* "Time and a word" mentions Komeda together with bands like
   Ace of Base(!) and The Cardigans, and means that "Komeda
   can rock out with the best of them".

 * Even more flattering is the Daily Herald (Des Plaines/Elk Grove),
   who writes "If you think Beck is the most creative,
   innovative and eclectic artist around, you're way off.
   It's definitely Komeda."

 * Alternative Press: "Imagine the Beach Boys on crystal meth. Imagine
   the B52's on valium. Imagine ABBA with razor-sharp chin-length
   bobs. (...) It (What makes it go?) is perfect for sunny
   afternoons with lemonade, but it works just as well for
   cocktail parties and late night drives."

 * CMJ Monthly and CMJ New Music Report: " "What makes it go?" is a bubbling,
   blipping masterpiece...Komeda proves that pure pop will always
   triumph" and " "What makes it go?" may be one of the most perfect
   pop gems we've heard yet this year"

 * L.A. Weekly: "The Swedish quartet has more hooks than a corset from
   Trashy Lingerie"

Winner in the Rock band contest CULT 98 - Maraton
The Eskilstuna band Mistie won the CULT 98 - Maraton rock band contest held at the Bryggeri 1 club in Eskilstuna on May 30th (for the full contest info - please see previous news pieces). Two bands out of sixteen were battling for the prize (full production of a CD single) when the clock passed midnight; Venus In Blue Jeans and Mistie. But it was Mistie who walked away with the prize in the end. The band was recently a part of the demo stage at the Popstad 98 festivities. If you want to hear what the band sounds like there's a sound sample right here. Venus In Blue Jeans, who won the second prize - a studio recording and a music video production, can best be described as a lot of 60's retro with clear influences from The Doors and early Black Sabbath. If you're planning to go to the Sommarens Sista Suck festival in Eskilstuna (August 21-22) you can see and hear them play there.

Gearhead party at Tantogården
Gearhead Magazine with special guest Mike La Vella throws a party with BBQ, phat Rock'n Roll, Amercian cars and Showcase at Tantogården in Stockholm on saturday June 20th between 2pm and midnight. The tickets are limited and only available in advance from Petsounds, Freak Scene and Sound Pollution (all in Stockholm) for 70 SEK (+ advance fee 10 SEK). The following bands are playing:

  Sator
  Nomads
  the Hellacopters
  Backyard Babies
  the Turpentines
  the Seewergrooves
  the Robots
  thee Ultra Bimboos
  the Strollers
  Flaming Sideburns
  Death Trip

Festival Update Number 7
Loads of new bands have been added to a couple of festivals this week. Check it out. For complete info, just click on the name of the festival you're interested in.

SommarRock Svedala (July 16-18, Svedala, Sweden)
Added this week were: Bukowsky (S), Loosegoats (S), and This is Art (S).

Stockholm Water Festival (August 7-15, Stockholm, Sweden)
Revealed a load of new artists and bands this week. Here goes: Addict (S), Håkan Ahlström (S), Apple Brown Betty (S), B*witched (UK), Basic Element (S), Bazar Blå (S), Peter Benisch (S), Boxer (S), Towa Carson (S), Cleopatra (UK), Sven Dahlheden (S), Oscar Danielson (S), Daze (DK), DJ Alex (S), DJ Falla (S), DJ Thomas Gylling (S), DJ Jean-Louie Huhta (S), DJ Thony Laurent (S), DJ Sleepy (S), DJ Andy Smith (UK), DJ Tom Stålebrant (S), DJ Jonas Wickström (S), Claes Dorthé (S), Drömhus (S), Dubmatique (CA), E-Type (S), Jessica Einarsson (S), Mattias Enn (S), Jessica Folcker (S), Fun Lovin' Criminals (US), Geary (S), Godspeed (DK), Hanna & Magdalena Graaf (S), Grandaddy (US), Anders Hagberg (S), Henry Fiat's Open Sore (S), Hinda Hicks (UK), Hoven Droven (S), Ingy (S), The Ism (S), jade.ell (S), Jay Jay Johansson (S), Veronica Johansson (S), Joyride (S), Therese Juel, and others in Visa förr och nu (S), Kaah (S), Patricia Kaas (F), Margareta Kjellberg (S), Kosmic (S), Christan Lindberg (S), Lizzie (S), LOK (S), Loudean (S), Regina Lund (S), Lüic (S), Lasse Lönndahl (S), Siw Malmqvist (S), Martin (S), Martinez (S), Mecca (S), Melony (S), Monostar (S), N-Light-N (N), Northern Territories (S), Petter (S), Billie Piper (UK), Players (S), Popsie (S), Lena Pålsson & Coola Killar (S), Rhythm Avenue (S), Romeo (NL), Åsa Schmalenbach (S), She Moves (US), Thore Skogman (S), Solid Harmonie (UK), Sonic Youth (US), Spencer (S), The Standards (S), Starlet (S), David Tainton (S), Take Five (US), Tommy Tee (US), Thirdimension (S), Eva Tjörnebo & Viskompaniet (S), Together (S), Tommys (SF), Triakel (S), Trio Patrekatt (S), Owe Törnqvist (S), Ultimate Kaos (US), Van (S), Väsen (S), Christian Walz (S), Östen Warnebring (S), Sylvia Wrethammar (S), Yankee B. (US).

Storsjöyran (July 2-5, Östersund, Sweden)
Even though the line-up was complete weeks ago, changes are being made to it. Added: Black Moses (S), The Corrs (IE), NRJ Extra Vadance (S) and Petter (S). Cancelled (surprise, surprise): Wyclef Jean and The Refugee Allstars (US). Wyclef has cancelled all European tour dates because he's having problems getting the band together. Beverage Soundsytem (S) also cancelled.

News about their English hobby project: They have decided to change their name from International bob to Bergman Rock. Four songs have been recorded (they will not play bob hund songs with English lyrics, only new and unique material), and are hoping to release an album this year. Silence is handling the band in Sweden, and they are waiting for offers from foreign labels.

And finally, the band won an alternative song contest in Bayern, Germany, which was held by Achim Bogdahn at the Bayerischer Rundfunk radio channel the same week as the Eurovision Song Contest. The channel is the second biggest in Germany, fourteen countries were represented, and bob hund won with "Ett Fall & En Lösning". Norway with Euroboys got the second place and Finland with Aavikko came third.

The secret Depeche Mode gigs
According to the biggest daily paper in Estonia, Postimees, Mute records announced that Depeche Mode will begin their European tour in Tartu in Estonia on September 2nd. There are no further details, and the venue - Tartu Singing Grounds - has not revealed any information either. The next day, September 3rd, another "secret" gig is said to be held in Riga in Latvia at the Mezhaparks Garden. Note that neither of these gigs are listed in the band's official tour schedule. Stay tuned to this column for the latest info on this.

Fireside double-CD "Hello Kids"
Swedish Emocore masters Fireside (Startracks/House of Kicks) who are playing (and doing promotion - contact the media relations person in the BMG hut) at the Hultsfred Festival this friday (Pampas stage at 2am) are putting the final touch to their upcoming double-CD "Hello Kids" which will be released at the end of August. The two discs contain *every song* they have ever made, all but the ones available on their albums. In addition to that, 8 (eight) new covers and two unreleased songs are also included. A 24-page booklet with very old photos, funny letters, a long article and interviews with all members goes with the discs. During the autumn and winter, several of their albums and singles are released internationally and the band will tour the affected territories. American Recordings are no longer in the picture, but discussions are being held with a number of companies right now.

Live on the web: Komeda
As you may know, Komeda is making their way across the US from June 9th through June 27th. Tour dates can be found at the Minty Fresh website - as well as in the gig related section right here. The Show in Minneapolis on Friday June 19th will be broadcasted live on the web from the First Avenue Mainroom. You will need the Real Audio Player to watch it. Both Audio and Video are broadcasted. The show begins about 6 pm, with the first band, Minneapolis artist, Reba Fritz. Ivy should go on around 7 or 7:15 pm and Komeda anytime between 8 and 8:30 pm. All times are US Central Time Zone (same time zone as Chicago).

MTV Europe's Hultsfred festival shows
MTV Europe were present at the Hultsfred festival this week to record some live music, interview bands and people around the festival area and gather material for their Hultsfred festival special shows. These can be seen on MTV Europe this upcoming weekend.

And another Festival Update (#7)
A couple of new festivals were added to the list this week. Expect about ten (10) more to be added during the next couple of weeks. There's no end to the festival frenzy! :-) Also note that several festivals with "complete line-ups" added new artists and bands, as well as suffered a couple of cancellations.

Lida Festival -98 (July 24-25, Stockholm, Lida, Sweden)
When Lollipop was cancelled, the festival general Håkan Waxegård decided to do the right thing: arrange a festival anyway! Stockholm is the European Capitol of Culture this year, and the festival really is a must. The event is arranged together with Disco Sthlm and Fieldwork, Luger booking agency, Pop magazine, Stocktown and Fritz's Corner. The date and place are the same as before, Lida outside Stockholm, July 24-25, and two stages together with a bunch of dance floors/tents is the set-up. The line-up so far: Arab Strap (SCOT), Atari Teenage Riot (D), Bad Cash Quartet (S), Bear Quartet (S), Broder Daniel (S), Caesar's Palace (S), Gomez (UK), The Jesus and Mary Chain (SCOT), Jurassic 5 (US), Kask (S), Kent (S), Tortoise (US), Weeping Willows (S), and Whale (S). Plus a load of dance artists like: Adam Beyer, Big Audio Dynamite Soundsystem (w/Mick Jones), Blame, Brommage Dub live with Jesper & Jean-Louis Huhta, Dave Clarke, Funk D'Void, Stephan Grieder, Cari Lekebusch, Logical Progression w/LTJ Bukem, Joel Mull, Peshay, Psychonauts, Lee "Scratch" Perry & Mad Professor, Seba and MC Conrad.

Midtfyn Festival (July 1-5, Odense, Denmark)
Added: Tori Amos (US), Artificial Joy Club (CA), Claus Bohling's Elektrum (DK), Det Store Natugleshow w/Klassens Time (DK), Det Store Natugleshow w/Saturday Night Fever (DK), Det Store Natugleshow w/Sommer I Tyrol (DK), The Getaway People (N), Headswim (UK), Anja Majbrit Jensen w/Band (DK), Pockets (DK), Scorpions (D), Simple Minds (SCOT), Sneakers (DK), Softporn (DK), Taggy Jones (DK), and Teatersport w/Bukof (DK). Three more artists and bands will be announced before the line-up is complete.

Roskilde Festival (June 25-28, Roskilde, Denmark)
And we have a few added here this week as promised as well: DJ Hell (D), Future 3 (DK), La Charanga Habanera (CU), Mystic Revelation of Rastafari (CU), On Trial (DK). Cancelled this week: Cortes (E), Earl Grey (UK), Gypsy Passion Orchestra feat. Joaquin Cortes (E), Los Amigos Invisibles (VE), Julian & Damian Marley (JM), Kylie Minogue (AU), Reel Big Fish (US), Refugee Camp All Stars (JM) (anyone surprised? :)).

Trästocksfestivalen (July 17-18, Skellefteå, Sweden)
More bands added to the festival: The All Janet (S), Elin Bolin (S), Boolteens (S), D'arcy (S), Jupither (S), Lo + Marielle (S), Otyg (S), Sahara Hotnights (S), Stickboy (S), and Wait for Monday (S). About five bands from the complete line-up.

Tullakrok Festival (July 18-19, Ängelholm, Tullakroksängen, Sweden)
Added this week: Dragfel (S), The Hives (S), Limepit (S), Little Stalin Bluesband (S), and Torment (S).

Uråsa deluxe (August 14-15, Uråsa, Sweden)
Recently added to the Scandinavian Indie festivals 98 information stable, with a ticket price of 40 SEK for two days, and a line up (so far) which looks like this: The Ark (S), Ars Ultima (S), Dipper (S), Kenta (S), Lipsticks (S), Ragadrop (S), Sailor Man (S), Stereo Explosion feat. Banana Groovies (S), and Tambureens (S).

Festival Update Number 6
Some short notes on festivals which take place this week. For complete info, just click on the name of the festival you're interested in.

Hultsfred Festival (June 11-13, Hultsfred, Sweden)
New this week (due to several bands cancelling): Popsicle (S), This Perfect Day (S), and Turbonegro (N). Cancelled: Spiritualized (UK) and The Verve (UK) (both due to illness).

Sarah Assbring in eternia autobomb
Former Aquadays member Sarah Assbring is active in yet another band from Gothenburg called eternia autobomb. They formed about two years ago, and consists of Jennie Boije af Gennäs (piano, guitars), Jonas Sundqvist (bass) (who are also David Sundqvist of Shallow Soundwave's brother) and before mentioned Sarah Assbring on vocals. When they started out they had a drummer, but that didn't work out, so these days they are using a drummachine (though they are looking for a new drummer, so if you are interested - contact them now). The band has a brand new demo, recorded and co-produced by David Sundqvist, which has been in the making for about a year. Their greatest inspiration comes from the Smashing Pumpkins but they are also mentioning Missy Elliott, Autechre and Björk, among others. If you are interested, the demo is 30 SEK and available directly from the band. Please contact them at: eabomb@hotmail.com, or write to Sarah Assbring, Gyllenkrooksg. 9A, 412 82 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Fidget signed to Silence
Scandinavian Indie favourites Fidget have been signed to Silence! That's right, the same record label where we also find bands like Fint Tillsammans, Hedningarna, Urban Turban and bob hund. Their second album is to be recorded in August/September in Koppom, but a promo CD featuring their best two songs from their two latest demos recorded by Soundtrack of Our Lives' Kalle Gustavsson, of which one is the new "Out of The Blue", will be given away at the Hultsfred Festival in June.

More Komeda in the US
As you all know, Komeda (NONS) are soon going on a US tour together with IVY. The tour dates have been posted here before, but now there has been at least one addition to the list, and two extra support bands. The extra date, 26/6 in Los Angeles at radio station KCRW is especially interesting, as we can all probably hear it on the Internet soon after their appearence. New support bands are The Aluminium Group on June 18th in Chicago (Metro) and The Orange Peels on June 25th in San Fransisco (Slim's).

treb.sound.sys = sadovaja soundsystem
And we're simply not going to leave old Aquadays members alone this week either. The world of music changes daily, so it is not surprising that the band "treb.sound.sys", included in the news last week, has changed name to sadovaja soundsystem this week. Their homepage is still the same, and it has also been somewhat updated. If you are interested in seeing them play live, check out the Boogie Bar in Gothenburg on June 17th where they play together with Honey Is Cool.

Pulp + Bernard Butler at Skansen
One of the main attractions at the cancelled Lollipop festival in Stockholm this summer, Pulp, will come to Sweden for one gig in July anyway. The exact data is July 23rd, and the place is Skansen (the Solliden Stage - where Smashing Pumpkins played a few days ago) in Stockholm. Opening act is none other than Bernard Butler. Tickets are 230 SEK (+ advance fee) and went on sale June 4th.

Scandinavian Indie design at Brofästivalen
The first Brofästivalen festival which was held this weekend (June 5-6) at the building site for the bridge between Sweden and Denmark (see the Festivals 98 page for more information) decided to use a Scandinavian Indie designed logo as the official one. Southern newspaper Sydsvenska Dagbladet, who ran an extensive coverage of the festival on their website, was given permission to use the logo as a part of their coverage as well.

EMA Telstar acquires Motor
The biggest booking agency in Sweden, EMA Telstar has aquired the second biggest one: Motor. The press release says they are going to keep both companies the way they are - ie. the offices and staff will still be the same, but they will work together (well, it'll be one company, but keeping them separate for a moment) when it comes to the foreign market, festivals and using each others locations (Motor with their offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Malmö and Gothenburg and EMA with offices in Stockholm and Helsinki). What this will mean for the future band booking has yet to be seen, but it does mean that the Luger booking agency, where EMA Telstar has a 49% share, moves up to 2nd place (in size) and that there is one BA less to turn to.

7th P3 and Rockparty scholarship
The seventh P3 (Swedish National Radio, channel P3) and Rockparty (arrangers of the Hultsfred Festival, among other things) scholarship awards will be held at this year's Hultsfred Festival in June. One or several enthusiasts within the music business will receive or share the 10.000 SEK sum. The scholarship was first given out in 1992, and people and companies like Peter Ahlqvist (Burning Heart Records), Energy Records, Luger BA, Tompa Eken, Cari Lekebusch and Eva Wilke, have previously been awarded. This year's nominees are:

 * NONS Records, Umeå (Per Helin, Helena Svärd, Robert Norsten)
 * Emmaboda Festival (Håkan Karlsson, Magnus Karlsson, Ulf Ekeroth)
 * Robban Becirovic and John L Byström, Norrköping (from the music magazines Close-Up and
   Sound Affects)
 * Totte Lundgren, Malmö (responsible for the venue KulturBolaget KB)

The four nominees will be presented in radio channel P3's program Musikjournalen, Monday to Thursday between June 8th and 11th, which starts at 6pm (18:00). The winner(s) will then be revealed in P3's live broadcast from the Hultsfred Festival on Friday June 12th, starting at 1pm (13:00). If you are going to the festival and want to see this event, the award is given away at the P3 trailer in the Estraden area.

Free Movement of Drinks at Roskilde again
Last year, the visitors of the Roskilde Festival in Denmark were surprised to find that they were no longer allowed to take their drinks (whatever it was - juice, milk, beer...) through the gates to the main festival site - something that had always been allowed before. The reason was environmental, and the whole festival site (including the camping areas) was affected. Environmentally, it was a success - more than half of the mountains of cans and non- returnables were gone, but it was not a popular rule among the festival visitors. Therefor, the festival organizers have now removed this rule - and drinks can be brought into the main festival area once again, though it has to be in one of the festival's own deposit-paid containers - ie. the way it was before the rule was enforced. "We don't run the festival to annoy people..." a spokesman for the organizers said.

Major Festival Update #5
The summer is almost here now, and the festivals complete their line-ups one by one. In this week's list, you'll find several last additions and a couple of sad changes as well.

Arvika Festival (July 10-11, Arvika, Sweden)
Are still adding names to their line-up. This week they added: Fint Tillsammans (S), The Mopeds (S), RA-mantik (S), Samla Mammas Manna (S), Sara (S), Soundrug (S), Tva fisk och en flask (S), and finally Vurma (S),

Bollnäs Festival (July 2-4, Bollnäs, Sweden)
New this week: DiLeva (S), Drömhus (S), Incka (S) and Popsie (S). Cancelled: Antiloop (S) and Singer (S).

Emmaboda Festival (August 7-8, Emmaboda, Rasslebygd, Sweden)
Added a couple new bands this week as well: Hell on Wheel (S) and Pluxus (S).

Hultsfred Festival (June 11-13, Hultsfred, Sweden)
New this week (and final): Agent Dan (UK), Eagle Eye Cherry (S), Linton Kwesi Johnson & Dennis Bovell Dub Band (UK), Sidekick (S) and finally Teddybears Sthlm (S). Cancelled: Antiloop (S) and Linton Kwesi Johnson w/Dennis Bovell Dub Band (UK) (because their drummer broke his arm recently).

Roskilde Festival (June 25-28, Roskilde, Denmark)
Even though they said it was the final line-up, they are still adding artists and bands to it (and more will follow as well). This week it was: Great White (US), Paradise Lost (UK), Slayer (US), Tricky (UK), and TV-2 (DK).

Sommarens Sista Suck (August 21-22, Eskilstuna, Sweden)
The cool and free festival in Eskilstuna in August released the first names this week: Aavikko (SF), Caesar's Palace (S) (22), Milhouse (S), Rasmus (SF), Ruthlezz D's (S), The Snails (S), The Valets (S), Venus in Blue Jeans (S), and finally Yeah (S). About five additional artists and bands will be added before the line-up is complete.

Stockholm Water Festival (August 7-15, Stockholm, Sweden)
New in the line-up this week: Backyard Babies (S).

Tivolirock (July 4, Kristianstad, Sweden)
Added the final artists and bands to their line-up this week - here they are: The Hellacopters (S), Linda Lampenius (SF), Lolita Pop (S), Monster (S), and Titiyo (S).

Tullakrok Festival (July 18-19, Ängelholm, Tullakroksängen, Sweden)
Added: Formula (S).

The LiveConcerts.com (where you can find more information as well) broadcasts start at:

  * June 4 - 9:30 AM (PST) - 17:30 (GMT) - 12:30 (EST)
  * June 5 - 1:30 PM (PST) - 21:30 (GMT) - 04:00 (EST)
  * June 6 - 9:30 AM (PST) - 17:30 (GMT) - 12:30 (EST)

For more information and the complete schedule, check out: POPP In Reykjavik.

Festival Update No.4
Some short notes on festivals which take place this week. For complete info, just click on the name of the festival you're interested in.

Brofästivalen (June 5-6, Malmö, Sweden)
Should be pretty much complete now, with added artists and bands this week: The Ark (S), Bess (S), Blimp (N), The Buckaroos (S), Bugger (S), Tina Cousins (UK), Down Low (D), Elevator Adam (S), Freewheel (S), Meja (S), The Mopeds (S), Heather Nova (UK), Ossler (S), Papa Dee (S), Sash! (D), She Moves (US), Spurgo (S), and Whale (S). Cancelled: Son Volt (US).

Mera Hitlåtar (June 6-7, Handen, Rudansjöarna, Sweden)
This week's new names: Asteroids (S), Backyard Babies (S), Brazzaville (S), Bounce (S), D.V. (S), The Don'tcares (S), Haystack (S), Henry Fiat's Open Sore (S), The Hives (S), Misdemeanor (S), Monster (S), Red Mike Selection (S), Roadrunners (S), Robert Blom (S), Seamonster (S), Soul Patrol (S), Space Age Baby Jane (S), Urban Turban (S), Voice Of A Generation (S), and Whippet (S). Cancelled (sadly): Singer (S) who were supposed to get together for a one-time reunion gig, but this will not happen now.