It has been almost seven years since the Danish indie-pop outfit, Alphabeat, toured with a new album. They ‘Don’t Know What’s Cool Anymore’ they say. We beg to differ, and though much remains the same, some has changed. The ‘Fantastic 6’ appear stronger, more mature and far, far better than ever before.
A lot of new music was published during 2019. Some publications caught our attention, some didn’t, and there is a fair chance that we missed most of it in the haze of every-day life. Here is what we gave our thumbs up to during the past year.
2019 was quite a lot busier concert-wise than most other years – believe it or not. Despite some fatigue, old age, and growing expenses we went for quite a few of those gigs anyway. Here are the best!
With a set of truly amazing songs George Ezra totally and utterly managed to set the mood for the entire Jelling Festival 2019. To make music able to please party-starving Scandinavians and satisfy the music feinschmeckers is quite a task. However, Ezra’s delivery was sublime and very, very well played.
A surprisingly cold evening in May turned significantly less so for 12,000 assembled spectators in the Danish city of Horsens. The American superstar, Lenny Kravitz, paid the venue ‘Faengslet’ a visit, offering warm-heartedness and a catalogue full of extremely well-played songs – new and old.
For the first time in 23 years there is news to report about the Danish indie-pop legends Gangway. The highly popular trio split in 1998, much to the frustration of many Scandinavian fans of the genre. Now Gangway is back, and that in superior style.
The latest Danish outfit to have received positive attention by sifting a bit of folk seasoning into their songwriting is ‘The Grenadines’. On 16 November 2018 the band, currently touring the country as warm-up for fellow Danish internationals, Carpark North, released their second, and less folky, album – ‘Band On The Radio’. A collection of rich and sometimes even luscious pop/rock tunes.
The world’s most prominent and arguably best metal band, Metallica, visited the city of Herning, Denmark, on Tuesday. 15,000 fans in a sold-out Boxen Arena witnessed a energetic and well-prepared outfit in top form.
What was to be one more name on the growing list of international superstars visiting the exclusive open air venue, Molleparken, in Sonderborg, Denmark, quickly became two. British icon Sting brought with him the next generation of Sumners. His oldest son, Joe, is now an established name in this region, for sure.
As always there is an abundance of impressions left after Jelling Musikfestival. Marking the beginning of festival season in Denmark it draws a lot of attention. And as always far most fully acts live up to expectations – as do the festival itself. Even the heightened security measures this year did not impede the joy for the 35,000 guests. Bravo! However, one thing will stand out as the event we at the Latebarblog will remember the 2017 festival by.
If we are to conclude anything from the Jelling Musikfestival 2016 it could be at least three different things. First thing is about the festival’s ability to create an uniquely convenient, pleasant and all over relaxing atmosphere of any pop-rock festival in Denmark. The second is about the management’s talent for always finding one or two international names to make the otherwise little borough of Jelling stand out. The third and for Danes very important surely is – the country still produces young new talents with a capital ‘T’.
Being a dedicated fan of a band or artist often means you are on a ceaseless hunt to collect everything ever published by your idol. I like to consider myself above and beyond such groupie-like nonsense. But… The other day something made me – a seasoned man – scream out like a hormonally imbalanced teenage girl.
 The Rembrandts – Via Satellite |
