Monday, December 12, 2011

Live Review - Oh Land / Savoir Adore @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

It was a Sunday night in Brooklyn and the packed crowd at Music Hall of Williamsburg were dressed as if it was the night before and they were going out in full force to make the night memorable. Yet, everyone was dressed to impress because Denmark's fashionable singer, Oh Land was in two for the first of two sold out shows in the area. The Copenhagen based singer, who's real name is Nanna Øland Fabricius has been stirring audiences around the world this past year with her bouncy Euro-pop. Oh Land's sound is a cross between early Bjork meets Robyn meets Lykke Li, it is very catchy and of course something you can dance to but also very ethereal. Arriving on stage in a red jumper with fringes on the sleeves and backed by a cluster of balloons that projected her face on each ballon, Oh Land opened with "Perfection," and the crowd was smiling from ear to ear awaiting more of the magic. She is supported by two other musicians on stage, a live drummer and programmer / keyboardist while Oh Land herself does all the singing she also plays electronic drums and keyboards and dances around on stage like a fairy. She seemed to have gone in order of the track listing of her debut, which was released earlier this year, as her set list. For her third song it was her massive international hit "Son of Gun," which seemed odd to have not been the set closer and played so early on. Yet, the crowd did not seem to mind, they were having fun. For the hour that Oh Land was on stage, it was as if a European disco was erected in Brooklyn and a dance party to kick off the week.

Opening the show was Brooklyn natives, Savoir Adore. The band, who are actually a two piece outfit, were backed by a full band and it seems this is the format and line-up they will be using from now on. Savoir Adore play a Euro-pop meets electronic rock style of music, think Charlotte Gainsbourg fronting New Order is the best way to describe their sound. The main core of the band consists of Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro, who had a smile from ear to ear during the bands half-hour set. It was a big hometown show right in their backyard and the crowd were loving every minute of them, so much so that Muro had such a command over the audience that when she waved her arms like a bird during her performance, the crowd did the same. Savoir Adore have been a Brooklyn buzz band for a while and it will be any moment before they headline Music Hall on their own. The true highlight of the bands set was during their last song, "Dreamers" a remote controlled flying shark flew over the audience and turned the atmosphere into a massive fish tank. A truly magical moment to close out a truly impressive set.