I went there quite skeptical. And I was tired.
My very first day in my new home. Stockholm.
And the Infruset tour has just started. First there was a concert in Visby, then Norrköping,
my destination. Another hour in the train, the dawn slowly coming outside the
train windows. I’m thinking about the coincidence. The first thing I do in my
new life is Mando Diao concert. It´s even more suitable because they were one
of the reasons why I felt in love with Sweden. So now I’m here, heading
Norrköping and my first official concert of MD singing in Swedish. The first
time when I will hear ALL the songs from Infruset album.
There´s no need to hurry, seats in the first
row are certain; I bought my tickets already in December. And I’m not really
excited. They don’t make me nervous these days.
The concert takes place in a wonderful concert
hall close to a river, the whole event makes impression of some theatrical
performance or something completely different, definitely not Mando Diao
concert. Where are all those girls waiting to be able to be in the first row?
Where are all those young girls anyway? There are plenty of older people,
dressed very fine and I’m feeling weird in my jeans and a T-shirt.
I see Carlos selling some merchandise and I buy
good-looking magazine called simply Infruset Turné 2013 and after quick look I
discover long interview with the band, photos and an article about Fröding. The
magazine looks and smells good. (I´m not going to eat it, though...)
The whole feeling is very different from all my
previous Mando Diao experiences. There were small venues, huge open air
concerts, acoustic sessions played in music stores, unplugged, plugged... but
never something like this. It feels certainly weird. Most of the guests are
going to see Mando Diao for the first time, I suppose. What it will be like for
them? And for me?
It’s been a while since this band is not the
same for me anymore. They started something I can’t stand and like, they
changed a lot. I don’t even listen to the whole Swedish album anymore. I guess I’m
more like the fan of the first episode of the series called Mando Diao. Ode to
Ochrasy times, that’s what makes me shake every time I listen to it. I don’t
adore Give Me Fire album and I deeply hate Caligola. But still. They
are...Mando Diao. The reason, my answer for so many questions. They are still
present. That’s why I’m here tonight. In Norrköping. However I’m not going to
freak out because of them anymore. I’m more curious than excited like I used to
be.
I sit into the first row and wait. Prepared for
everything. Then it happens. It got me from the first second, indeed. It’s
little bit like theatrical act. It’s a game. And I love that it’s in Swedish,
my new language I’m living with. During the first songs I still feel distracted
because of the Caligola impression. It’s in the way Gustaf and Björn move,
sing, act. It’s in them, the whole Caligola thing. I see it and feel it and I’m
not sure if it’s appropriate in this Infruset situation. However then comes I
Ungdomen. And I got lost. I cry and I forget everything else. I only hear the
music and words. With Strövtåg i Hembygden and Snigelns Visa comes back
memories. To Munich
show when we heard Snigelns Visa at the soundcheck for the first time. Memories
and thoughts. They made me smile, cry and even dance in the end. They gave me
the answer. How did they do it again, for god’s sake?
When I’m leaving the venue I don’t feel empty
like I used to feel after their show. I don’t feel high on music. But I feel I
liked it. I feel I’m happy I was there. And most important of all... I feel I’m
doing the right thing with my life, here in Sweden. I didn’t ask them and they didn’t
tell me anything with proper words but it was there. It’s always there, Mando
Diao. In your music. That’s probably why I will always like you.
