While Those Dancing Days have been “put to bed for while”, Scandi girl group power stands firm with the likes of cutie sibling duo First Aid Kit being plastered right, left and centre of our earlobes and eyeballs, and rightly so. And now, to spice things up a little bit are jaunty Norwegian foursome, Katzenjammer.
Ahead of their imminent second LP release, ‘A Kiss Before You Go’, the band have played a handful of UK gigs over last couple of months which I’m sure those who had the opportunity to attend will deem memorable.
The most recent episode of their world takeover (as here is a band who competes for Best International Act at industry awards ceremonies with the likes of Coldplay, Snow Patrol and ahem, Roxette), was at London King’s Cross venue, The Scala. There, the flamboyant girl group showcased their hybrid of cabaret Punk Pop, Rockabilly and vintage Rhythm and Blues to full capacity, equipped with gear including accordion, trumpets, banjo, mandolin, various props (bottles) and the coolest designed and shaped bass guitar. In addition to being uninhibited performers and showgirls whose harmonising were perfectly in synch, all band members proved apt multi-instrumentalists, taking turns at each instrument throughout their set.
Among songs about “squeezable bums” _ ‘I Will Dance (When I Walk Away’, ‘Cheery Pie’ ‘Cocktails and Ruby Slippers’ and ‘Loathsome M’ are particularly engaging_, Katzenjamer paid tribute to Genesis covering ‘Land of Confusion’ which also appears on A Kiss Before You go, and experienced one remarkably insistent encore request from the audience, confirming that ther is a demand for skillful girl groups on the scene.
Katzenjammer played: Ouch! Demon Kitty Rag I Will Dance (When I Walk Away) To The Sea Rock- Paper- Scissors Lady Marlene Cherry Pie Mother Superior Land Of Confusion Loathsome M Cocktails And Ruby Slippers A Bar In Amsterdam Le Pop Der Kapitän Hey Ho On The Devil’s Back Encore: God’s Great Dust Storm Ain’t No Thing 2nd Encore: Gypsy Flee
‘A Kiss Before You Go’ comes out on May 7th 2012, following which Katzenjammer returns for a UK tour from May 17th to 23rd, via Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Brighton and London.
Check out our exclusive interview below filmed after a gig in Hamburg:
