Power-surge popPeter Bjorn and John, Paradise Rock Club, May 4, 2007 May 7,
2007 4:15:03 PM
For whatever reason — the cutesy name? the indie-nerd fan base? the whistling? — I was expecting a restrained, polite set from the super-hyped Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John at their sold-out Paradise show last Friday. So I was surprised when the trio — guitarist Peter Morén, bassist Bjorn Yttling, and drummer Nino Keller (John isn’t touring with the group), all of whom sing — turned out an aggressive, assured performance reminiscent of their fellow countrymen the Hives, complete with rock-star declarations (“You are great, Boston. We are great, as well, I know.”) and stage moves (Chuck Berry duck walks and Pete Townshend leaps courtesy of Peter). Peter’s Vox amp — helpfully labeled, like their T-shirts: “Peter Bjorn and John guitar amp” — was much more overdriven and much grungier than it is on their latest album, Writer’s Block (Almost Gold), which they played in its entirety. And his noisy mic-stand-molesting guitar solo on “Up Against the Wall” was anything but restrained.
Yet the songs remained the stars of the show. There were few instrumental embellishments — a harmonica here, a sampled bell-like sound there — and the sparseness helped to highlight the strength of the songwriting. The catchy guitar hook of “Let’s Call It Off” was salient against Bjorn’s three-note bass line and Nino’s simple tom-tom beat. The languid, whistle-driven “Amsterdam” became a lively “Blackbird”-esque fingerpicked-guitar-and-vocals affair with the crowd clapping along on the twos and fours. Heather D’Angelo, from openers Au Revoir Simone, sang Victoria Bergsman’s part on PB&J’s best-known song, “Young Folks,” swaying along with Peter and the rest of the room. There was nothing extraordinary about this, aside from the song itself — but as was the case with the rest of the set, that was enough to make the moment transcendent.
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- Ever higher
- Why can’t more writers be smart enough to be beautiful, handsome, or at least cute
- Freedom Watch
- What is it about The Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy that makes ordinary, peaceable people want to kick his ass?
- Press releases
- These guys couldn't turn on a radio
- Why can’t more writers be smart enough to be beautiful, handsome, or at least cute
- ‘Whither goest thou, America, in thy shiny car in the night?’ . . . Lowell?!
- The 20 best musical moments on the original Muppet Show.
- Or why the FCC should go fuck itself
- Will Brattle Street torpedo him again?
- Shakespeare navigates Brustein’s English Channel
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How about the Tweeter Center line-up instead
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Previewing the "Lucky 13th"
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Battles, Paradise, July 18, 2007
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We salute you
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Battles look to the future, not the past
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Best Music Poll Party, Lansdowne Street, June 6, 2007
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Juliana Hatfield records with Frank Smith
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Arcade Fire, Orpheum Theatre, May 10, 2007
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One track at a time
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- Music seen, CD release at SPACE, August 24
- Scary Kids Scaring Kids + Dear Hunter, Axis, August 30, 2007
- Spectrum, Middle East Upstairs, August 28, 2007
- Hilary Duff, Bank of America Pavilion, August 30, 2007
- Soulico + Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Paradise Rock Club, August 24, 2007
- Minnie Driver, Paradise Lounge, August 23, 2007
- Hot Stove, Cool Music, Fenway Park, August 24, 2007
- And MC Epic at Geno’s, July 28
- The Download Festival, Tweeter Center, August 18, 2007
- The Bouncing Souls, Lifetime, The Ergs!, Roxy, August 16, 2007
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