The Concretes @ The Venue
On record The Concretes' sound is immaculately formed; live it's as forgettable as a slab of paving stone.
| 15 Jun 2006
Quaint and lovable, The Concretes are the perfect portrayal of Sweden's sugar-coated pop culture. Initially this Scandinavian octet deployed a fuzzy Velvet Underground dreaminess that was loose limbed and heart-warmingly amiable but recent LP 'In Colour' delves into the rigid world of commercially digestible summertime melodies. With renewed purpose The Concretes live experience should be an exquisitely sliced portion of pristine pop – unfortunately it's not. Sounding drearily schmaltzy this is a lacklustre performance that fails to capture the star-gazing splendour of the eponymously titled debut. Vocalist Victoria Bergsman is a timid caricature of the nomadic tenderness found on the sumptuous Say Something New and this ambivalence permeates throughout the entire evening. Neutralising even the boundless optimism of You Cant Hurry Love, this is a drab affair that feels apathetic and unfulfilling. On record The Concretes' sound is immaculately formed; live it's as forgettable as a slab of paving stone. [Billy Hamilton]