A week for concerts

The Swedish pop music club Svenska Musikklubben does not only book good bands, but also makes great flyers as well.

Next week will be a good week for concerts, especially if you live in Stockholm. Amy Linton of The Aislers Set is standing on a scene in Stockholm already tonight as the support act for The Ladybug Transistor. Sufjan Stevens comes to the venue Berns on Wednesday, but his concert clashes with Pipas' show. I do not live in Stockholm, but I would had chosen Pipas if I did.

Pipas will come to Malmö next week, but I will most likely miss out on that show because I rather want to see Au Revoir Simone at Blekingska. I want to see both bands, but it would be fun to bring a nice last memory from Blekingska before I leave this town.

Au Revoir Simone vs Pipas

Friday, November 17, 2006
Au Revoir Simone at Blekingska, Lund
Pipas at You Can't Hide Your Love Forever, Malmö

Sigh. A year has passed since the last time Blekingska set up a show with a really interesting foreign band. Blekingska now delivers with Au Revoir Simone. It will be a great concert, but I want to go to Pipas' show in Malmö as well. The pop club You Can't Hide Your Love Forever has only hosted two live bands before, but now decides to set up a show with Pipas on the same night that Au Revoir Simone plays at Blekingska. I do not like to choose between hearing The Disco Song and Mental live.

I will nevertheless choose Blekingska and Au Revoir Simone.

Au Revoir Simone to Sweden!

Au Revoir Simone were supposed to visit Lund last spring. Mejeriet had printed flyers announcing that Vasthi Bunyan, Tralala, and Au Revoir Simone would be playing the same night. I called it the booking of the decade, I was lyrical, and it felt too big to be true. That was, indeed, the case. The mini-festival was cancelled.
Now it looks like Au Revoir Simone, after all, will come here in November instead. Their website show a European tour schedule which includes three gigs in Sweden.

Wednesday, November 15 - Uppåt Framåt in Gothenburg
Thursday, November 16 - Spy Bar in Stockholm
Friday, November 17 - Blekingska nationen in Lund

It is nice that Lund concludes the tour, but what the hell was the booking agency Monstera thinking when they set up a gig at Spy Bar? A 23-year old limit is not ideal for a pop concert.
Au Revoir Simone are from Brooklyn, just as so many other great bands. They have long way to travel, and I do not trust that they will come here until they actually stand on a scene in London.

Au Revoir Simone - Through the Backyard of Our Neighbours
Au Revoir Simone - Hurricane

Speaking of Au Revoir Simone, I also wonder who got the idea that Europe is equal to bad taste. Sure, their debut album Verses of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation was cheap on cdon (a Swedish mailorder), but I should had imported it instead. Anyone with the cover to the left who wants to change it for the cover on the right? No, I did not think so...