Rain, rain, rain – to go out in this weather wasn’t very motivating on this day. But 3 years after their last album release Al Pride introduced their new songs from the upcoming third album “Hallavara” on Saturday. So I was super curious about it.
Their album presentation took place at Casino Bremgarten. How you imagine locations to be – it didn’t exactly look like a casino, rather like an usual multi-purpouse hall. But of course this didn’t really matter. To get into the mood Pascal Küng, who’s accompaining the band for many years already and was in Sweden for the album recording as well, presented a small photography exhibition.
I probably haven’t known that little about new songs like on this evening. With most of the bands I’m seeing live more often, I generally knew at least 1-2 songs ahead, had a little clue at least how the new album might sound – nothing with Al Pride. On the one side this is pretty much exciting, on the other side a rather strange feeling. The fear not to like the new songs is always there…
Yes, I imagined the evening to be different. Support act were the “Ellas”, a Brugg band with very quite, melancholic songs. They played an one hour set. And the most of the audience seemed just not to listen. A “shhhh…” kept going through the audience, what didn’ t really change anything and the ones in the back of the room simply kept talking on the same level. Well, I thought that might just be during the support act. It’s always a bit more difficult for them, esp. if they are not too well known yet and got very quite songs. Unfortunately it didn’t get much better for Al Pride. Only that they did dare to say something about it during the concert and asked the audience to continue talking later. Not, that it changed anything. Bremgarten totally failed so. They definitively talk too much at concerts. That should be different.
The more I liked the new Al Pride songs though. During one hour they exclusively played their new album. With the first songs I felt tears of joy getting to my eyes already. Great they are back. They sure do sound differently. The new songs are maybe less light, probably not as colorful as the last album, if you want to say it like that. More quite somehow… Some of the songs seem very powerful though, esp. additionally with the wind section. What singer Astrid gets out of her voice is impressive.
Ok, describing music is actually not what I am best in and after listening to it only 1 time live, withouth having known anything new before, is rather difficult. Too much new stuff at once 😉 And then with the disturbing audience in the back. But at the end I left the location with pleasant anticipation for the album. Best you’ll listen to the first single “Leaf”. It will be released on 19 February 2016. The album will follow in March.
Official website
www.alpridemusic.ch
Ellas auf Facebook
