Reason to love Sweden #83

During Melodifestivalen, at all Statoil petrol stations, drivers can fill their tank with soemthing called a schlager mix...

Each petrol pump will be equiped with a magic button called the schlagerbutton. Press the button, and the sounds of schlager can be enjoyed while refilling.

How amazing. Get me a car and a Sveriges road map, and I'm there. No pyrotechnics allowed, mind.

B*W*O

I totally haven't forgotten this blog, I'm just hyper busy changing jobs and finishing a PhD. I'll be back super soon. I took time out yesterday to see the amazing Bodies Without Organs at Popjustice Live. It was blog-tastic: I spotted / met: Jessica, Trixie, gaypop, this dude and Mr Lowculture. Wows.

• Alexander Bard swished his arms to shoo the crowd as they entered. Martin left a gaggle of gays trailing in his wake.


• I tried to be very post-modern and take a picture of the band being photographed by digital cameras and camera phones. I failed. It would have been so appropriate with their netocracy lyrics.


• Not pictured above is Marina. She was busy plinking her keyboard with one hand, continuously adjusting her hair with the other, and doing breathy spoken word bits. Amazing.


• They played Chariots of Fire, Sunshine in the Rain, Sixteen Tons of Hardware and, er, other ace songs. The highlight was Temple of Love, the Eurovision stomper that never was. If only Carola had not said her prayers.


• Martin is a thumping performer, full of energy and bounciness. He looks, in other words, like he's a right go-er in the sack.


• Martin dropped the mike at one point. Literally, dropped it. He also played the mike-stand in a way Lena Philipsson would be proud of and, as you can see, almost gave it head. Lena would never do that!


• Martin had soaked himself in water by the end of the gig. The audience were suitably excited.

Sweden! Melodifestivalen! Schlager! Hurrah!

Hurrah!

I know I've just been to Finland, but this weekend is all about Sweden and the beginning of the 6 week fest that is Melodifestivalen! I've just heard the songs, and can't wait to see tomorrow night's show.

* Elina Lento's Money is quite ace pop. It has the ace chorus refrain "show me what it takes to be a real rich bitch" and use of the "money, money". It's not quite the pop stormer that was promised, but is damn good. It's what Gwen Stefani's Rich Girl could be if it dropped the rap and hooked up with a popstar. Looking forward to seeing it performed.

* Andersson & Gibson's Anything but You is rather pleasant, but doesn't really go anywhere.

* Anna Book! Samba Sambero! Hurrah, schlager! Huge key change!! Sounds just a little bit like The Chicken Dance. Should be a great fun performance, and won't that be wonderful.

* Addis Black Widow's song is slightly dark, demented Kylie. It's a bit 'meh' and sort-of just stops. MF songs need a big ending!

* ...speaking of which! Andreas! He stops the song by saying "Stop" It's like disco-Madonna-meets-Helena-Paparizou-with-a-boy. I rather like it. His 5 dancers should work it. Very high potential for literal choreographic application of lyrics. Ace!

* Tommy Nilsson's song is a big rock ballad, most popular in the 80s, just like its singer. Big key change with straining-out-the-song emoting, though.

* Sofia's Hypnotised owes Helena Paparizou its life. It's very much a Helena album track, and starts with a wonderful but although flattens out in the middle. Here's hoping the performance makes it live!

* Uno & Irma say God morgon! and the song bounces along jauntily with hints of guitary schlager, but no real melody.

Hurrah, if only Melodifestivalen was every Saturday night!