Brittle Stars reunite in a few weeks for their supposedly last show ever, but I can already name their successors. Monsters Are Waiting do have a different sound, but their beautiful song Ones and Zeros sounds like a more poppy and upbeat Brittle Stars.
Go to Monsters Are Waiting's myspace and listen to a cover of I Wanna Be Adored and the less immediate but equally lovely song Ha Ha.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Popaganda in true Luger spirit
Sometimes a press release is enough to open a circus. The non-profit music association Popaganda decided to sell out and invited Sweden's most disgusting booking agency named Luger. Without having to change clothes, the latter soon found themselves comfortable in the roles of clown and monkey.
The free (no entrance paid by the audience) Popaganda festival was held on the campus in Stockholm in late May 2001 to 2006. The Stockholm University Student Union (Stockholms universitets studentkår, SUS) financed the festival whereas the association Popagande were responsible for the arrangement. The last Popaganda festival was held in May 2006 and offered the audience live shows with artists such as Mew, Frida Hyvönen, Final Fantasy, and Hello Saferide. I would had gone to the Popaganda festival that spring if it had not overlapped in time with the opportunity to see my beloved favourite band Language of Flowers at a real indoor stage at a place with amazing sound (I just described the venue Mejeriet which is located in Lund).
The negotiations between SUS and Popaganda stalled in October 2006. The two project leaders at Popagande left their positions. Officially, they said that their salary issue was not resolved. The association Popaganda was more direct and referred to frictions with SUS. SUS responded by replacing the locks and blocking the pass cards of Popaganda's office in the student union building. The conflict was on. So much for six years of collaboration.
SUS moved on, threw out the pop music and arranged Re:publik, a "broader" festival, the following spring. Re:publik's line up may not have impressed any music fan, but the reduced artist fees resulted in a more balanced budget and less risks. In one way, I can fully understand SUS's intention. As a festival arranger you surely must dare to lose in order to win, but it still feels insanely gratuitous to defend a potential budget loss of hundred of thousands Swedish crowns (SEK), as was the case if the festival was ruined by bad weather. Popaganda also moved on and started a free club at The Southern Theater (Södra Teatern) instead.
In an interview a few months ago, the SUS President spoke about Popaganda:
- I think it is fun that Popaganda continues even without our involvement. There are few free festivals and it feels good to have been building up a free festival such as Popaganda. I do not think they are going to start cashing in on the brand. It is only positive if someone else is willing to secure the supply for the students, says Stockholm University Student Union President Edith Ringmar.
I read somewhere that Popaganda's project leader wished SUS good luck with Re:publik. Just when relationships were improved, at least in public, the bomb was released:
The association Popaganda and Luger have initiated a collaboration that allows Popaganda to resurrect, monitor and evolve its existence in The Festival Sweden. A new venue will host a late summer party of large dimensions, namely Eriksdalsbadet in Southern Stockholm.
On August 29-30, it is time for the sequel that breaks the original.
Suddenly it appears that SUS and Popaganda were cut from the same cloth. What happened to the ideals? But Luger is the worst. This new festival will not, despite the name, have much in common with the old Popaganda festival. My first thought was that Luger just complimented Way Out West with a newly promoted Way Out East 2. There are not many things left of the festival formerly called Popaganda. The 18-year age limit is replaced by a 13-year limit, the non-profit collaborator (the student union) has been dumped for a strictly business relationship, and the date is moved to late summer.
On closer examination it turns out that Popaganda 2008 will be held on the weekend that the free festival Pop Dakar was held the last two years.
Somehow Luger still managed a piece of art. First they broke an unwritten rule in The Festival Sweden by scheduling their festival Where The Action Is on the same date as another festival, then they put their teeth into Popaganda. Only one thing is clear, this will be difficult to beat.
By the way, El Perro del Mar's gig almost two weeks ago was wonderful. Somewhat surprisingly, I Can't Talk About It was the best song of her concert set. But I was a little disappointed that the admission fee of 185 SEK was not reduced. The event was promoted as a live package with both Lycke Li and El Perro del Mar, and only one of them came to the venue (the right person though). When I got home I was reminded that Mejeriet had booked the show via Luger. Curtain down.
The free (no entrance paid by the audience) Popaganda festival was held on the campus in Stockholm in late May 2001 to 2006. The Stockholm University Student Union (Stockholms universitets studentkår, SUS) financed the festival whereas the association Popagande were responsible for the arrangement. The last Popaganda festival was held in May 2006 and offered the audience live shows with artists such as Mew, Frida Hyvönen, Final Fantasy, and Hello Saferide. I would had gone to the Popaganda festival that spring if it had not overlapped in time with the opportunity to see my beloved favourite band Language of Flowers at a real indoor stage at a place with amazing sound (I just described the venue Mejeriet which is located in Lund).
The negotiations between SUS and Popaganda stalled in October 2006. The two project leaders at Popagande left their positions. Officially, they said that their salary issue was not resolved. The association Popaganda was more direct and referred to frictions with SUS. SUS responded by replacing the locks and blocking the pass cards of Popaganda's office in the student union building. The conflict was on. So much for six years of collaboration.
SUS moved on, threw out the pop music and arranged Re:publik, a "broader" festival, the following spring. Re:publik's line up may not have impressed any music fan, but the reduced artist fees resulted in a more balanced budget and less risks. In one way, I can fully understand SUS's intention. As a festival arranger you surely must dare to lose in order to win, but it still feels insanely gratuitous to defend a potential budget loss of hundred of thousands Swedish crowns (SEK), as was the case if the festival was ruined by bad weather. Popaganda also moved on and started a free club at The Southern Theater (Södra Teatern) instead.
In an interview a few months ago, the SUS President spoke about Popaganda:
- I think it is fun that Popaganda continues even without our involvement. There are few free festivals and it feels good to have been building up a free festival such as Popaganda. I do not think they are going to start cashing in on the brand. It is only positive if someone else is willing to secure the supply for the students, says Stockholm University Student Union President Edith Ringmar.
I read somewhere that Popaganda's project leader wished SUS good luck with Re:publik. Just when relationships were improved, at least in public, the bomb was released:
The association Popaganda and Luger have initiated a collaboration that allows Popaganda to resurrect, monitor and evolve its existence in The Festival Sweden. A new venue will host a late summer party of large dimensions, namely Eriksdalsbadet in Southern Stockholm.
On August 29-30, it is time for the sequel that breaks the original.
Suddenly it appears that SUS and Popaganda were cut from the same cloth. What happened to the ideals? But Luger is the worst. This new festival will not, despite the name, have much in common with the old Popaganda festival. My first thought was that Luger just complimented Way Out West with a newly promoted Way Out East 2. There are not many things left of the festival formerly called Popaganda. The 18-year age limit is replaced by a 13-year limit, the non-profit collaborator (the student union) has been dumped for a strictly business relationship, and the date is moved to late summer.
On closer examination it turns out that Popaganda 2008 will be held on the weekend that the free festival Pop Dakar was held the last two years.
Somehow Luger still managed a piece of art. First they broke an unwritten rule in The Festival Sweden by scheduling their festival Where The Action Is on the same date as another festival, then they put their teeth into Popaganda. Only one thing is clear, this will be difficult to beat.
By the way, El Perro del Mar's gig almost two weeks ago was wonderful. Somewhat surprisingly, I Can't Talk About It was the best song of her concert set. But I was a little disappointed that the admission fee of 185 SEK was not reduced. The event was promoted as a live package with both Lycke Li and El Perro del Mar, and only one of them came to the venue (the right person though). When I got home I was reminded that Mejeriet had booked the show via Luger. Curtain down.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Sunny in Lund
The venue Mejeriet writes on its website that Lycke Li is temporarily ill and can not sing for a week. That suits me perfectly since the mentioned Li does not have the luck to be honored a visit by yours truly any more times.
However, I really look forward to see El Perro del Mar who thus becomes the evening's main act. Last time I saw her in Lund, El Perro del Mar outshone The Concretes fronted by Victoria Bergsman high on valium. Tonight El Perro del Mar will, very deservedly, be the center of attention. I hope she looks forward to it as much as I do.
As I am writing this, the sky is blue outside my window while I am eating breakfast at the computer to start the best weekday of all.
However, I really look forward to see El Perro del Mar who thus becomes the evening's main act. Last time I saw her in Lund, El Perro del Mar outshone The Concretes fronted by Victoria Bergsman high on valium. Tonight El Perro del Mar will, very deservedly, be the center of attention. I hope she looks forward to it as much as I do.
As I am writing this, the sky is blue outside my window while I am eating breakfast at the computer to start the best weekday of all.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Minipop - Like I Do
Tricia Kanne walks into my world. She has decided to stay here. I will not let go of her. She won my admiration the moment I heard Like I Do at Minipop's website (Ask Me a Question is played first but just click the arrow above the title to change track).
Tricia Kanne is beautiful as a dream. Her voice reminds me of Stars' incredibly talented singer Amy Milan. A compliment that Tricia and her Minipop fully deserve. Listen to more songs at myspace.
Tricia Kanne is beautiful as a dream. Her voice reminds me of Stars' incredibly talented singer Amy Milan. A compliment that Tricia and her Minipop fully deserve. Listen to more songs at myspace.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Moonbabies - Take Me to the Ballroom
The Malmö band Moonbabies will play at Debaser in their home town on the second of May, and I will be there. I have a fantastic night to look forward to if they sound as good live.
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