Concert review: The Baboon Show

Swedish punk four-piece, The Baboon Show launched its ‘best of’ album with a live show at Debaser Slussen on Wednesday night.

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Support band Little Marbles don’t look old enough to watch a scary movie without a responsible adult accompanying them.

The wild-haired, colourfully dressed Norrköping female duo armed with acoustic guitars and voices powerful enough to shake your fillings loose, win the crowd’s respect with a raw, inventive seven song set.

The set, much like their songs, becomes wayward halfway through but with time on their side and talent to burn, Little Marbles have the potential to become great. Watch out for them.

Headliners, The Baboon Show then rip through 60 minutes of ferocious punk rock, punctuated with affectionate words for the admiring crowd.

Powerful song “Under your trousers” and the 100 miles per hour “Faster Faster Harder Harder” are highlights and earn the biggest cheers of the night.

Lead singer Cecilia Boström is a star. She swings from the lights, runs around and jumps up and down like a woman possessed.

Energetic Håkan Sörle provides the driving guitar riffs and looks like Wolverine after a hair cut and 15 espressos.

Sörle, drummer Niclas Svensson and bassist Helen Lindberg all share backing vocal duties, creating an exciting dynamic.

The mixed crowd of young fashionistas and aging punks show love to the band, without ever becoming very lively.

Momentum is lost with a two song guest appearance by rapper Ken Ring. The collaboration never gets close to the standards set by rock-rap crossovers between Aerosmith and Run DMC and Linkin Park and Jay-Z.

The Baboon Show, though, manage to send the crowd home happy with an encore blast of high tempo pop punk.

Whilst they will never sell as many records as Green Day or be as inventive as fellow punk bands like Be Your Own Pet, The Baboon Show make catchy songs, give a great live show and are well worth going to see.