It is a new autumn. I am back at the concert venue Mejeriet. I meet an acquaintance already on my way up the porch and feel at home. I slip through the doors and wonder what the arrangers have come up with this time. The bar is on the right side, but first I have to pay the entrance. There is merchandise on another table on the left. It feels like there are tables everywhere. Moreover, there are a lot of people for being just one hour after the doors have opened. The closet is closed, I think I am late and I am worried about the order of the live acts. Tonight's DJ Kajsa is kind and lets me put my shoulder bag behind her table. I then meet my awaited friend Elisabet and everything feels better immediately. The Lucksmith's friend Fred Astereo goes on stage shortly afterward and I get happy because that is the band order I was hoping for. At first I was doubtful, but I soften eventually. The guy knows how to tell a story and it has been a while since I laughed at a concert. When he plays a few nice songs at the end of his show, it is easy to forget that he is just a support act for the support act.
A girl walks past me and says hello. I do not recognise her, and do not respond because I think she is talking to someone else. She walks toward the stage and I wake up from my day dreams. I have seen her before. Sandra Svensson plays organ and synth in one of my favourite Swedish bands. I saw Like Honey live in the summer at The Möllevångs festival (Möllevångsfestivalen) in Malmö. You may not believe me when I write this on a rainy and windy September night, but it was certainly one of the summer's finest days. It was also one of the strangest shows I have been to. It would be a shame to say that it was good. The indoor venue left a lot to be desired, the sound was bad and I wondered why the hell you put a gig at 5 pm on a Saturday night. There were about 30 people in the crowd. The arrangers served juice. I thought I was at a kids party until Like Honey started playing. It was not a good performance, but I still fell for two things - the charm and singer Johanna Cromnows' wonderful voice which always makes me listen. I went home from Malmö very confused and a little disappointed that summer day. As I think back on this show Sandra walks back to her band and I silently count to myself one, two, three, four, five persons I recognise. I have a brief chat with Johanna and Sandra before the gig. They are in a good mood, just like me. The Lucksmiths headline the advertisement for this Emma's House night, but I know that LIKE HONEY will brighten my Sunday evening. This will be a great night, I think before it is time to move to stand at the front line of the crowd.
- We will play all of our songs in chronological order tonight, Klas says. I think to myself "that is a lot of songs, but that would be so great". And although Unexpected opens the show, Like Honey do not play all their songs.
There are whispers between band members between songs and the order does not seem entirely certain. I think I realise what I was missing during Friday's concert, a little room for spontaneity. Johanna really shines when she sings Airport and the rest of the band seems to thrive equally well. The sound is very loud and I should have brought my ear plugs, but I do not want to distance myself from the scene now. I may not know much about music in technical terms, but I know I love this voice. Like Honey are playing several new songs, and it bodes well for the new album. Especially Homesick with Klas on vocals sounds really good and has both a lovely melody and a drive in the song. Like so many other songs. I do not get to hear my favourite songs For a Reason or Sad Song but I am still not the least bit sorry. It is hard to be upset when not a single song feels like a filler. It is hard to be disappointed when a Sunday evening feels like a Friday.
The Lucksmiths enter the scene 20 minutes later. They are talented but I also think they are damn boring. You will probably hate me for this statement but after Camera-Shy was played as perhaps the tenth song, there was no reason for me to stay. I take my bag and walk out into the night with my friend. At the porch, there is a group of friends with two acquaintances of mine. I say goodbye to them and goodbye to Mejeriet for now. I turn around and know I will be back soon. This is my home.
Concert ratings:
Fred Astereo - Six out of Ten
Like Honey - Nine out of Ten
The Lucksmiths - Six out of Ten (if it is okay to rate a concert I left before it was over)
Setlist Like Honey (subject to mistakes, half the list might be wrong):
Unexpected
November
Airport
Homesick
Telling Lies
(Old song)
New York or Let It Pass
(New song Klas starts singing and Johanna ends beautifully)
I can not give you a correct setlist because I do not remember, but it is okay as the experience as a whole was greater than the individual songs. As it can only be at really nice concerts that touch the heart.
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