Katzenjammer sailed onto the Cropredy stage, along with twenty different instruments, and created a musical storm for a sodden Cropredy Festival audience.
The rain had been steadily falling since the gates to the field opened that afternoon. The Cropredy crowd are a hardy bunch but the constant drenching was enough to dampen even their spirits. What they needed was a band to rouse them, get their feet stomping and warm the cockles of their hearts. What they needed was to sing and to jig. What they needed, it turned out, was Katzenjammer.
The Norwegian quartet were the most intriguing name for me on the Cropredy line-up this year. Formed in Oslo in 2007 after meeting at music college, this all female group have a growing European following. With the release of their third album, Rockland, in January continuing their unique mix of pop, rock, country, folk and traditional Balkan music I wanted to see how it would translate to the stage.
I was expecting theatrics but what we got was so much more than a good show. They told the crowd that they’d “wanted to play this festival for many, many years” and their obvious excitement transferred into a performance full of energy and attitude.
The set opened with the thumping beat of Old De Spain, a sea shanty that you can imagine being sung in a dockside bar while the patrons sway and raise their drinks to the sky singing “burn, burn, never return”. I wasn’t sure if the piratical element of some of their songs would be too much, but this story of a woman rebelling against her man and burning his ship feels natural when performed by this band. Their eccentricity is part of their appeal.
Another part of the appeal is their musical ability, which allows all four women to not only share lead vocals but also the various instruments that they’ve brought on stage including glockenspiel, ukulele, accordion and a huge balalaika-bass sporting a cat face. To say this is impressive would be a big understatement.
The songs change pace as often as the band switches instruments but all highlight their outstanding vocal harmonies and feel consistently ‘Katzenjammer’ in style. Ouch is a hoe-down and is followed by the rocked up Curvaceous Needs. Rock-Paper-Scissors is country infused, pop diva perfection and has the crowd singing along. Driving After You has hints of Zero 7 with Sia style vocals. Bad Girl feels like it could have been ripped out of a western film soundtrack. My Own Tune is folk with a funky edge and even has a short, spoken rap-style segment. Some of this really shouldn’t work when you look at it on paper but the quirkiness and conviction in the performance means that it doesn’t feel wrong. A cover of Fairport Convention’s Crazy Man Michael is a brave move considering the audience but they pull it off in fine style while the rain starts to pour down, although I’m not sure it really added much to the set as a whole.
The highlights for me were the pounding keys in Flash In The Dark, the brain worm that is I Will Dance (When I Walk Away) and the clever shift from one of my Beatles favourites, Come Together, into A Bar In Amsterdam.
They ended the set with the dark and theatrical sound of Hey Ho On The Devil’s Back reverberating around the field before leaving the stage while Crazy Nights by Kiss blared and the heavens got ready to open again. It had felt like a wonderfully crazy night fuelled by a clever band with infectious enthusiasm. I did dance as I walked away…and sang…and jigged actually.
After another two days of music I can confirm they were the highlight of the festival for me. It looks like the Katzenjammer Scandi ship is coming in and they’re steering a course straight for British hearts.
Set list
Old De Spain
Ouch
Curvaceous Needs
Rock-Paper-Scissors
Rockland
My Own Tune
Flash In The Dark
Driving After You
Crazy Man Michael
I Will Dance (When I Walk Away)
To The Sea
Bad Girl
Lady Grey
God’s Great Dust Storm
Mother Superior
Demon Kitty Rag
Come Together/A Bar In Amsterdam
Hey Ho On The Devil’s Back
Visit the Katzenjammer website