Thåström is my teen hero. First he had one of Sweden’s first punk rock band named Ebba Grön and after they split, he formed the band Imperiet. After that he has been a solo artist. In Sweden he truly has an icon status.
What is so special about Joakim Thåström?
For starters, he has a bit of “whisky” in his voice as he has that nerve in it that goes from vulnerable to full strength. It is the same with his body language on stage…it shows all feelings and he knows how to use a stage. Light and sound are always a huge part in his productions which give that 3 dimensional feeling. Thåström is magical on stage ,it is like his soul is swaying over the audience and truly make us believe every word he sings.
He also is a magnificent lyric writer as he is playing with metaphors and it give us different layers in one lyric. It seems so easy when he sings the words but everyone who has tried to write any kind of lyric knows it is difficult to find the right words.
Thåström is an artist who makes generations come together. For example, I was 14 years old when I discovered his music and my daughters where in roughly the same age when they started to listen to his music. He makes timeless songs. Swedes tends to love more of melancholic songs and he is a master of that. He also has interpreted Bob Dylan and Swedish icons like Carl Michael Bellman and Evert Taube, but his interpretations sounds like it is him that has wrote them to begin with. His interpretations passes on a huge part of Swedish musical treasures along with his own material. I guess he is one of those artists that will interpreted in the future!
His tour “Vi som skiner” has started and Norrköping was one of the towns that were lucky to have him! “Värmekyrkan” where the venue was is a part of Louis De Geer concert and congress hall in Norrköping. The capacity is 1000 people and the room was filled to the brim! It was so nice to be a part of a crowded audience, to feel the energy and the excitement after the long-time of covid restricted times.
I have many favourite songs from him but I can’t say that he ever has written a bad song. Thåström has reached the age of 65 years and during those 40 years I have followed his music, I’ve never seen a bad gig or heard a bad song or a filler song from this talented guy!
The venue “Värmekyrkan” has a very industrial vibe in its interior but it is a perfect frame for this kind of music. The lights turns to blue and red and the smoke is swaying over the stage out over the audience as the musicians take their positions and then there the “man of the hour” is there in a typical pose and outfit.
His stage language goes from vulnerable to sometimes a bit bombastic and theatrical but it’s never on routine. His mimic and expression are not rehearsed or repetitive as it seems to come natural and is “a go with the flow” in the music and lyrics.
I stood there with goose bumps all over me and a nerdy smile simply enjoying a wonderful show!
It is one of those magic shows where artist and audience becomes one “body” in the positive energy. It was hand clapping, cheering and sing-along throughout the whole gig. Thåström isn’t much for small talk between the songs, as he mostly announces the title and then continues to sing. It doesn’t matter because that is his way of performing, he is an icon and his fans know the lyrics.
I truly enjoyed some of my personal favourites like:
Beväpna dig med vingar (Armour yourself with wings)
Fanfanfan (a song he has performed with Jerome Reuter aka Rome)
Slickar i mig det sista (licking the last bit)
Ingen sjunger blues som Jeffrey Lee Pierce (nobody sings blues like Jeffrey Lee Pierce)
Som mästarna målat himlen (as the masters has painted the sky)
Blå himlen blues (blue heaven’s blues)
CC cowboys
The show was 2 hours and 8 minutes and it is 2 hours and 8 minutes that stays in my heart! To top it all of, we were treated with two encore’s!
On behalf of Maizter-Underground I wish Mr Thåström a fantastic tour and we hope we can see him on stage soon again!
Yours truly!
Stina
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