07 May 2008 (gig)
22 May 2008
The first Viking invasions wreaked havoc among the indigenous Anglo Celts of these islands. Their pillaging of sacred seats of learning set back the course of civilisation for hundreds of years plunging the country into what came to be known as the Dark Ages.
Following in their wake were the much more culturally damaging The Sundays, Cardigans and Aha, for despite the cutesy sounding monikers, their aural assault did untold damage to the musical taste of untold teenagers growing up in the 80s and 90s, the lasting effect we are still coming to terms with. The latest Scandinavian stormtroopers to launch themselves on these shores are The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - crazy name, crazy band.
The Danish outfit are fronted by Mette. A bird that bids to outdo Amy Winehouse for the prize of the skinniest pop singer on the planet. Indeed, their debut gig saw them support Amy Winehouse at the biggest venue in their native Copenhagen, at the special request of the British singer's management. Mette and her pal Lars are the core of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.
Live, the band grows to a six-piece that includes a horn section of trumpet and sax players, clarinet sounds, a drummer and guitarist. They consider themselves a "collective" with its unfortunate hippy overtones. However, let's concentrate on the music. This gig at London's Shoreditch venue Cargo was a success, even if the vocals were at times subsumed in a murky soup of brass and drums. This meant the diminutive Mette was often reduced to shrieking rather than singing some of the vocals, this, of course, could have been deliberate. But for a band with only a few gigs under its belt, this was an assured performance. Highlights were the toe-tapping jaunt The Golden Age and the Sun Ain't Shining Anymore, which has an element of the Happy Mondays about it - no bad thing at all.
Check out this band if you get the chance, before they burn down your local venue.
