Whilst walking into Astra Kulturhaus for the sold out Lykke Li gig, it was difficult to ignore the punters spread out across the surrounding beer gardens whistling her best-known hooks in high anticipation of what was to be a perfectly fulfilling evening of forthright, energetic indie-pop.
Inside the already crowded venue, Australian songstress Sarah Blasko was received well with high cheers and attention as support, despite her sleepy lullabye-esque melodies. The delicately calm set seemed to end as soon as it began, and it wasn’t long before we were awaiting Lykke Li’s arrival.
Her hour-long set began with teasing expectation – a show of flashing white lights against black drapes continued until each member of her ensemble entered the stage. All clad in similarly styled black costumes, they presented a sinister and almost intimidating front as the shrouds of surrounding smoke worked to cover their identities.
Lykke Li made her entrance with a storming front, opening with Jerome from her latest release Wounded Rhymes. Whilst watching her seize the microphone and captivate the attention of every inch of the room, it is clear she is a performer acutely aware of how to cater to a crowd and govern her platform. Although tiny in stature, her presence was large and undeniable; displaying a powerhouse of attitude and authority over her darkly tinged melodic pop.
Covering the majority of the new album, she pleased her long time fans by peppering the old with the new, adding favourites such as Dance, Dance, Dance and Little Bit to the set alongside latest single I Follow Rivers and Love Out Of Lust. The tail end of the show was mostly met with brooding acoustic based numbers Paris Blue and I Know Places, whilst rare song Possibility was received with high cheers and chorus.
Her band was in fine form, interpreting the tunes with as much force and energy as can be heard on her studio recordings. A small and succinct percussion section added the most flavour, with the occasional addition of Lykke herself hitting crash cymbal and toms.
Rounding up the invigorating show with anthemic single Get Some, Lykke Li left the stage in a spell ending similar to how it began; flashing lights, heavy beats and many smiles.
