Golden Earring says emotional farewell: ‘This is our last goodbye’

Golden Earring’s Final Farewell

With a lump in their throat, Golden Earring—the Netherlands’ greatest rock band—said their final goodbye on Friday night. During the last of five concerts at Rotterdam Ahoy, the rockers wasted few words on the end; the focus was primarily on playing.

“I do have a bit of a lump in my throat right now,” said frontman Barry Hay, in the only moment during the concert where he addressed the audience. He thanked the people who “worked incredibly hard” to make the farewell shows possible, including the many guest artists. He also thanked the fans who, after sixty years, still bought tickets to see Golden Earring. “This is our last goodbye,” Hay said, before the band launched into their final songs.

A Different Ending

The musicians from The Hague surely imagined their farewell differently once upon a time. In 2019, the rock band stood on stage in their original lineup for the last time, though they weren’t aware of it then. Shortly after, it was revealed that guitarist and co-founder George Kooymans was suffering from ALS. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and his deteriorating health, performing together was no longer possible.

Hay, drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk, and bassist Rinus Gerritsen were clear from the moment Kooymans’ illness became known: without George, there is no Golden Earring. Kooymans did not live to see the farewell shows he himself had envisioned; he passed away last summer at the age of 77.

“For George”

And yet, Kooymans never felt far away in Ahoy on Friday night. From the very start of the concert, the words “For George” appeared in large letters on a screen. The show concluded with footage of him performing Hold Me Now, while the audience embraced one another and held their phone lights high in the air.