Some gigs are an utter privilege to experience. And so it was with Smag På Dig Selv who played the first of two hometown sold out shows at Copenhagen’s Vega on 14 February. The trio had played around 60 shows in Denmark in 2024 laying the groundwork. To say that paid off would be an under statement. The 1600 cap room was positively bristling with anticipation.
First onstage was Alice Ai who had a bib pinned to her hoodie proclaiming “Make Fascists Afraid Again” . The electronic music artist provided an energy that was perfect to warm up the crowd. Mixing pop, techno, and punk influences, Alice Ai was accompanied by two musicians playing guitar and synths. The crowd was in a party mood and showed their appreciation for this support artist, the packed room even taking part in some audience participation, happily singing along when prompted, with little encouragement required.
To follow, the most wonderful surprise. Before Smag På Dig Selv took to the stage, their three Mums played a track. “Start Et Punkband.’ (“Start a Punk Band”) is a poem by Thorbjørn Øllgaard (baritone and bass saxophone, vocals) and feels akin to their philosophy. The trio wanted to show their appreciation to their Mums who have supported them throughout, and what a way to do so, giving them the stage before they began. The crowd loved it giving them a rapturous response.
And then the trio bounded onstage, buoyed by the crowd who were by now ecstatic. They are completed by Oliver Lauridsen (tenor saxophone) and Albert Holberg (drums). During the very first track the audience was motioned to crouch down, and of course when the drop came, the dancing started en masse. Smag På Dig Selv are jazz punks, creating music which is accessible and exhilarating. The double saxophones are stonking and the drums thrilling, the latter aided by what looked like a plastic goat’s head on the front drum which hilariously bobbed furiously with every hit!
It was the stagecraft of the show that made it extra special. This was so much more than an average gig. The lighting was spectacular creating whoops of delight, and a couple of times the trio moved through the crowd to the back of the room, thus giving more people the opportunity to see them up close. They also had a couple of invited guests. Vibraphonist and composer Viktoria Søndergaard played allowing time for the band to make their way back to the stage. How well thought out. A little later in the set it was the turn of Kurdish/Danish singer Luna Erşahin to grace the stage. Her mesmerising vocals were followed by her glorious playing of the saz, a traditional Turkish stringed instrument, With both artists Smag På Dig Selv respectfully allowed their guests to play solo, before gradually accompanying them.
Smag På Dig Selv’s self-titled debut album was released in April 2024 with tracks including ‘TOTAL FULL POWER EXTREME NUCLEAR CONFUSION 2000’, ‘Fuck Der Kommer Kontrollører!‘ (translation ‘Fuck Inspectors Are Coming!‘) and ‘Middelklassen Avler Kun Skelette’ (translation ‘The Middle Class Breeds Only Skeletons’). The variety however within the set was extraordinary including punk poetry delivered in Danish by Thorbjørn, the delivery itself providing the gist of its meaning, spat out with anger, frustration and disdain. He also included some throat singing during one of the tracks. Oliver performed a short section of free jazz to complement the wild soundscapes created when all three play together.
At times the two saxophonists were like capoeira dancers squaring off against each other. At other times they stood side by side directly at the front of the stage, thus as close to the audience as possible, demanding attention. Thorbjørn in particular prowled around the stage as he played. Together the trio owned that stage, the audience were in the palm of their hands. At one point they requested everyone to link fingers, creating a sense of connection amongst the audience. The whole room was bouncing throughout, this was like a club night, in a 1600 capacity room, everyone moving en masse with huge grins on their faces. The utter transformative power of music, particularly the shared experience of a live performance, especially when it is this spectacular, was experienced by every single person in Vega. Of course no-one wanted it to end, but the inevitable arrived, finishing with the trio side by side as a unit, as it should be.
A second night at Vega is booked for 21 February, long sold out of course. Smag På Dig Selv will then expand their horizons further in 2025. They play at SXSW in Austin, Texas in March as well as Bearded Theory in the UK in May, just two of the many performances booked for outside Denmark this year. This is only the beginning, watch out world. Smag På Dig Selv are on the march.
For more information on Smag På Dig Selv, please check out their facebook and instagram.
Photo credits: Julia Mason
