Fever Ray take the best publicity photos. Karin Dreijer Andersson and her band also make pretty amazing music, like the recently Playlisted track “The Wolf”. (Photo by Jörgen Ringstrand.)
Goldfrapp@Ancienne Belgique, 23 november 2010
Good afternoon, kids!
While I’m eating (or is it drinking? I am always confused about this) my lunchtime soup, I remembered I hadn’t had written a review of Goldfrapp’s concert in Brussels a couple of weeks back.
I doubt it has anything to do with the soup (which is really nice actually), but the ways my mind work have yet to be discovered and examined by modern medicine.
I’d been looking forward to Goldfrapp’s only second venue show, and yes, that in their 10year long carreer. Brussels’ Ancienne Belgique filled up quickly with the gayest of the gay, as some of the things I’ve seen, heard, and unfortunately involuntarily felt there are undoubted signs of the bands status as the Gayest Band in Town.
Or atleast for that cold wintery night in tiny Belgium.
It might have to do something with the music of course, as the band’s latest venture into musicmaking took them quite a long way down memory lane, into the wrong (and maybe better kept hidden) 80s disco tracks!
Now, no irony or elitism, here. Even though it took me a while to get used to it, Head First is a quite alright record.
Let’s call it a guilty pleasure.
After their passage through Pukkelpop, I was hoping for a bit of a change in set, costumes and general feel, afterall that’s what makes a venue gig different from a festival gig.
Unfortunately, not so much differed from the bands machine-like performance I witnessed there.
It seems as if they’re too used to playing, have been playing too long, and generally regard playing live as a ‘job’ rather than a priviledge.
That’s not to say the sound wasn’t perfect, the songs danceable, and Alison’s singing one of the better times I’ve witnessed.
Seeing Lovely Head live for the first time in the almost 6 years I’ve been following them was of course a delight, and made up for a lot of the routine-feel.
A bit of a shame, as I’ve seen them in much better shape.
Maybe next time.
Robyn @ Botanique, Brussels, 13 oct.
Ah, Sweden, land of kötbullar, IKEA and Swedish Chef.
But, as those who know me a little bit, also a damn good provider of music, with a big share in Lisa’s Favourites.
Be it the edgy, experimental beats of Fever Ray (whose concert at Brixton Academy in London slipped under my Tumblr radar a little bit, but as can be read in my review of our first encounter back in 2009, this lady keeps on amazing me like (pretty much) no one else.)
But ye olde Sverige is also home to Sweet Little Robyn aka Lisa’s (not so) secret crush aka provider of the best song in music history.*
It was only a matter of time before I could enjoy the pure delight of seeing this little elf in real life.
And how good it was!
The Botanique’s Orangerie is a small (700 people!) but nice venue, and, as it turned out, very suitable for Robyn.
She’s so energetic, such a good singer and so incredibly sweet, that she had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand since the word go.
Or since ‘Once you’ve gone tech, you ain’t never going back’, because if there’s one thing this queen of heartbreak poptunes is good in, then it’s her infinitely fabulous lyrics.
She duly confirmed her status as one of the best things in pop - sweet as candyfloss yet with a very ‘Grrrl-power’ core.
Jättekul, as they say in Swedish!
* For those in the unknowing: With Every Heartbeat.
Long Time, No See.
Look everybody! It’s Dancin’ Kim!
