Den sista sången

So, kent played their last concert yesterday, now kent is no more. However, the band will live on through its music, through those of us who will listen, and remember.

I saw them play live for the first time in 1995 and for many years I listened to every new song they released and went to many, many concerts. Then, I slowly drifted towards other music, or if their music drifted away from me? The last ten years, or so, I have only listen to their music from time to time. But I saw them play one show on this last tour, their first gig on it, and I'm glad I did. Nice to say farewell.

This video of "the last song" nicely pictures the emotions of that concert, and the song was the last song they played at every gig on the tour, the last song they played live...

Night Thoughts

January 22, 2016 is the date for the new Suede album, 'Night Thoughts'. This, the band announced on their facebook page today. Along with the album they also will release a feature film directed by photographer Roger Sargent. Interesting...

Below you can watch the trailer they published together with this announcement.

Both album and film will be premiered at London's Roundhouse on November 13-14, 2015.

Dog Man Star

Beautiful, wonderful Suede. This fantastic album: Dog Man Star. An album I love so much, an album that changed my life when it was released October 1994.

Today Suede released the full live show from the 20th anniversary live gig of the album, at the Royal Albert Hall last year. Including the additional songs they played. Suede live, when they're at their best. Listen! Over, and over again...



And, teasers are out about their next album. Go to suede.co.uk or their YouTube channel to see more.

#61

New video from INVSN. The song that they started the concert with this past Saturday, also the first song on their latest album.

Time's an Ocean

Tomorrow night I'll see these guys perform live. Here's 'Time's an Ocean' by This Is Head:

Solander

@jowesterlund

This week has included a lovely concert with the Swedish band Solander. They were a new pleasant acquaintance for me when I listened to their music before going to the gig, and they gave us an emotive performance to enjoy.

This is their beautiful song  'The Garden' off their latest album 'Passing Mt. Satu':

Det definitiva drevet

When I saw Jakob Hellman play about a month ago, Magnus Ekelund (& Stålet) played before him (and also with him later on). Magnus Ekelund played most of his songs with himself solo on guitar and song. And even though I had some difficulty accepting his way of singing in a, kind of, monotone way, I liked the music in many of the songs. However, after listening to his former album 'Svart flagg' I came to the conclusion that I only liked a few songs of his.

Today I listen to his latest album 'Det definitiva drevet'. With no expectations I played it, and it was such a pleasant surprise. Not only is the music fantastic, what a difference from a single guitar, his way of singing is different, more soulful, and I like it. I really like it. This album contains the songs I liked from the concert.

Here's one of the songs from the album, 'Ymer II':



And, here's the first single from the album 'Det definitiva drevet', 'Supernova':

Coming down

Today I got my book set of Suede at the Royal Albert Hall on March 24, 2010. What a lovely experience it is to watch the dvd from the concert and re-live that night again. A warm feeling spreads through my body and I have a silly smile on my face after watching it. Thank you so much Suede and Teenage Cancer Trust for giving us that wonderful night and this lovely memory.

Here's something very different: 'Coming Down' by Dum Dum Girls.

The Mary Onettes

I have once again enriched my life with a concert. This time with The Mary Onettes, a lovely Swedish band.

This year they have released an EP called 'Love Forever', and their earlier albums include many nice songs. Do check them out if you haven't already.

Here is 'Puzzles' from their album 'Islands':

'Best gig ever'

Today, March 24 2012, is a special day.

Two years ago, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Suede played their reunion gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust and a venue full of elated fans.

Today, two years after the show, the DVD book set of this gig is released, giving us the means to relive that fantastic night over and over again.

I still recall that evening so well; the love, the magic, the wonderful songs and the fantastic performance. As Brett Anderson has said, the 'best gig ever'.

When I got home from London I tried to write about it in 'It's over for know' and 'A few days on', but it was all so emotional for me so it's no surprise that I didn't manage to get across what I wanted to say. At that time I didn't know that I would see them play live five more times in a little more than a year's time from then. At that time I only knew how glad I was that I had had the possibility to see them live again after some 7.5 years and how magical it had been, and how sad I was since it was all over.

I pre-ordered my copy of the book set some time ago and I now await its arrival, it will be a special day when I can hold it in my hands, watch it and listen to it. I am so looking forward to it, I have wanted this since the day after the gig and now the time has come.

I don't have any money

Yesterday The Drums played Berns, Stockholm, and Gimmie Indie broadcasted it live for us to enjoy. The streaming of both sound and picture was fantastic and if you didn't listen to it yesterday, you can listen to it now. You'll find the concert in the archive of Gimmie Indie's fantastic live streams, and the full video stream at Bambuser.

This morning The Drums played at Swedish television TV4. This is 'Days':

Lamb

Sometimes things you didn't expect to happen, just happen. Somehow, I managed to get myself to the gig with Lamb in Stockholm this week.

I finally got to hear some of their great songs live, and I loved it. I finally got to see them in action and feel the great energy they spread, and what a feeling. I think my body continued to vibrate some time after leaving the venue, because of the massive bass Andy Barlow was throwing at us. The concert was tiring for my body, enriching for my mind and warming for my heart. I didn't get to hear Lusty, but Gorecki and Gabriel and many good ones off their latest album '5', e.g. 'She Walks' and 'Build a Fire'. Mesmerising I must say.

Jay Leighton, The Ramona Flowers and Lamb. Those were the bands playing Debaser Slussen that night. The Ramona Flowers handed out this single and I must say that with the great voice of their singer and some of the powerful songs they played that night, I'm looking forward to hear more of them.
  The Ramona Flowers - Dismantle & Rebuild by DistillerRecords

In a time like this

About a week ago, some days before I saw them play live, Deportees did two concerts at Berns, Stockholm. Livestage TV recorded it and so did Gimme Indie, who broadcasted the gig on December 4 (listen to it here).

Here are three of the wonderful songs that Deportees preformed live: 'When Buildings Sleep', 'Medicate It Right' and 'A Heart Like Yours in a Time Like This', all of them taken from their fourth album 'Islands & Shores'.


Livestage TV - Deportees Live på Berns (HD) from Livestage TV on Vimeo.

Deportees

Good music is often even better live. My experiences of concerts and festivals have time after time shown that music is better live on stage. It isn't always the case, sometimes the stage/venue may be too large for the artist/band, or they might not be that comfortable playing live, which often shows, but more often than not, music's better live.

Some days ago I went to see another great Swedish band play. Deportees, lovely aren't they? Before I saw them play I thought their latest album 'Islands & Shores' was ok, however after hearing the songs live I now think it has some really great songs on it. Listen to The Doctor in Me for example.

The Doctor In Me Deportees - The Doctor in Me

An "old" favourite is: 'Under the Pavement - the Beach' from the album with the same name.

Anna live

Quiet, that's how I may describe the gig with Anna Järvinen the other day. Her soft, beautiful voice and delicate songs do very well for an intimate gig like this one.

I hadn't listened that much to her latest, third, album ('Anna själv tredje') until the day of her concert. However before the gig I listened to it to prepare myself for the night, and I must say that it has some real beautiful tracks on it, even though I think I might prefer her earlier albums ('Jag fick feeling', 'Man var bland molnen').



'Vals för Anna' and 'Lilla Anna' are taken from her third album 'Anna själv tredje'.



Before Anna Järvinen released her first solo album in 2007 she was in a band called Granada that I really liked. I don't know if you today can find their records, however, if you got Spotify you may listen to the album there. 'Sister' below are from that album.

Sant, sant, sant...

Invasionen. What a fantastic band.

I saw them live the other night, it was a wonderful experience to hear their songs live, directly from their hearts, to my heart. The musical energy vitalizing my body, to lose myself in honest love for a while, the love that arises from true enthusiasts to a thirsty junkie.

I know it is a truth that's questionable, but I cannot live without the music I love. The music and above all the concerts, they give me strength to live another day.Through music I live, it's my life.

Thank you Invasionen!

Invasionen - Sanningsenligt from Jakob Arevärn on Vimeo.

Intriguing music

Firstly, if you haven't read about Brett Anderson's 13 favourite albums in The Quietus, do so: There's a song playing: Brett Anderson's favourite 13 albums. Many of the albums he has chosen are real pearls.

Let's stay in the U.K. Yesterday I stumbled upon something I hadn't heard before and the more I listen to it the more I like it. Something about this music make me think about Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and PJ Harvey, and I also come to think about Twin Peaks, the latter I cannot understand why. Maybe it's because I saw some episodes of that intriguing tv-series the other day, or maybe they have something in common that attracts me? I'll think about that. And I will keep on listening to Anna Calvi. Too bad I'm not in Stockholm tomorrow when they'll be playing at Debaser Slussen. Here's 'Suzanne and I'

Rain, rain, rain... Hultsfred July 14

One day of festival and it rained the whole time. One could argue that it's the typical festival weather but no, not at Hultsfred. If it rained during my previous visits to this festival it was only for a shorter period, not a whole day and night like this time. Well, enough about the dreadful weather.

The weather did however affect which bands I saw and how I watched them perform. Like The Drums which I listened to from a far under a roof having a beer. Quite nice place in itself, where later DJs played good music, but I would have preferred standing much closer to the stage, had it not rained. And I didn't see much of Cut Copy, I only heard some songs.

The White stage, earlier called Teaterladan, and the Red stage both had roofs, the first one being a semi-open building and the latter being a tent, and that was very welcome this day. These stages also had some nice music being played at them. The first band I saw was Braids from Canada, at the White stage, nice music with surprises. The White stage/Teaterladan is also a favourite since I have had many good live experiences there earlier years; it was a good start.

Foster the People

Peter, Bjorn & John where scheduled to play the Red stage but due to sickness their gig was cancelled. A disappointment, but at the same stage I later saw a band that truly blew me away with their performance and music, and that band was Foster the People from the US. If you have the opportunity to go and see them live, do it!

At night I spent some hours at the Green stage watching Primal Scream play Screamadelica and later, of course, Suede. Primal Scream were good and made me dance and sign in the rain. And by the time Suede entered the stage I must say I was dripping, even though I had suitable clothes on. So I kind of appreciated the tweet by SuedeHQ on Friday:

Big pat on the back to everyone who braved the rain for last night's Suede set at Hultsfred, Primals were great too.

Suede and the rain...

The band had a lot of energy, and so did I. It truly was a unique experience standing in the pouring rain and being totally satisfied with the situation, after all it was Suede on stage. During Everything Will Flow it almost felt like the rain became heavier, but I might have imagined that. This gig made me lose my voice though, and I still can’t make a sound today! To be honest I wasn’t entirely well before the gig and the rain and the fact that I sang along to (well, tried to) every song by Suede, didn’t make things better. But I had a great time, Suede were great, and that’s what matter!

When Suede had played Beautiful Ones and left the stage I hurried through the mud in the darkness to the White stage to see the last band for the day. This is Head had only a couple of songs left when I got there so I can’t really say much about their gig, but I do like some of their songs.

I also saw some minor bands that I really didn't like, and some that were ok but not really my kind of music, but I won't use any more space here to mention them.

In the days to come I will listen to Tennis and Les Savy Fav that Gimme Indie broadcasted/recorded on Thursday. Due to the schedule I wasn’t able to see them live at the festival. And, of course there are all the bands that were broadcasted on Friday and Saturday to listen to as well; I do like Gimme Indie!

Hultsfred

www.hultsfredsfestivalen.se

Here I am again, preparing for a Suede gig. However this time it's at a festival.

It's been some time since I was at a festival, nine years to be precise. This time around I'm going for one day only, even though there're great bands playing the other days as well, I will have to do with one day.

My main reason for going is of course to see Suede, but there are also some other bands that I'm looking forward to: The Drums, Peter Bjorn & John, Cut Copy, Primal Scream, This is Head, and hopefully some other great discoveries for me. That's what festivals are about for me, discovering bands and music that I haven't yet got to know.

Thursday's the day!

Through the wonders

After a few days of struggling with a cold, I'm finally sitting down for a remembrance of the amazing album gigs in Brixton, London. Even though I think my cold was caused by me going out into the night all sweaty and wet from the gig on Saturday (and the two nights before that), that's not really what I should be writing about.

18.05.11

Let's start with Wednesday. This, only because I later found out that Artmagic launched their debut EP in Brixton on Wednesday night. I came to London that day and had I known about it beforehand I would have gone, if I could've that is. I'm a sucker for live music and even though I hadn't heard almost anything of Artmagic up till then, it would have been fun since it's Mr. Oakes' new project together with Shaun McGhee. Additionally, to be thinking of things in hindsight, I bought their EP 'I Keep On Walking' at the Suede gig on Saturday and have listened to it quite some. I like it and I'm looking forward to what may come next.

19.05.11

Thursday then, the 'Suede' day, the time to finally hear some of the songs from their debut album that are rarities live. As usual it was some time waiting before the support act, Chapel Club, started, but then it all just seemed to go by so quickly. When Suede went off stage it almost felt like I had missed out on something, a strange feeling I must say. Fortunately I remember the wonderful feelings of experiencing 'She's Not Dead', 'Sleeping Pills' and 'The Next Life' live, otherwise I might have thought it to be a dream.

After the album songs came the encore with its treats: 'High Rising', 'He's Dead', 'My Insatiable One', 'To the Birds', 'Killing of a Flashboy', 'Can't Get Enough', 'Trash', and 'Beautiful Ones'. Of course the first four songs were something very special hearing live; I absolutely loved 'He's Dead'. However, I must say that my strongest memory from the encore is Richard's smile while playing 'Can't Get Enough'.

20.05.11

Time for 'Dog Man Star' night on Friday, and I was very excited. Not only is DMS my favourite of the albums (if I must chose), it is also an album that means very much to me personally since it was when it came out that I fell helplessly and madly in love with Suede's music; a love that only has grown stronger throughout the years.

The songs that I had looked forward to hear a bit more were: 'Introducing the Band', 'Daddy's Speeding', 'Black or Blue' and 'The Asphalt World'; the first two being such special songs musically, 'Black or Blue' as a rarity live and 'Asphalt World' for the expectation of hearing the full version of it. And of course they are all beautiful songs, together with so many off this album. It was amazing being at the Brixton Academy this night and I think I was somewhat more present in body and mind compared to the preceding night, due to my expectations.

The encore consisted of: 'The Living Dead', 'My Dark Star', 'Stay Together', 'Killing of a Flashboy', 'So Young', 'Metal Mickey', and 'Animal Nitrate'. To be honest I was hoping for 'Whipsnade' (which was played the following week at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin), but I really loved them playing 'My Dark Star' and 'Stay Together'.

21.05.11

Then came the final night: Saturday night and 'Coming Up'.

Since it's an album full of energetic songs I definitely drained myself of my remaining energy this night; for the third night in a row I danced, jumped and sang along to the best live band that I know of. I loved hearing 'Picnic by the Motorway' live and it was a true singalong concert. Even though the audience sang along to all the songs the preceding nights as well, the songs of 'Coming Up' seemed to bring the singalong power to another level, or maybe it was the fact that it was the last concert, I don't know?

The encore for the night contained some of the lovely b-sides from the period of 'Coming Up' and more: 'Europe is our Playground', 'This Time', 'Young Men', 'Together', 'Can't Get Enough', 'So Young', 'Metal Mickey', and 'Animal Nitrate'. I really loved hearing 'Together' and the ending of the concert, with the audience solely singing 'Animal Nitrate', was somewhat magical, a fantastic way of ending the three nights.

I have earlier posted about this show (not the encore though) being uploaded to Suede's Video Channel, and I do recommend you to watch it, if you haven't already.

the supporting role

Lastly, I think I need to write some words on Chapel Club as well, the support act for the three nights. Before the gigs I had listened to their album 'Palace' and therefore I had some knowledge of their music and already liked a few songs. I must say, however, that hearing a band three nights in a row is very special. It isn't something you do that often, and even though Suede was the reason for me to be there, I think Chapel Club was good live. The managed to vary their playlist a bit and that's quite a good job with not so much material. To hear some new songs, like 'Bodies' and 'Widows', are always appreciated. This is another band that I'm going to follow in the future.