MILLENCOLIN (Live)

Rockefeller was packed with quite a different crowd from the one usually present at MER-covered concerts on this night, and it was indeed a strange experience to be surrounded by teenagers dancing happily around, wearing bright-colored singlets and big smiles, while singing along to the Swedish skate-punks’ major key melodies. It was overall a very bright and happy atmosphere hanging over the entire place on this Thursday evening; indeed a perfect setting for Millencolin’s up-tempo and catchy Pop-Punk.

Musically, things didn’t really take off until a few songs were played –- the band actually seemed uninspired during the opening pair of “Kemp” and “Fox.” Guitarists Erik and Mathias didn’t seem to realize they were actually onstage playing a gig in front of some 1200 people until somewhere during “Man or Mouse.” The band then got it all together, and with “Cash or Clash,” “The Ballad,” “No Cigar,” “Shut You Out,” “Loozin’ Must,” “Bullion,” and a very good version of “The Ballad” as highlights, the band performed a steady and entertaining set, and the crowd was eating from their hands the rest of the way.

One thing was hard not to notice, though — at least for those in the crowd who actually listened to the music -– the band was nowhere as tight as one can expect from a band that has existed for almost 15 years. This was especially evident in the quicker numbers –- a song like the dead cool “Mr. Clean,” for example, did suffer notably from lack of tightness. A pity indeed.

On the contrary, Nikola’s voice sounded very good during this night, and Erik and Mathias also did a solid job with their playing, and especially with their loud, precise, and in-tune backing vocals, as well as standing up there just being “Swedish” (for readers outside of Norway, Oslo has recently being invaded by hordes {several thousand} of young Swedes who have more or less taken over parts of the nightlife, and especially some of the bigger, trendy clothing stores; it was easy to see where their inspiration comes from…).

To judge from this gig, seeing Millencolin on their 2005 European tour is not at all a bad way to spend a rainy night. The band needs several more gigs to tighten up, but the set list and charm factor more than makes up for the small musical ditties.

SETLIST

– Kemp
– Fox
– Man or Mouse
– Farewell My Hell
– Botanic Mistress
– Cash or Clash
– Duck Pond
– Ray
– The Ballad
– Bullion
– Penguins & Polarbears
– Black Eye
– Loozin’ Must
– Shut You Out
– Olympic
– Puzzle
– No Cigar
– Mr. Clean
– Leona
– Pepper