Salem played the brand new Putte i Parken festival in Karlskoga tonight so I'll be looking around the web for reviews over the next couple of days.
In the meantime I found a short but very fascinating interview today: http://www.nwt.se/ArticlePages/200807/30/20080730230020_450/20080730230020_450.dbp.asp
in which Salem revealed that he would be watching other bands at the festival (but didn't know which ones yet); that he's going to his brother's wedding soon; that he would then be going on holiday out on his boat (!); and that he bought a brand new moped this summer. The interviewer also asked what's his favourite ice cream flavour but he said that he'd be having raspberry sorbet as he's lactose intolerant.
Like I said, I found this interview fascinating as I managed to learn a few new things about Salem which I didn't know before.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Monday, 28 July 2008
Another Norrköping review.
There's a review of Saturday night's show in Folkbladet. It's yet another positive review, written by Michelle Hallberg.
Salem played to an audience of approximately 300 at the Knäppingen courtyard and it wasn't long before the audience were singing along with a mixture of old and new songs. The reviewer highlighted the happy mood throughout the concert and stated 'Salem seems to spread an indescribable joy with the public'. He closed the show after 90 minutes with, of course, "Thank You" but the audience wouldn't let him go, so he returned for a number of encores.
Full review and photo (Salem's going through his black T-shirt phase!!) at http://www.folkbladet.se/nyheter/norrkoping/artikel.aspx?articleid=3994556
Salem played to an audience of approximately 300 at the Knäppingen courtyard and it wasn't long before the audience were singing along with a mixture of old and new songs. The reviewer highlighted the happy mood throughout the concert and stated 'Salem seems to spread an indescribable joy with the public'. He closed the show after 90 minutes with, of course, "Thank You" but the audience wouldn't let him go, so he returned for a number of encores.
Full review and photo (Salem's going through his black T-shirt phase!!) at http://www.folkbladet.se/nyheter/norrkoping/artikel.aspx?articleid=3994556
Gothenburg date confirmed.
I'd previously posted about Salem playing Gothenburg in August - just to confirm that Götaplatsen is the venue, and the date will be 16th August.
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Some news about Brunkebergstorg line-up
As you know, Salem will be presenting an evening's entertainment on 12 August at Brunkebergstorg as part of the Stockholm Kulturfestival. Finally got some news about the acts: Nils Berg 5 (a jazz band), Domestic Bumblebees (some good time rock n'roll!!) and Tincan (whom we've mentioned on here before) - of course that's Salem's backing band who play some great Afrobeat/bluesy music.
A very unusual, diverse and interesting line-up, but that's not too surprising given the diversity of Salem's musical tastes (even though he never listens to music....! Wonder if he still says that or not??)
A very unusual, diverse and interesting line-up, but that's not too surprising given the diversity of Salem's musical tastes (even though he never listens to music....! Wonder if he still says that or not??)
Norrköpings Tidningar review of Saturday night's Norrköping show
Just when I had given up on any coverage of Saturday's Norrköping show, along comes good old Norrköpings Tidningar with a short but very good review by Jesper Frilund. He rated the show 4 out of 5, and commented that Salem as ever was on good form, laughing and joking with the audience and bursting with energy and intensity.
The reviewer stated that it was quite a long concert, with several encores and a lot of new material but it was the 'old' hits which the audience loved best. According to this reviewer, his songs are already classics. And who could disagree with that?
The full review can be found at http://www.nt.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?ArticleId=3992484 along with a photo of Salem on stage.
The reviewer stated that it was quite a long concert, with several encores and a lot of new material but it was the 'old' hits which the audience loved best. According to this reviewer, his songs are already classics. And who could disagree with that?
The full review can be found at http://www.nt.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?ArticleId=3992484 along with a photo of Salem on stage.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Træna/Krapperup videos on YouTube
Check out good old YouTube for live footage from Trænafestivalen ("Thank You") and Krapperup ("It's True"), both very good indeed. It's interesting to see that even though these are old songs now, Salem still performs them with the enthusiasm as if they were brand new songs.
Friday, 18 July 2008
Swedes...I need your help about the Grona Lund gig in August.
Would anyone know where you can buy tickets for Salem's gig at Grona Lund in August? One of my readers from outside Sweden would like to know.
I wondered if it was the same as Liseberg, where the entrance fee also lets you into the concert - or is it a separate ticket price?
Thanks!
I wondered if it was the same as Liseberg, where the entrance fee also lets you into the concert - or is it a separate ticket price?
Thanks!
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Salem returning to Gothenburg in August.
It's no time since Salem wowed the crowds at Liseberg...and he'll be back in Sweden's second city to play during the Gothenburg Culture Festival. The festival runs from 12th to 17th August and the programme of varied and interesting events is available if you follow the link from http://www.goteborg.com/kulturkalaset although when I checked I couldn't find the actual date of Salem's performance. (It won't be on the 12th or the 15th as he'll be in Stockholm then.) Will bring more news when I get it.
Monday, 14 July 2008
One year ago tonight...
...I discovered Salem Al Fakir and his wonderful music for the very first time. If you've been to my other blog EuropeCrazy, you will know the story of how this happened. But if you haven't, well here goes!
14.07.07. Saturday night at EuropeCrazy HQ, and the usual late night journey around the internet. The 14th of July always meant one thing to me - Bastille Day - but in Sweden it has another significance, as it's Crown Princess Victoria's birthday, and this is usually celebrated with a big concert on Öland. I knew that Måns Zelmerlöw would be appearing, so I decided to check out the rebroadcast on SVT's website. Fast-forwarding through the show, I stopped at one point to watch this young man whom I had never seen or heard before, singing and playing the piano, and I was immediately spellbound by his performance and his songs - a medley of "It's True" and "Dream Girl". The next day I returned to watch the show again, and decided that he was the best singer/songwriter I'd heard in years. The same day I caught up with "Allsång på Skansen" from 10.07.07 - and there he was again, this time with the more than aptly named "Good Song". By this time I was completely hooked!
Over the subsequent weeks and months I trawled the internet for any information I could get about Salem and his music, his concerts, his life story. I bought "This Is Who I Am" and over the past year it has arguably become my most played album of all time.
By December 2007 I had decided that Salem-mania had taken over my blog to the extent that I didn't have room for anything else, so I decided to create Planet Salem, so called because it was my little parallel universe which I could completely devote to my favourite singer. My other reason for creating this blog was that I couldn't find any fansites for him, so I thought I'd make my own.
To all of you who've ever visited this blog: many, many thanks to each and every one of you! And even though there has been little news to report this year, I hope you've enjoyed what you have read and that you will keep on visiting, as there will be lots of news once he releases his second album...whenever that may be!
14.07.07. Saturday night at EuropeCrazy HQ, and the usual late night journey around the internet. The 14th of July always meant one thing to me - Bastille Day - but in Sweden it has another significance, as it's Crown Princess Victoria's birthday, and this is usually celebrated with a big concert on Öland. I knew that Måns Zelmerlöw would be appearing, so I decided to check out the rebroadcast on SVT's website. Fast-forwarding through the show, I stopped at one point to watch this young man whom I had never seen or heard before, singing and playing the piano, and I was immediately spellbound by his performance and his songs - a medley of "It's True" and "Dream Girl". The next day I returned to watch the show again, and decided that he was the best singer/songwriter I'd heard in years. The same day I caught up with "Allsång på Skansen" from 10.07.07 - and there he was again, this time with the more than aptly named "Good Song". By this time I was completely hooked!
Over the subsequent weeks and months I trawled the internet for any information I could get about Salem and his music, his concerts, his life story. I bought "This Is Who I Am" and over the past year it has arguably become my most played album of all time.
By December 2007 I had decided that Salem-mania had taken over my blog to the extent that I didn't have room for anything else, so I decided to create Planet Salem, so called because it was my little parallel universe which I could completely devote to my favourite singer. My other reason for creating this blog was that I couldn't find any fansites for him, so I thought I'd make my own.
To all of you who've ever visited this blog: many, many thanks to each and every one of you! And even though there has been little news to report this year, I hope you've enjoyed what you have read and that you will keep on visiting, as there will be lots of news once he releases his second album...whenever that may be!
Salem at Berns, this time with PH3.
Does this man never rest? Found some info on the internet that Salem, Gunnar, Jakob and Nils will be doing their thing as part of the PH3 Orchestra at rapper Eye'N'I's "Klubb Offbeat" at Berns in Stockholm tomorrow.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Two gigs, two countries, in twenty-four hours.
Salem was back on stage this week - in two countries.
Friday 11.07.08 saw his appearance at the Trænafestival in the north of Norway, and 24 hours later he was closing the 'Musikveckan' in Krapperup in Sweden.
Helsingborgs Dagblad (www.hd.se) has a feature and a couple of photos from the gig, but I haven't been able to find anything else yet. Salem still looked good considering he hadn't had any sleep for 24 hours....!
Friday 11.07.08 saw his appearance at the Trænafestival in the north of Norway, and 24 hours later he was closing the 'Musikveckan' in Krapperup in Sweden.
Helsingborgs Dagblad (www.hd.se) has a feature and a couple of photos from the gig, but I haven't been able to find anything else yet. Salem still looked good considering he hadn't had any sleep for 24 hours....!
Sunday, 6 July 2008
"It's True" on (yet another) Ibiza compilation
No, I haven't gone away - there's just not been any news about Salem in the last couple of weeks but this should change soon as he's got a couple of live appearances coming up this week, notably on Friday 11th July at the Trænafestival which takes place on a small island off the coast of northern Norway and has to be the most unique festival location I've ever seen!
I get a major kick out of going into a record shop and seeing Salem's name in the tracklisting. Last year the brilliant Axwell and Ingrosso remix of "It's True" appeared on almost every dance album around - and there's still no stopping this track as it's now on "Azuli Presents Ibiza 08". This time it's the Roog and Prom remix, which I don't like as much as the original.
One year on I'm still wondering why this track never really got a full single release in the UK - it should have been the follow-up to Axwell's "I Found U" and I'm sure it would have been a massive hit. Maybe it needs another summer of word-of-mouth promotion on the dancefloors?
I get a major kick out of going into a record shop and seeing Salem's name in the tracklisting. Last year the brilliant Axwell and Ingrosso remix of "It's True" appeared on almost every dance album around - and there's still no stopping this track as it's now on "Azuli Presents Ibiza 08". This time it's the Roog and Prom remix, which I don't like as much as the original.
One year on I'm still wondering why this track never really got a full single release in the UK - it should have been the follow-up to Axwell's "I Found U" and I'm sure it would have been a massive hit. Maybe it needs another summer of word-of-mouth promotion on the dancefloors?
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