JaquelineWE, Valkryien Allstars, Jaqueline- Rockefeller, Oslo 3/1/08
From Aural Innovations #39 (May 2008)
This was my friends WE first big concert in Oslo since the release of their new record, Tension and Release. I was there early for the soundcheck and food with the bands and stuff. WE had been delayed up in the north of Norway so it had been a hell day of sitting in the airport for half the day and waiting and not sure if they were making it and all sorts of shit. But we were all happy to see each other and for a killer rock and roll show. Jacqueline a young Oslo band on the WE record label, Nun Music, started the show at 9:30. The place had a few hundred people at this point and more were coming all the time. They have a quite heavy bottom end to their song but a lot of melodic vocals. I think they have some really great songs but they don’t mix things up enough and it is all riffs, no guitar solos at all.
Jaqueline
The Valkyrian Allstars features like 3 violin players, stand up bass and a drummer and played some pretty cool music. Something totally different, which is really cool in my eyes but for the people who came to fucking rock, they were not that interested and hanging out in the bar, waiting for the killer rock and roll to start.
Valkyrian
Allstars
A Miles Davis intro music lead into the dark intro before the band kicked into Carefree.. Volume was much louder now and the sound really excellent. Red Morning really surprised me and was very powerful. The band played a lot of new songs from the Tension and Release record starting with Free Behind Bars. The new songs sound really excellent live. I was surprised that they played Catch Electrique so early in the set but it was actually the right time. The lights were really excellent and the huge Tension and Release backdrop looked cool. Lucid was slightly extended and Thomas (singer) left to change his outfit and the band kicked into Lightyears ahead and Don laid down the killer slide guitar. The new track Appreciation was probably the highlight of the show for me. I really think this is an amazing number. It is pity that the band does not do any improvisation as they could really jam this one out. For love for Life Don plays this amazing solo that just melts you away but it is so short.. Sulpher Roast Stomp is a heavy one from Smugglers and into the great track Popul Vul. Thomas has written some really cool lyrics on this one. Post Millennium Tension blues features Don on some mean slide guitar. Wooferwheels is the only real space rock number the band plays anymore but always a classic. As usual, this goes straight into the hard hitting Livin’ the Lore. The band came back for 3 encore songs, including Smugglers, the single That’s Why and finally their other hit off Smugglers, Cosmic Biker Rock and Roll. It was a great 1:45 min show with the band really focusing on the last two records. They are playing as good as they ever have now and I hope that they will mix up the set as the tour goes on and bring in some other numbers like Organic Room, Shades we Wear, GOL, Last Stronghold of the Freaks, 1971 and From the Spaceways… We will see.. Don’t miss this amazing live band.
Setlist: Carefree, Red Morning, Free Behind Bars, Lotus Rising, Catch Electrique, Hurdy Gurdy, Lucid, Lightyears Ahead, For love of Life, Appreciation, Sulphur Roast Stomp, Popul Vul, Post Millennium Tension Blues, Wooferwheels>Living the Lore, Smugglers, That’s Why, Cosmic Biker Rock and Roll.
Check out the WE web site at: http://www.werock.org
Reviewed by Scott Heller