“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses to join you, the audience, and me, Jens Lekman”. Matrimonial vows aren’t a common feature of most gigs, but the Swedish indie-pop maestro’s devotion to his fanbase clearly goes further than most.
Author Ama Chana
CocoRosie – Union Chapel, London 04/05/2010
The sisters Bianca “Coco” and Sierra “Rosie” Cassady captivated the audience from the first note of a set which drew mainly from their new latest record Grey Oceans.
Retribution Gospel Choir – Cargo, London 15/03/10
Opening with the gloriously brutal ‘Breaker’, you have a slight inkling that it could be an evening of sheer intensity. That inkling would not be far off the mark.
The Dirty Three – Queen Elizabeth Hall, London 07/12/09
The Dirty Three. One of the all-time greatest live bands? Quite possibly. Tonight, Ama Chana finds them in fantastic form, playing classics and chatting with the audience like it was a Sunday afternoon tea-party.
Grouper & Thank You – The Luminaire, London 05/11/09
Two at odds acts play a packed out Luminaire. Ama Chana was there to witness the chaos of Thank You and the slumber-done of Grouper.
Atlas Sound – Cargo, London 15/11/09
Bradford Cox woos the crowds at an intimate gig at London’s Cargo. Ama Chana was there.
Bestival – Isle of Wight, 11-13/09/09
It’s like a proper holiday, you’ve got to take a Ferry (or hovercraft) and everything! Ama Chana gets to witness the wonders of Bestival.
Beach House & Vetiver – Union Chapel, London 21/08/09
A perfect setting for a Beach House gig? The Union Chapel’s environment made the gig feel like a Holy Communion according to Ama Chana.
Animal Collective – Brixton Academy, London, 20/08/09
Better than the last time they played London, Animal Collective are a frustrating live act who jerk between moments of greatness and slices of dirgy nothingness.
Passion Pit & Fanfarlo – Vibe Bar, London, 08/07/09
Ama Chana has got a hunch about this gig… He reckons it’s going to be a bit good… He worked it out – he did the math…
Phoenix – Koko, London 01/06/09
Phoenix manage to woo former non-believer Ama Chana as they assault the capital with their euphoric Gaelic charm in support of brand new album ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’.
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone – The Luminaire, London, 27/04/09
Owen Ashworth brings his beautifully fragile recordings to The Luminaire, mesmerizing the sell-out crowd and spinning his wonderful tales of woe. Ama Chana reviews.
St. Vincent – Hoxton Bar & Grill, London, 21/04/2009
Ama Chana gets seduced by the perfect live skills of Anna Clarke aka St. Vincent as she showcases material from her excellent new album Actor.
Dirty Projectors – Scala, London, 02/04/09
Ama Chana’s a bit excited about seeing the Dirty Projectors live… it doesn’t matter than his friends all think they’re rubbish. Tonight, the vocal harmonies soar and inspire, even sounding a bit like Mariah Carey…
The Thermals – The Lexington, London 09/02/09
The Thermals motor through their back catalogue of sonic three chord punk-pop wonders, all crammed into a 50 minute set in a rather lovely whiskey bar located in the heart of Angel.
