Where the Bands Are (Icona Pop, 10 May 2018)

In 2009 Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo formed the Swedish electro-pop duo, Icona Pop. Their biggest hit, so far, is I love it (2012). Their musical influences are electro house, punk and indie pop. Since the release of their breakthrough album This is…Icona Pop in 2013 they’ve been busy touring (opening for Miley Cyrus, Kate Perry and One Direction) and creating and releasing new music (singles, but no new album yet) and also creating a name for themselves as style icons and advocates for sisterhood, self-confidence and courage of women to stand up for their dreams.

At exactly eight o’clock, the duo Icona Pop and their “band” (a keyboard player and a drummer) enter the stage and it is full speed ahead from the start. Up front, I find myself surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd of young people in their late teens, dancing and singing.

To me the highlights of the show are Sabina Ddumba’s Not too young and the Moneybrother cover They’re building walls around us. Their own big hits I love it and Emergency are also well delivered.

You’re from the 70s, but I’m a 90’s bitch

Apart from that the show falls a bit flat. It is only ONE hour long, which is a bit disappointing, and the setting feels really off. Icona Pop’s throbbing disco beats, with sound- and smoke effects, work much better in a night club or in an intimate concert venue like Pustervik than on the sunlit stage in an amusement park.

Liseberg is an amusement park in the centre of Gothenburg. The amusement park opened during Gothenburg’s 300th anniversary exhibition in 1923, and is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. In addition to the 40 rides and attractions there are also music stages. Swedish and international top artists perform on the biggest stage Stora Scenen.

All performances are included in the park’s admission fee. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the performances listed below during the summer, starting with Icona Pop.

List of all concerts taking place on Stora Scenen in 2018:

• 10 May – Icona Pop
• 11 May – Darin
• 12 May – Det Vet Du & Joakim Lundell
• 23 May – Oskar Linnros, Lorentz, Maja Francis
• 25 May – Silvana Imam
• 30 May – Tove Lo
• 1 juni  – Mando Diao
• 6 June – Hollywood Vampires
• 9 June – Queens of the Stone Age
• 14 June – Molly Sandén
• 15 juni – Pussy Riot
• 20 June – MC50, support The Nomads
• 27 June – The Offspring, support: Not Fun At All
• 29 juni – Melissa Horn & Slowgold
• 4 July – Daniel Norgren
• 5 July – Sabina Ddumba
• 12 July – The Sounds
• 25 July – Lena Philipsson
• 1 August – Kaliffa, support Jack Moy
• 8 augusti – Popsicle, support Rome is not a town
• 14 August – Bananarama (as part of Europride)
• 19 August – Sven-Bertil Taube
• 24 August – Union Carbide Productions
• 7 September – Säkert!
• 14 September – Kapten Röd