Live report: Samuraj Cities + Club 8 @ IAT! Clubnight #2, Debaser, Malmö 10/13/07
The monstrosity of Samuraj Cities is present on disc, but it's overwhelming live. It was with no mercy that the band got on stage and delivered. Oh, how they delivered! Starting off with "So sorry, so sorry, so sorry", they set the pace right from the start and never lost it. Seeing that this was the last gig they will be playing for quite a while (they're taking time off to record a new album), the quartet gave the crowd a prime show. With backtracks as a steady part of their appearance, the sound was massive and the fact that they used three guitars didn't really decrease the wall of sound. The amazing "Saturday night is never fair to everyone" was, in fact, even more amazing live and the climax of the gig. Manne, the lead singer said it best; "it's certainly better to sing that song on nights like these instead of having to sing it on a Wednesday in, like, Trollhättan." Spot on!
Club 8, the duo of Johan Angergård and Karolina Komstedt, headlined the evening with four backing musicians and the expectations were sky high. Unfortunately, my expectations weren't really exceeded by their live show. The dreamy pop featured on the new album "The boy who couldn't stop dreaming" wasn't as dreamy and catchy as I, and many with me, hoped for. But, and there is a but, they did a charming show and it was flawless. And maybe that's what I'm having problems with. The lyrics, which are a wee bit dark and gloomy, needs some edge to come out as they're meant to come out. Don't get me wrong, their Belle & Sebastian-ish indiepop is, in comparison, one of the best out there. I mean, "Heaven" is a song made in... heaven. Live is just not the best forum for the band.
- Jonas Appelqvist