BWO

I’ve been a fan of all things Swedish for some time now, ever since I spent six months there in 2003 (that makes me feel old). So I have been surprised not to have attended the Scandinavian pop night Scandipop before last night. I went with a friend (who was late) but also met a couple of friends there for some live music from BWO, a.k.a. Bodies Without Organs, a Swedish “laptop pop” trio in the style of Army of Lovers with a quirky humourful poppyness and recent hits including Chariots of Fire, and Sunshine in the Rain.

I just thought I’d share a few pictures of BWO from last night.

Eurovision

Well last night’s Eurovision party was great fun. Noway, represented by Alexander Rybak (born in Minsk, don’t you know) were a well deserved winner (pic below). Any guy that can Fiddle with himself on stage should get full makrs in my opinion. Also worthy of a mention was the UK, Sweden (whose operatic act was accompatied by six dancing Karen Walkers), Armenia and those Balkan Girls (who came an undeservedly low 19th).

who came a disturbingly low 19th)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2009

Mushaboom!

RULES:
1. Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag at least 10 friends (make me #11 so I can see your results).
5. Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.
6. Have Fun!

IF SOMEONE SAYS ‘ARE YOU OKAY’ YOU SAY?
Don’t Give Up The Fight (The Magic Numbers)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Evil, and a Heathen (Franz Ferdinand)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The Answer (Bran Van 3000)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Knockin on Heaven’s Door (Aretha Franklin)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Two Months Off (Underworld)

WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
This Boy (Franz Ferdinand)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
B*tch (David McCullen)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Diggin’ a Watery Grave (Morcheeba)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Slavonic Dances (Dvorak)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Substitute for Love (Madonna)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Too Long (Daft Punk)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Better? (Propellerheads)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Amazing (George Michael)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Tits on the Radio (Scissor Sisters)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
A Sorta Fairytale (Tori Amos)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
*** (Regina Spektor)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Voodoo Magic (Bodies Without Organs)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Laura (Scissor Sisters)

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Rubber Boots (Alphabeat)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
The Closest Thing to Crazy (Katie Melua

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Mushaboom (Feist)

Sam Sparro, Bloomsbury Ballroom

So, last Wednesday we went to see Sam Sparro at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London. Despite keeping us waiting for two hours in the cold (probably a combination of late-running and a mixture of ticket timings) the gig was excellent.

I’ve been quite addicted to the Sparro since hearing Black and Gold for the first time at the beginning of the year. The rest of his self-titled album is excellent too. I’ve since decided he’s obviously the lovechild of Jake Shears and Elton John though got Shears’s looks more than Elton’s obviously!

With the aid of three rather large black diva backing singers, Sparro energetically flung himself into every single one of his songs with an outfit of crazy see through trousers and trademark glasses. Far more than a one-hit wonder every song he sang was impressive, particularly Sick which blew me away and which I have listened to pretty much constantly since.

The costume change half way through gave a chance for the backing singers to dance chat between themselves before showing off their incredible gospel cum disco voices. Returning with a second outfit and playing both his keytar and a keyboard sweaty sam took to fanning both himself and his singers with towels (which caused a riot after throwing them into the audience in the end). Cottonmouth and Hot Mess are not only great songs themselves but delivered with a hell of a lot of passion. After finishing with Black and Gold including some audience-touching (mmm) Black Box’s Ride on Time was a great encore! Excellent live and well worth seeing – the 200/300 people in the rather intimate audience made the gig particularly and never-to-be-repeated special and I cannot praise his talents, all of them, highly enough! Pictures below: