Pugh & Co Rock Stockholm

Last night to Tantogården in Stockholm, an outdoor concert venue a stone's throw from the hospital where my son was born, to hear Pugh Rogefeldt. As the long-term Dear Reader may remember, Mr Rogefeldt released Ja dä ä dä, one of the first and still among the very best Swedish psychedelic rock albums ever, back in 1969 when he was 22. The evening promised not only songs from Ja dä ä dä, but those songs played by the same band as on the record, with Jojje Wadenius on solo guitar and Jan Carlsson on drums, with the addition of Ulf Jansson on bass. Pugh played rhythm guitar and sang.

With two recent sexagenarians and a septuagenarian drummer, there was no guarantee that they would be any good. But, in the event, they rocked! Really good drumming and blues guitar, tightly rehearsed, excellently engineered. Of course, the live versions weren't as psychedelic as the album tracks since much of that style depends on studio gimmickry, but straight blues and blues rock ain't bad either. The low points were a few dirgy numbers from recent years, but they were counterbalanced by a charming solo set by Wadenius where he played his 70s children's songs including "Kalles klätterträd".

Looking at the audience, their mean age was of course far greater than at an Arctic Monkeys gig, but the spread was considerable and a splendid time was had by all. Near the stage two 6-y-o girls were sitting on their dads' shoulders and making heavy metal hand signs. A summer rain dispersed the crowd after the last song, but we came away happy.

The guys are touring Sweden this summer. Here's the gig list.

13/7 Trollhättan - Spikön
14/7 Stockholm - Tantogården
27/7 Gränna - Folkets park
28/7 Kristinehamn - Mastmagasinet
3/8 Köping - Ögir
4/8 Kalix
10/8 Simrishamn - Viarps gård
11/8 Falkenberg - Hwitan

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