Loney Dear
Live @ Notting Hill Arts Club, London, 01/13/07
First gig of 2007 and a very impressive start to the new year. The SubPop connection combined with great songs should hopefully propel Loney, Dear to great stardom shortly. I'm glad I got the chance to see him in such an intimate venue, I'm sure he'll soon be playing the big corporate ones (or so I hope). Singer Emil Svanänge's got a magnificent voice and, even though I felt a bit weird (after Christmas and cosiness, drunk people and noise aren't exactly what I crave) and annoyed with all the people behind me talking, it managed to entrance me. This happens very rarely unfortunately, the last time I remember it happening was when I saw Jason Molina (aka Songs: Ohia) play the Luminaire in August last year. If 2007 will have more gigs like this in store, I'm starting to warm to the idea of rubbing shoulders with sweaty crowds in smelly and dirty venues all over again.
- Simon Tagestam