocals, violin

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