Rust

Denmark’s ten must-see concerts in December

/ Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article written for The Local Denmark, available here

Christmas dominates the proceedings in December, but the month still features several promising shows, particularly within the drum ‘n’ bass and heavy metal genres

If stadium-sized gigs are your thing, December is definitely not the month for you. More intimate, less commercial gigs are a bit of a given in a month in which shopping and julefrokoster eat up our time,  and amongst these, several hold great potential as events to be remembered.

The Local has gone digging amongst the scraps and found the best of the lot.

Children of Bodom
Amager Bio, December 1st at 8pm
What was originally supposed to be a double bill with Lamb of God at Vega has been downsized after the American band cancelled its tour in the aftermath of the Paris attacks. Finland’s Children of Bodom are soldiering on and will bring their seemingly gruesome and even barbaric thunderous approach to metal to rip whatever rafters bind Amager Bio’s roof to its hinges. ‘I Worship Chaos’ is the title of their ninth studio album, which was released earlier this year, adding to a catalogue of chaos-causing music over the years.

 

Doe Parro
Ideal Bar, December 2nd at 8pm
If you hear Doe Parro’s name mentioned in the same breath as Bon Iver or The Tallest Man on Earth, you may quite rightly wonder why. LA-based Parro is not a rock musician by any stretch of the imagination but her producers have had great success with the previously mentioned artists – a testament to her eclecticism, which spans the genres of R&B, soul and even the odd touch of dubstep.

 

Kadavar
Rust, December 2nd at 8pm
Kadavar are a watered-down take on Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, featuring similar trippy, heavily laden rock influences. Armed with a new album,  ‘Berlin’, expect burly, broad-shouldered show from these German heavyweights.

 

Clutch
Store Vega, December 4th at 7pm
Clutch epitomise all that is good and great about the American hard-rock tradition. Touring in support of their 2015 album ‘Psychic Warfare’, the Maryland-based band has been a mainstay for well over 20 years. With the band seasoned veterans in what Consequence of Sound dubbed “belligerent boogie rock”, Clutch will be the soundtrack for a Friday night party not to be missed.

 

Flavour, Dj Graded & Luc Rocc
Rust, December 5th at 11pm
Rust’s new nightclub fixture ‘Flavour’ kicks off its December programme with a visit from two of hip-hop’s veritable local representatives. Dj Grdaded, a four-time Danish DMC champion and two-time Nordic champ, is a permanent establishment within Copenhagen’s hip-hop scene. Luc Rocc is slightly less well-known but holds an impressive portfolio as one of the city’s foremost disc jockeys.

 

Area 55
Store Vega, December 5th at 11:30 pm
Area 55 is a trance collective that has hosted some of the city’s most renowned underground trance events, many of which have taken place in venues such as KPH Volume and Halvandet. The setting this time round is a well-known music venue, cementing the rise of electronic music into the commercial narrative locally.

 

Thundercat
Store Vega, December 7th at 8pm
Although the name sounds like it belongs to a heavy metal band, Thundercat is one of the standouts in the R&B world. Los-Angeles based Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner has worked with the likes of Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, Suicidal Tendencies and his co-producer and partner in crime, Flying Lotus. This is a man whose rhythmic qualities are peerless, so prepare for some great entertainment.

OHOI! Presents Christmas Bass
Stengade, December 12th at 10pm
Bass legends, The OHOI! drum ‘n’ bass collective are back with a mammoth lineup for their annual Christmas ball. Particularly impressive on a list of names that showcases some of the best underground talent in the city is Rasmus Kjærbo, an experienced producer who lives and breathes music. Prepare for a bass invasion.

 

Dubioza Kolektiv
Loppen, December 18th at 9pm
What better way to prepare for the festive season than with a dose of Bosnian Balkan Beat? High-octane, adrenaline-pumping action is on the menu for the evening, held at Christiania’s Loppen, a befitting location for the occasion.

 

Ulige Numre, Extra Concert
Store Vega, December 28th at 8pm
The voice of the new generation of Danish rock, Ulige Numre (Odd Numbers) will be performing at a sold-out show at Vega at the start of December. For those unable to catch a piece of the action, the band will be back at Vega on the cusp on the new year to perform a show that should be rich in memories and merry-making.

Music Listings, Copenhagen Late August 2013

/ Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Music listings, August 30th- September 5th

CocoRosie: If you’re one of the many nostalgics who long for Roskilde festival-esque experiences, or anything remotely similar from the second you leave the festival grounds every June, CocoRosie’s concert at Vega on the 3rd of September may well be the last such moment of the year. The American sisters sound like a user-friendly version of Icelandic standout Bjørk, albeit with far more indie influences demarcating their identity. CocoRosie are the sort of band that you’d hear shattering the silence of a dark European forest at the peak of summer. You’ll have to make do with experiencing them at Store Vega this time round, though their introspective sound will give your imagination plenty of leeway to run wild.

CocoRosie: Store Vega / 3rd September . 250 DKK

Lulu Rouge / Djuna Barnes : Lulu Rouge is one of the most well-known faces on the Danish deejay circuit, within which, along with the likes of Trentemøller and Mike Sheridan, he’s managed to carve a niche out for himself. A headliner at the annual Stella Polaris chillout festival, Lulu Rouge will most likely venture into a more dance-inducing setlist than his festival forays. He’ll be backed by one of Vesterbro’s most revered personalities, Djuna Barnes, who is no stranger to the world of deejaying and electronic music herself. Los Angeles based Awesome Tapes of Africa will be adding a tribal element to the proceedings with their funky, ritual-like sounds, making for quite a good mix of genres on the evening.

Lulu Rouge / Djuna Barnes / Awesome Tapes From Africa : Rust. 30th August. 60 DKK

Signe Eeg: Signe Eeg’s music is the sort of thing you’d listen to on a Monday night after work. Her soothing voice is as calming as it is captivating, softly flanked by gentle piano accompaniments and the occasional flutter of contrabass. She’ll be performing at the bastion of all things jazz in this city, Monmatre, in a Matinee concert that’ll sooth you softly into September on the 1st of the month. Signe will also perform the evening before, if a Sunday afternoon of jazz is not to your taste.

Signe Eeg quartet, Jazzhus Monmatre, 31st Augustt (20:00) and 1st September (Matinee / 15.00) 375 DKK

Alain Apoloo / The Juke Joint / Modjo’s Blues Bar : Modjo’s Blues Bar is practically the only place that’s worth going to on a Monday night in this city (that is unless you’re into chanting karaoke and getting sloshed with tourists at Sam’s bar). Alain Apoloo may well one of the best guitarists Copenhagen has ever seen, and many in musical circuits wonder why he’s not signed to a major American music label touring the world. Luckily for Copenhagen, his feisty guitar-plucking and cocky vocal skills can still be heard every Monday at the Juke Joint, where many other underground talents strut their stuff in the open jam session.

Alain Apollo: Modjo’s Blues Bar, 2nd September : 20:00 / FREE

Katolysik / Jazzhouse, 30th August 60 DKK

A bit of a wildcard this one. If you’re into spoken word, Katolysik are a dynamic duo who combine poetry (some freestyle) with a guitar and effects pedal. Their lyrical themes seem to capture the imagination of the Danish zeitgeist quite well, hence their popularity. There are also few other rivals in the spoken word category of music in the city, so expect a unique experience but do brush up on your Danish, as some of it can be a bit hard to understand for the untrained ear.

Tina Dickow / Tivoli, 30th August. 95 DKK

Few Danish singers can compete with Tina Dickow at the moment. In fact, if you’re one of those in search of high quality “local” music, look no further. The Århus-born Dickow has gained popularity both locally and abroad for her adventurous forays into the world of the singer-songwriter, producing her music through an independent label. Tivoli is a great place to see her whilst there’s still a slight chance of sun and good weather.

Tina Dicow_ http://www.backseatseattle.com

Twista / Pumpehuset, 31st August. 180 DKK

A couple of years ago, Pumpehuset was headed for bankruptcy and catastrophe therein. Fast forward and the hard work of getting the venue back on its feet is paying off, with many quality bookings being made at the moment to restore the venue’s profile. Twista holds the coveted accolade of being the world’s fastest rapper, capable of “spitting” a bewildering 598 characters in 55 seconds according to the Guinness Book of Records. A seasoned veteran in the world of hip hop, Twista, or “Tongue Twista” as he was known in the past will be supported by Dj Hornes, Realz and Denmark’s uncrowned pop Prince, Joe Moe, the latter of whom has a new album out on the streets currently.

Rub a dub – SRF afterparty / Pharfar single release: 1st September / Stengade. 50 DKK

This year’s very first Scandinavian reggae festival is likely to be a grand affair with the likes of Albarosie, Raske Penge and Mr Vegas performing on Refshaleøen. If the deserted island is too far off, catch a snapshot of the action at the official after party which has been bound with one of the most exciting nights on the monthly calendar, Rub a dub Sunday’s. Danish Dancehall don, PharFar will be releasing an eagerly anticipated new album on the evening which will also feature appearances from the Donkeysound record label, one of the powerhouses behind the upsurge in Danish dancehall at the moment.

Downbeat Impact Vs Larica, BolsjeFabrikken (LÆRKEVEJ, Nørrebro): FREE

The legendary Candy Factory on Lærkevej or BolsjeFabrikken as it is known locally will soon be closing. Before it does however, some of the house’s veritable patrons, cult Ska Outfit Larica will probably tear the roof off it with what will surely be a mammoth evening. Larica will be backed by a host of local and international names on the evening. Did we mention that beers cost a meagre 10 DKK ?

Troels Abrahamsen : Bipolar release party, 30th August, Culture Box, 70 DKK

Troels Abrahamsen is better known as the leader of Danish electronic rock outfit Veto. The charismatic frontman combines lazy, high pitch vocals with trippy albeit lightweight beat structures that are more ideal to sway along to than they are to going amok. Abrahamsen will be flanked by popular trouble maker James Braun and names such as Erosion Flow and Walk Live. As usual, there are 2 rooms to choose from, the larger, more spacious Black Box and the basement Red room, with its low ceiling and lo-fi aesthetics.