Make no mistakes about it, Alphabeat make totally addictive, pure pop music. But Alphabeat are more than a guilty pleasure; simply because no one should feel embarrassed or guilty in liking or bopping along to these excitable Danes. Their sound is in your face; lights flashing, beats pumping and girl’s screaming at the top of their lungs. The question is, what’s not to like about it?! NME once described them as the best band from Scandinavia, bar Abba. And with a second album out now, The Spell, the British public are clearly enchanted by their magic.
London’s Heaven is a venue that revels in fun, cheesy pop and club music, and Alphabeat came armed with this in colourful bundles. Especially with the support of the energetic Ou Est Le Swimming Pool. They well and truly warmed the crowd with 80s Pet Shop Boys esque tunes; particularly impressing with final song Dance The Way I Feel, a dark, dancy affair as catchy as it is cool. But not as cool as the dress worn by Alphabeat lead singer Stine, who sparkled like a blue disco ball ready to burst, spraying the crowd in delightful pop beats.
The Danish group exploded onto the London stage full of relentless energy. Opening with the brand new brilliantly catchy Always Up With You, the energizing beats set the gig off in a dancing frenzy. Continuing with the theme of new tracks from their second album The Spell, Alphabeat tore into their latest single, the title song from the record. The crowd erupted in a fog of bop, skip and boogie on the dance floor and no one was left standing still in their disco wake. This undoubtedly outlines why Alphabeat are so successful at what they do.
Their tracks are utterly infectious and co-lead singer Anders SG is the personification of their sound. He jumps around the stage like a popcorn bag whizzing round in a microwave and ready to explode; banging tambourines, bongo’s and his hands...anything to start a party. And on every single song of the night he danced like an excitable puppy. What Is Happening and 10,000 Nights of Thunder, fan favourites from their debut album, were happy, upbeat sing-a-longs; DJ a new track blending 80s and 90s pop, kicked the level up a gear, while the Fascination finale was fantastic. The crowd were chanting “the word is on your lips” in eager anticipation, calling the band out for one more song, as Anders SG stood upon the amps enticing the very satisfying climax.
But there is a clear difference and progression in the two albums produced by the Danish group. Their new record The Spell, is a techno-synth take on popular music, using strong electronic beats to create a 80s disco feel. And it’s bang on the money. They are a band who never fail to impress and even on the night in a tribute to their “favourite song in the whole world” – Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan – they rocked the roof. So if you want loveable pop beats by a band who deliver one hell of a show, then in the words of the great C.K, look no further than Alphabeat, as frankly there ain’t nobody who does it better.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
