WE and Gas Giant - Stengade 30, København 5/7/05

From Aural Innovations #31 (June 2005)

What an amazing night it was. This was Smugglers record release party in Denmark for the Norwegian band, WE. They were last in Denmark in Nov. 2003 and played a great show but since then the band have played over 50 shows and are really playing awesome. A very good crowd showed up tonight and the local band (who I used to play with), Gas Giant, who released a split LP with WE, opened the show. Gas Giant hit the stage at 22:15 with a new intro recorded by the singer Jesper's brother. This melted directly into "Too Stoned", one of the bands best songs. It sounds a bit different now and not quite as heavy with both Thomas and Stefan removing the big muff pedals from their setups. Next up is the great new songs, "Vølven's Spådom", featuring some killer slide guitar by Stefan. The crowd was really into it now as the band went into "Down the Highway", a song they have not played in a long time. "Alien Frequency", one of the bands oldest numbers is becoming a stable number in the set these days and is one of their best melodic airy-spacey tracks. Jesper belted out the powerful vocals on "Moonshake", which lead into "Dragon's Cave", featuring really excellent drumming by Tommy. "There's One", another track from Mana, and one not played for a year or so, was the highlight of the set for me on this night. Great guitar solo! The title track of their 2003 CD, Mana, was next. A short ballad. They closed the set with the very hard rockin' "Mama Cool". A big surprise was Jesper, the singer, proposing marriage to his girlfriend, Marie. Very cool.

Set List: Intro>Too Stoned, Vølven's Spådom, Down the Highway, Alien Frequency, Moonshake, Dragons Cave, There's One, Mana , Mama Cool

After, 20 minutes, WE was ready to hit the stage as the lights went down and the recorded intro, Lucid began. After 2 minutes of recording the band pick up the number and the volume increases and the strobe lights blow the audience away.. The band jumps straight into the slide guitar boogie, "Lightyears Ahead". The next four songs are also off the new Smugglers CD and they sound great live. The crowd is really flying with the band after the Norwegian hit single, "Catch Electrique". One of only tracks off Dinosauric Futurobic, "Jinxed" is next. This has a great heavy riff. Now the band takes it down and out into space a bit with their classic "Wooferwheels"... with no pause, the band slams into the very heavy "Livin'the Lore". Three more tracks from Smugglers, including the latest single, "Cosmic Biker Rock and Roll" and the amazing title track. The band end the main set with the 15 minute long Hawkwind inspired, "Freak Capital of the Universe"! The crowd very much want more rock and roll so the band come back out a perform a great version (with a little jamming and band introductions) of "Cherry Red" by the Groundhogs. Although some of us are yelling for "1971", the band is not up for playing it and ends the show with "Carefree"… It looked like they might come out for another song but then the house music came on and it was over…. WE are an amazing live band and if you missed the show don't miss the next one. The band will be back in Denmark in the fall!

Set List: Lucid, Lightyears Ahead, Crawling out of the Wreckage, Sulpher Roast Stomp, Catch Electrique, Jinxed,. Wooferwheels, Livin' the Lore, Wroom, Cosmic Biker R&R, Smugglers, Freak Capital of the Universe, Cherry Red, Carefree

Reviewed by Scott Heller

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