Boo hiss for fun things ending, but as warming weather turned piles of snow to ponds of slush, its nice to hide from falling icicles and the like. In true protestant fashion, there were no shows on Sunday, meaning I spent it drinking water and sleeping — I am happy to report a near full [...]

The two front men – one in a full body spandex skeleton suit the other in a black and white cape – carried the show with the everlasting energy necessary for great disco punk. Definitely worth seeing, check out the track “Space for Rent.” They have an album slated for release at the end of [...]

I’m not a big Sonic Youth fan, and usually three dueling electric guitars and poorly enunciated vocals don’t do it for me – but I was drawn in by The Megaphonic Thrift. With reverbed vocals and pick-breaking intensity the group wandered its way to melody and always found its way back again. If you like [...]

The Danish duo sported a turn table, a mike, some ridiculous dance moves, blending the worst of Chromeo with the weirdest of the Beastie Boys. They are coming to SXSW, and though they were good live, they sound flat and silly on CD. (Photos: Hilda Klaveness)

I spent most of the evening at The Folkets Hus, a classy venue typically reserved for orchestral festivities and pinky-extended wine sipping. Several art exhibitions lined the walls of the lobby including a collection of guitars and a showcasing of paintings juxtaposing graffiti elements and Norwegian pastoral scenes – my favorite was a cartoon monkey [...]

I can’t say enough about this trio of women. The lead vocalist rocked out ballad-style with smart lyrics, catchy instrumentation, well supported by a talented percussionist and bass player. The show was concert hall epic, at times funny, at times emotional, but consistently incredible. They hail from Sweden, will be performing at SXSW, and are [...]

In another concert hall performance, Ølafur Arnalds effectively wove four, string instruments with a lead grand piano and subtle electronic overtures. The sound was clean, beautiful, and simply stunning. I am going back to see them again tonight, and plan on reviewing their latest album release.

This Icelandic band rocked out with two dreamy vocalists, one male one female, an oboe player, a quirky turtle neck dawning keyboardist, an understated bass player and a fantastic drummer. The instrumental showcase never overshadowed the melody or prevented the band from exploding into some gut-rocking jam sessions. The act was polished and fresh and [...]

This duo from Norway put on a powerful performance combining the contra bass with a saxophone and clarinet. Not everyone will get into their fresh take on heartfelt jazz instrumentals, but if you are looking for something new and emotional orchestration check them out.

This Danish group seemed a bit out of place in the concert hall, but they made the most of it and put on a polished performance. The lead vocalist sounds like Jim James from My Morning Jacket, but the combination of a trumpet, a stand up bass, two drum sets, a stunning keyboardist, and bass [...]