12.02.07
It’s not for the cock, it’s for being big in Denmark.
Alphabeat, The Bodega Social, 29/11/07
Playing your platinum selling album to masses of adoring fans is something most bands can only dream of doing and something the Danish band Alphabeat have put on hold to bring their wondrously infectious brand of upbeat pop to some of the Uk’s more unglamorous venues.
While the thirty strong audience in Nottingham’s Bodega Social created a less than ideal atmosphere for a sound the band themselves describe as ‘the love child of the B52’s and Wham‘ their midnight stage time gave some of the audience members a chance to drink themselves into their dancing shoes. Despite this being a far cry from their worshipping homeland, Alphabeat played with admirable enthusiasm and the two vocalists, Anders and Stine, combined their high pitched vocals with tambourine shaking and a wave of sequins to give a modern, indie twist on camp, 80’s pop.
Unfortunately the sound quality was a little less the perfect and at times the pair’s crisp and flawlessly delivered vocals were lost beneath the bass and drums. Another disappointment was the length of the set, which barely broke twenty minutes, didn’t give the majority of the audience time to really get into show. However, this by no means meant the listeners were left unsatisfied as set closer ‘fascination’, with it’s infectious hand claps and ‘woa ohhs’, was the highlight of a short but very sweet set.
Alphabeat’s willingness to start again away from the comfort of their homeland success shows a love for their band and music rather than the success generated by it and this is evident from their fabulously energetic live performance. All they need to replicate their storming triumphs on our fair shores is to turn up their mics and keep the party going just that little bit longer.
Alphabeat are still on tour in the UK, they finish in Glasgow on 8th December.
Ed said,
December 3, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Where’s my shout for recommending this band over 6 months ago?!
I knew you’d grow to love Alphabeat. I missed them in Brighton, but 10,000 nights of thunder is still an epic tune.
I’d like to think of them more as a modern day, camper Abba.
Good review. ^_^
G Town said,
December 3, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I love Alpha Beat. The gig was wicked (even though, likeyesay, it was only about 5 songs long) and they were really sweet guys.
However, listening to them now, they don’t seem as good on record as they did live…great little band all the same.
P.s- good review.
Captain Lovebead said,
December 5, 2007 at 8:16 pm
The girl was gorgeous. I think I might have a thing for Scandinavian girls.
You missed out the main act though: DJ John the Taxi Driver.
Safe.