Live Review: Aurora @ Lincoln Theatre — 6/5/22

Posted on June 7, 2022 by David LaMason in Live Review and tagged Aurora, folk, Lincoln Theatre, Norway, synthpop.

***Aurora captivates at the Lincoln Theatre on June 5, 2022. (Photo by David LaMason)***

Aurora deftly mixes the sense of Norwegian folk melodies with electronic sounds that pack a range of emotions in these small boxes. It’s hard sometimes to wrap one’s head around the impossibly strong voice coming from the figure on stage, but it’s real and has the ability to move a room full of listeners with its power.

Returning to the Lincoln Theatre Sunday night, Aurora once again showed us what we’ve all been missing the last few years. Even before the the doors to the theater opened there was a line from the sold out venue that wrapped across U Street and up the next block — something I hadn’t witnessed in a long time — as fans, some dressed in costume, eagerly made the slow march inside.

Live Review: A-ha @ Radio City Music Hall — 4/12/22

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged a-ha, folk, new wave, Norway, Radio City Music Hall.

Morten Harket takes in the response to the Hunting High and Low Tour in a recent concert photo. (Photo by Stian Andersen/ Courtesy of A-ha.com)

A-ha — the Norwegian trio who took the global pop charts by storm in 1985 — recently returned to the United States for rare concert performances. The four sold-out concerts, including one at Radio City Music Hall in New York City this week, drew ardent admirers ready to sing along to each and every hit by the three now stately men, who demonstrated their ample power to capture hearts and to compel bodies to dance.

Although A-ha were in New York to celebrate their debut album Hunting High and Low — and celebrate it they did by performing the record’s 10 original tracks to end the show — one of the most remarkable moments in the concert occurred early thanks to a new song.

Preview: a-ha @ Radio City Music Hall, 4/12/22

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged a-ha, new wave, Norway, Radio City Music Hall.

a-ha (Photo courtesy the artist)

Norwegian trio a-ha play some rare US concert dates over the next week — including a date at Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, April 12. The legendary chart toppers sold out three nights in a row in Los Angeles, but there are still a handful of orchestra seats remaining for their sole New York City show!

Live Review: girl in red @ 9:30 Club — 3/11/22

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Katie Child in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, bedroom pop, dream pop, Girl in Red, Norway.

girl in red performs at 9:30 Club on March 11, 2022. (Photos by Katie Child)

Bringing a sold-out crowd to the famous 9:30 Club this past Friday evening, was Marie Ulven Ringheim, known on stage as girl in red. Famed for her bedroom pop hits “we fell in love in october,” “bad idea!,” and “girls,” Ringheim seems to touch the most inner sentiments shared amongst her followers. Her songs stem mostly around conflicts regarding romance, as well as tribulations relating to mental illness. Even during first-listens to Marie’s music, her lyricism and alluring melodies are quick to tug on your heartstrings.

Live Review: Aurora @ Lincoln Theatre — 3/10/19

Posted on March 14, 2019 by David LaMason in Live Review and tagged Aurora, Aurora Aksnes, folk pop, Lincoln Theatre, Norway, synthpop.

Aurora dazzles at the Lincoln Theater on March 10, 2019. (Photo by David LaMason)

Aurora Aksnes, better known as simply Aurora, seems to come from another world. But the expressive Norwegian singer landed at the Lincoln Theatre for a very earthbound headlining tour recently.

Live Review: Thomas Dybdahl @ Songbyrd Music House — 2/5/19

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Andy Jillson in Live Review and tagged folk, Norway, Songbyrd Music House, Thomas Dybdahl.

Thomas Dybdahl performs at Songbyrd Music House on Feb. 5, 2019. (Photo by Andy Jillson)

Norwegian singer-songwriter Thomas Dybdahl brought his soothing folk sound to DC for a solo performance at Songbyrd Music House recently. A small yet enthusiastic and devoted crowd welcomed Thomas to the dimly-lit stage in the basement venue at Songbyrd.

Ticket Giveaway: MØ & Cashmere Cat @ 9:30 Club, 1/23/18

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Cashmere Cat, Denmark, electropop, free tickets, MØ, Norway, ticket giveaway.

MØ (Photo courtesy RCA Records)

Last fall, Danish pop star MØ released When I Was Young (a new EP), and then she announced a joint North American tour with Norwegian producer Cashmere Cat. The duo booked a date at 9:30 Club on Monday, Jan. 22, and that sold out — so they booked a second date on Tuesday, Jan. 23. You can win tickets to go with Parklife DC!

Music Park: Aurora @ 9:30 Club — 10/31/16

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Aurora, Aurora Aksnes, folk pop, Norway, synthpop.

Aurora performs at the 9:30 Club on Monday, Oct. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Aurora Aksnes was fighting a cold. But she was feeling scrappy, and her voice sounded strong, so she barreled ahead at the 9:30 Club Monday night.

At one point, the petite but determined Norwegian songstress shook her fist in defiance, as if to rally against her cold although she was truly rallying against emotional distress, as depicted in many of the songs from her debut album, All of My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, released by Glassnote Records earlier this year.

Don’t Miss: Aurora @ 9:30 Club, 10/31/16

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Aurora, Aurora Aksnes, folk pop, Norway, U Street Music Hall.

Aurora Aksnes performs at U Street Music Hall on April 21, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Earlier this year, petite Aurora Aksnes gathered a large crowd into booming U Street Music Hall for a show packed with big ideas.

This time around, Aurora, the sensational Norwegian singer-songwriter, is performing at an appropriately larger venue, where the stage at the 9:30 Club is sure to provide a better platform for her artistic expression and the accompanying concert hall a better space for large crowds.

So come out on Monday, Oct. 31, to see Aurora as she sings, bounces, dances, and pantomimes along to the darkly glorious songs of her debut album, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, released in March by Decca Records and Glassnote.

Following songs like “Runaway,” “Half the World Away” (an Oasis cover!), “Conqueror,” and others, Aurora released a sixth single, “I Went Too Far,” from the new album. You know an album has legs when it can support six singles!

Watch the official music video for “I Went Too Far” by Aurora on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT6dLJd3rYk]

Parklife DC reviewed Aurora at U Street Music Hall on April 21. (Revisit our full review and pictures here.) After seeing her, I said, “Although petite in size, the Norwegian folk popstar, who goes by only her first name, has a big voice that fits her ambitious songs of flight or fight. She also has a habit of physically moving where her music takes her. This somewhat off-kilter acting out of her own words and melodies might readily draw some comparisons to her fellow Scandinavian artist Bjork.”

I added, “Aurora’s folk pop is as spritely as she is, but it does carry dark overtones of struggling to find yourself, to be free, or to fight.”

You’ll want to be free for this show on Monday! Tickets are available online.

Aurora
w/ Dan Croll
9:30 Club
Monday, Oct. 31, 2016
Doors @7pm
$20
All ages

Don’t Miss: The Sounds @ 9:30 Club — 11/28/16

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Jesper Anderberg, Maja Ivarsson, My Jerusalem, Norway, Sweden, The Sounds, Zipper Club.

The Sounds (Photo courtesy Reybee Inc.)

Ten years ago, the undeniable album of the year was Dying to Say This to You by The Sounds.

It was the second album from the Swedish quintet, and it blasted a whole in the existential dance floors of our lives with its unabashed new wave power. And for a while, lead singer Maja Ivarsson was the It Girl and everything was good – that hair! that voice! that attitude! those high kicks! (Hey, she’s got a Modesty Blaise tattoo, you know!) Being Swedish never looked so good. (…and that’s saying something — being Swedish always looked good, right?)

The Sounds will tour to mark the 10th anniversary of Dying to Say This to You, and they will stop at the 9:30 Club on Monday, Nov. 28 as part of that tour.

Need I ask? Watch the official music video for “Tony the Beat” by The Sounds (guest starring Steve Aoki!) on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X44tSdjH4_I]

Here at Parklife DC, we also are big admirers of keyboardist/ guitarist/ songwriter/ wunderkind Jesper Anderberg, who I had the pleasure of interviewing in 2013 when The Sounds last toured the United States. (Read that interview at We Love DC!)

“We realized earlier this year that it was 10 years ago that we released our album Dying to Say This to You and embarked on a journey that took us on tour around the world for almost two years straight,” said the band in a statement to fans. “This was a magical time in our lives and we shared it with so many of you. Now we like you have gotten a little older, some have gotten married, had children, and it has been many years since we’ve hit the road.”

The tour launches Nov. 15 in Salt Lake City, and it visits the 9:30 Club on Nov. 28. Zipper Club and My Jerusalem are along for support. It’s going to be amaaaaazing! Tickets are available online!

The Sounds
w/ Zipper Club, My Jerusalem
9:30 Club
Monday, Nov. 28
Doors @7pm
$25
All ages