I'm From Barcelona – Concorde 2, Brighton 28/08/09

As a result of Brighton festival Beachdown being cancelled, Swedish multi-limbed pop beast I’m From Barcelona found themselves at a loose end by the seaside last weekend. Hence, three hours before they were due onstage at this hastily arranged show, the band were to be seen walking the streets of Brighton trying to drum up trade. Now, you can get away with pretty much anything in Brighton without people batting an eyelid, but the sight of a 15 strong bunch of Swedes singing about building a treehouse was enough to get people heading towards the seafront ballroom that is the Concorde 2 in time for the bands set. Although hardly busy, the band put their usual gusto in to a show that included tickertape, paper planes, countless balloons and front man Emanuel Lundgren crowd surfing on the same 6 people that carried him all around the venue.

For most acts, playing songs from an album that never saw a UK release might seem difficult, but the nature of I’m From Barcelona’s irrepressible, catchy tunes meant that the crowd was soon singing along with abandon, building them up for the climax of “We’re From Barcelona” and “Treehouse”. It was the penultimate show of the bands tour, and their was a definite end of season feeling to the show, the band members clambering around the stage and the venue, hugging each other and punching the air with an infectious energy. Horns parp, guitars jangle, choirs la-la-la and omnichords make a sound no one can really describe. By the time the band cover Simian’s “We Are Your Friends” to close the set there is a smile on every sweaty face in the house.