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[DVD REVIEW] Backyard Babies ‘Live at Cirkus’

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Recorded at the legendary Cirkus in Stockholm on the 10th of February 2016, in front of 1,650 fans. With ‘Live at Cirkus’, available on DVD and BluRay, the Backyard Babies are booming again! Back after a five-year hiatus and with their 2017 tour about to start, this DVD offers the perfect opportunity to take in the ferocity of a Backyard Babies live show in the comfort of your own home, whilst feeling like you’re actually there. The DVD cover draws you in, there are no sneak peak pictures from the gig, only a picture of their trademark skull & cross bones, but that entices you to rip open the packaging and kickstart the road to a great rock and punk show.

Described as a mix of ‘punk and sleazy rock’ Backyard Babies did not disappoint. The opening song ‘Th1Rt3En Or Nothing’ has this dirty/sleazy rock vibe to it. Always a great platform from which to start the set.

From the opening, frontman Nicke Borg connected with everyone, he spoke to the crowd, and you can’t help but join in and jump and sing to every word. One thing I love about bassists and guitarists is how well they blend together, and Dregen and Johan both performed amazingly together. A great moment was when the band members stood on a small podium and played through smoke; it was very iconic. The riffs and solos from Dregan were brilliant, and Peder Carlsson on the drums had so much energy, he didn’t miss a beat. The overall chemistry between the band is certainly apparent, and I always feel that good chemistry is essential to creating brilliant music.

The one song that I will be putting on repeat is ‘Nomadic’. It’s a brilliant song that will be going on my playlist. After ‘Nomadic’ the crowd started chanting, clapping and singing for the band to come back on stage. The venue was dark, and you could see sirens flashing on the speakers. The band returned for their encore to a cheering crowd and finished off their set.

Everything fits with this band. The sound, the onstage presence, the crowd’s energy. One moment you’re dancing to ’Heaven 2.9’ then paused in time to ‘Painkiller’. I found myself wanting to close my eyes, take in the atmosphere, the feeling of the bass and drums running through my veins. Then let the ‘sleazy rock’ take me. When listening to ‘Dysfunctional Professional,from’ I heard a hint of The Ramones, which automatically transported me back to the first time I heard them. The stage presence of the band had the crowd hooked from start to finish.

One of the things I love about the connection between bands and their fans are the one liners that stick with you, it only takes 4-5 words for something to make you think. The one specific line that I took away from the gig was, ‘Stand up for rock n roll’. Certainly, a cause I can get behind!

The lighting at the gig was good; it made the venue look intimate which is what a lot of rock fans love. What could be improved is the footage of the crowd. 57 minutes into the gig is when you see your first glimpse of a fan singing along. The same fan was pictured again. It would have been great to see the crowd, see their faces when their favourite songs come on. The emotion of the encore would have been great, seeing the chants and the passion on the fans faces.

Overall; a brilliant gig, great music, great riffs and a band that I cannot wait to see again.

Tracklist;

  • 1. Th1Rt3En Or Nothing
  • 2. Highlights
  • 3. The Clash
  • 4. Made Me Madman
  • 5. Ufo Romeo
  • 6. Brand New Hate
  • 7. Dysfunctional Professional
  • 8. Bloody Tears
  • 9. Heaven 2.9
  • 10. A Song For The Outcast
  • 11. Star War
  • 12. Painkiller / Roads
  • 13. Wasted Years
  • 14. Nomadic
  • 15. Abandon
  • 16. Minus Celsius
  • 17. Look At You

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