Chicago was blessed on May 7th with the There’s No Place I’d Rather Be Tour. A tour dedicated to electronic artist Fever Ray’s new album Radical Romantics (read a review for the album by Bearded Gentlemen’s own Adam P. Newton here). Fever Ray, an alias for Swedish musician Karin Dreijer, brought a spectacle to The Salt Shed that Sunday night in Chicago. An unforgettable show unusually exquisite, hypnotizing, and mesmerizing. Without breaking a sweat, Fever Ray proved how the boundaries of live music are always being pushed. Their showmanship, along with stunning production and gorgeous light design, made for an unforgettable night.
This is Fever Ray at The Salt Shed: Outlandishly Brilliant Live Music.
Kicking things into gear was Christeene. With just vocals, along with a keyboard player and saxophone player, this was easily one of the most perfect pairings. In fact, it set the perfect tone properly for the rest of the night. Their show utilized awesome lights and their raucous music kept the energy alive. Garbed in unassuming, rugged attire, Christeene shed a layer with each song. Hence, proving showmanship is just as important as talent.
From thrash-like club bangers to dreamy ballads, each song was only elevated by her distinctly raspy voice. A haunting and thrilling sight and sound to behold. To say Christeene and her bandmates’ energy was incredibly infectious would be an understatement! The entire venue essentially became a party in honor of the little girl with the salt can who used to live in the venue. (A running joke Christeene kept making about the venue’s history as a Morton Salt factory).
However, Christeene made it very clear we were in for an outstanding night with Fever Ray.
Whether the fans in attendance knew it or not, they were about to witness Fever Ray pushing the boundaries of live music. Nevertheless, it was a larger-than-life, grandiose experience. Among the blue lights keyboards and a street lamp, all the performers took the stage in otherworldly outfits to perform “What They Call Us.” As bass and drums rang heavily throughout the venue, each and every note by Fever Ray was equally as captivating as they were odd. Fever Ray, dressed in the spirit of David Byrne, defined their sound, style, and aesthetic in those first few moments of the show. With a powerful stage presence aided by beautiful lights and dreamy synth, Fever Ray was set to blow our minds. Furthermore, that’s exactly what happened!
A Fever Ray concert is a pleasure to see, hear, and feel. The music is pulsating, especially notable during songs like “Shiver” and “Carbon Dioxide.”
In glamorous fashion, Fever Ray and the singers would dance around in exciting and sensual ways. Needless to say, no better moment can be found to perfectly encapsulate the pure euphoria created by all of these elements. At the center of it was their performance of “I’m Not Done.” A song building to an electronic climax giving most EDM artists today a run for their money. Whether it be beautiful beats or shaking ass on stage, that concert was one of many on this tour that will solidify Fever Ray as an artist you simply cannot ignore. Moreover, they are simply creativity at its finest.
Again, this is Fever Ray’s world, and we are simply living in it.
