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Drum and Bass and Tage D.

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

Although she hasn’t dropped the ‘Desperately’ from Desperately Seeking Sweden, now that Christine has ‘done’ Linköping, there is a lot less desperation about her. Much as Gauguin found Tahiti, so Christine has found the real Sweden.

Linköping’s motto is ‘Där Idéer Blir Verklighet’ or ‘Where Ideas Become Reality’ and indeed ideas did become reality for Christine, assuming of course that her ideas were: Go to a Drum and Bass night and watch badly dressed teenagers pretending to be black. I could tell she was impressed by the way she kept laughing and pointing and saying ‘I can’t believe this! Look at THAT bloke dance!’. Also beer was only 25 kronor.

Having established that Christine was a slave to the sounds of the wickedness, there was only one place to go on the second night – A musical tribute to Linköping’s most famous son, Tage Danielsson. The show, put on by the Tage Danielsson Appreciation Society, was performed at, and attended by, Gamla (old) Linköping. We were the youngest there even with our ages combined but the show was a hoot.

I’ve been meaning to find out more about Tage Danielsson for a while as he’s a character that everyone in Linköping knows and loves. Watching the show was a great introduction to him and although I think I’d have got more from it if I had known the songs and sketches, I had a really good time. If you are in Linköping and you want to watch the show, they are doing a couple more dates towards the end of August. Details here under ‘Mera Tage!’.

Meanwhile, I’ve had a couple of articles published this week. One about The Best Paid Worst Job In The World and another on Stand Up for Sweden.se – credit to them for linking to Magnus Betnér’s video in English, which probably won’t be appreciated in America’s Bible Belt.

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Tags: Blogging, Comedy, LinkÃ¶ping, music, plugs, Stand Up
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Vinyl Graveyard

Monday, August 10th, 2009

It’s been a party weekend.

Saturday night out in the countryside, my friend Palle had set up a small PA system in his garden. We had been asked to dust off our old vinyl and bring along a choice track to play. My meagre vinyl collection never made it to Sweden, so Palle invited me to go through his discs to choose a suitable track. Palle is about 10 years older than me, from near Gävle and claims to have hung around in the same hardcore circles as punk turned hippie ‘visonary’ Thomas Di Leva. As a result he owns hundreds of obscure punk records most of whom I had never heard of. Given the selection, there was only one choice of record for me to play – All Quiet On The Eastern Front, by The Stranglers, inspired by lead singer Hugh Cornwell’s time at Lund University.

The party reminded me a bit of a British stand up act I saw years ago called Woody Bop Murray who asks the audience to vote on which of his records to keep or to smash – Palle’s party would have been more complete with a golden hammer to smash the more embarrassing records, like the Carola stuff that slipped through the net.

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Tags: music
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Stand Up and Rock Out in Mo-Town!

Friday, July 24th, 2009

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After spending so long in England, I was a bit nervous before last night’s first post-holiday gig. Getting back into speaking Swedish is one thing, but performing (and improvising) in Swedish is another. I was worried that my act would be a bit rusty and that I’d forget some crucial words and phrases.

As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. I performed a 25 minute set and managed to improvise a little bit about Svennis joining Notts County, which I think I will work into my routine next week. I was also wary that I would be performing there again next week so I tried to do a different routine to the one that I normally do, so that the regulars will get two different shows. I’m glad I did that as it’s good to rotate material so it doesn’t become too staid.

Also on the bill were a couple of guys from Gothenburg, Martin Gustafsson and Anders Kettunen. They both have a similar style although they are very different to each other. They both excel in a kind of deadpan idiot-savant telling stories that make them seem overwhelmed by the absurdity of life. I like them both alot and I had a nice time talking shop with them after the gig. Amusingly, after a while we switched to English. I have spoken English to Martin before, but I was surprised to hear that Anders spoke English with a southern US drawl of sorts. I love that about Swedes: It’s never a surprise that they speak English, but the surprise comes with the accent that they speak it with.

There was also a monologuist called Andreas Johansson who will compete at the Swedish monologue championships next week (only in Sweden!) and the highlight was not stand up at all but an Australian/US Blues band called the Dan Granero band headed by (yes, you guessed it) Dan Granero. They were brilliant and played a short set before we went on, then got the Motala crowd clapping and singing for an hour after the gig.

They are in Sweden and Denmark until October so if you get a chance go and see them. Check out their MySpace here with full listings which include a couple of nights at Stampen in Stockholm

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Tags: Comedy, Gigs, Motala, music, plugs, Stand Up
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Pippi, Emil and rain….

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

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It might seem like an odd statement for a grown man like me to make, but without doubt, one of my favourite places in Sweden is Astrid Lindgren’s World in Vimmerby.

If you don’t know who Astrid Lindgren was then I suggest you report yourself to the nearest Migrationsverket and offer yourself up for immediate deportation from Swedish soil (alternatively, go to the children’s section of your local bookshop/library). Just to fill in the Philistines, Astrid Lindgren was the author of Pippi Longstocking, Emil, Ronja, and loads of other brilliant kids’ characters and stories.

I did have my kids in tow and I suggest that as and when you do visit the park (note: ‘as and when’ not ‘if’) you borrow a couple of under tens. And make sure that whoever you borrow them from also kits them out in waterproof clothes – when we went, nobody had told the weatherman to order sun. Despite the rain and even though the high season doesn’t officially start until June 6th, the atmosphere at the park was still so special, like nowhere I have ever visited before. It’s like stepping into the pages of a story and interacting with the characters who don’t just ‘do shows’ but go about their daily business.

One quick example: Sheltering from the rain in a cafe, Emil and family came in for fika (coffee and a cake) and between sips led everyone in a singsong. Simple, innocent, entertaining, good old-fashioned fun.

I know a couple of the actors who work there and managed to catch a bit of the rehearsal for Ronja – my pal Lasso plays Skallepär – Even in rehearsal, the choral singing was magnificent and am looking forward to going back later in the season to catch the full show and hopefully in full sunshine too!

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Tags: Astrid Lindgren, music, plugs, Uncategorized
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Lagom London

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Skrattstock this weekend saw the cream of the crop of Swedish comedy fill Långholmen, Stockholm for what must be one of the world’s largest outdoor comedy festivals. I wasn’t there…… but like anyone who performs in Sweden, it is an ambition I hope to fulfill…. well, even if they had asked me I was at my cousin’s wedding in London.

And there’s nothing Lagom about London.

It was great to go back ‘home’. but even better to come back ‘home’ again. It’s a weird mix of missing the dirty, grimy hustle and bustle, but also longing for the clean air and order of Sweden.

The wedding was a hoot. I had a tear in my eye… although that may have been caused by the pollution in London, or perhaps I was still angry with Ryanair who guarantee not only cheap fares, but also to put travellers into a foul mood by doing away with any courtesy, humility or comfort.

Caught up with the family and told my cousin Rob about this blog. His band Two Spot Gobi were recently mentioned on Perez Hilton’s blog in LA and as a result are now making headway in the States. I threatened/promised/offered to do the same for him here in Sweden by mentioning them on my blog. So do him a favour, click on their Myspace site and watch their vid on Youtube.

Come on people! Let’s get the Two Spot Gobi ball rolling in Sweden – after all, a band ain’t a band without groupies from Sweden.

Getting back into the Swedish groove this week, writing material for a gig on National Day and visiting Astrid Lindgren’s World tomorrow

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Tags: Lagom, London, music, plugs
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