The Toppers can’t wait to play in a full Johan Cruijff Arena again thisweekend for the first time in over 3.5 years. The supergroup of René Froger,Gerard Joling, Jeroen van der Boom and Jan Smit is also celebrating a specialmilestone: the third concert on Sunday will be their fiftieth Arena show.
“It feels like coming home,” says Smit about returning to Amsterdam. Due tothe corona crisis, no concerts have been scheduled in recent years. “Of coursewe have been allowed to do something for a while now, but with so many peopletogether it still feels quite unreal. That makes me very happy.”
On the eve of three shows in the Johan Cruijff Arena (Friday, Saturday andSunday), Gerard Joling can hardly believe it has been so long ago. Heconsiders it an honor that the Toppers can fill the Arena again. ,,That we canstand here again, do beautiful songs, with a large orchestra, windinstruments, strings, all the trimmings, tightrope walkers, it doesn’t get anybigger than this. I am just grateful and happy.”
The singer also thinks it’s great that the Toppers and the entire conceptaround it still exist after eighteen years. “It is very special that it haslasted so long and that people are still enthusiastic,” says Joling. Van derBoom says that it is especially a milestone for Froger, who was soon to be theonly Topper at all fifty shows. ,,He once came up with this company with theidea: let’s give it a try. And then you are still standing there after so manyyears with practically the same team. Because not only for the Toppers, butalso for many people behind the scenes, it will be their fiftieth show.”
© ANP / ANP Kippa
The theme this year is: Happy together ‘the flower power edition’. TheToppers _go back to the time of the hippies and flower power. The color ofthis year: purple! The Toppers sang a new song called _Happy together. Thisyear’s guests include Mart Hoogkamer, Rolf Sanchez, rapper Donnie, EmmaHeesters and Bizzey.
With Jan Smit in the ranks, who joined five years ago, the Toppers can last along time, the gentlemen think. Van der Boom: ,,The composition as it is nowis very nice for all of us. With Jan there, the average age has been reducedsomewhat, but at the same time we gained a lot of experience. And four on astage is much better. Especially in recent years I am really happy with how we