Östran / Nyheterna 130722
By: TOMMY GRANLUND
Photo: HENRIK HALLBERG
Benny Andersson Orchestra at Skälby Gård / The Swedish music elite delivered
Kalmar. The long concert with Benny Andersson Orchestra is quite unlike anything else there is to hear. At least when it comes to Swedish live music.
The orchestra consists of 14 people, mostly violin and wind instruments plus accordion, piano and sometimes bass and drums. In addition presumably the two best singers we have in this country, Tommy Körberg and Helen Sjöholm.
A musical circus
What’s offered is a complete concert that is about everything imaginable and then some for four hours. Benny’s own fantastic songs that are in a world of their own. That are a bit of pop and a little evergreen in one. Mix it up with some classical music, folk songs and a lot of other things. There’s schottis, hambo, polka and polskor. You still don’t have the whole picture.
It might as well be said immediately. It is an absolutely amazing concert experience that cannot be compared to anything else. And just as well to immediately say that it’s fantastic.
A musical circus and a width that is constantly growing even more. The dance floor that they bring and build up at each concert looks very large but it’s packed and extremely filled most of the time. The two opening waltzes are enough to fill the dance floor and it goes on like that.
Inexhaustible song treasure
Körberg and Sjöholm sing quite a lot and there are some new songs that are not on record. Primarily it’s the nice Det föll en sten från mitt hjärta with Helen Sjöholm at the microphone that makes a solid impression. A really great pop song. Körberg at the front of Bonde söker fru which becomes a swinging boogie-woogie is among the highlights, so many that it is impossible to mention them all.
Some ABBA songs, Helen sings a fast Kisses of fire with wonderful substance in the orchestra. Why did it have to be me with rocking rock boogie swing that initially led me to believe that it was something else they started playing. When Orsa Spelmän perform Bälter-Svens Paradpolkett it’s something that can possibly be described as impetuous and wild, fast hard rock or punk polka.
Of course they play the big hits of their own, such as Vår sista dans, En dag i sänder. The evening’s most surprising song choice is that Benny’s background in Hep Stars is shown with Cadillac. The unique Du är min man is phenomenal.
If Körberg is a phenomenal singer Helen Sjöholm is a unique kind and she sings the songs like no one else could. When she kind of growls with an almost unmarked voice in exactly the right places in the lyrics it gives the song an extra dimension.
Original arrangement
Something as headstrong as Benny Andersson Orchestra is difficult to find. And it is not only in the width and versatility or in the two amazing voices. It’s most of all the original arrangement. It sounds unlikely and transformative. In every song, every moment, every detail. Moreover, it’s amazingly great sound all the time. Clean, clear, distinct and powerful everywhere on the venue. Both at both sides of the stage, way out at the edges and furthest away opposite the stage. It’s unlikely perfect concert sound.
Benny Andersson Orchestra is undeniably an experience very hard to beat. It may well have been the year’s biggest concert experience when it’s time to summarize.