The first time I saw the Raveonettes was at SXSW in 2003. There was a huge buzz about the Danish indie rock duo and rightfully so.
Their EP Whip It On was recorded entirely in the key of B-flat minor—a dark key—but the incredibly complementary voices of Sune Rose Wagne and Sharon Foo added a sense of pop happiness to the proceedings. It’s a remarkable sound that’s all their own and continues to build a devoted fan base across the globe, especially with hipsters here in San Francisco apparently.
Touring in support of their latest, and arguably finest work to date Observator, the Raveonettes played a stellar set to a sold out, jam packed Bimbo’s 365 Club. Watching this band live, one wonders why they are not more well known. With every song the band plays, I continue to consider them as one of the finest live acts I’ve ever seen.
Sune and Sharon’s signature sound falls somewhere between the “wall of sound” magic of Phil Spector and the surf intoned, biker rock of the late 60s, mixed with their own noise pop and harmonic vocals. It’s an extraordinarily unique blend that lends itself to fans of many genres, while keeping it overall modern.
In addition, when it comes to releasing albums, The Raveonettes get it. Observator is the follow up to last year’s Raven in the Grave. The idea of making fans wait two years or longer for a new album is so 1990.
Observator is a bit more polished than the earlier records from the band, and although it’s missing the edge of the band’s earlier material, it works beautifully. It’s a brilliant record that flows seamlessly and effortlessly from the first track to the last.
The setlist for the night included selections from the band’s entire catalog. The surprise for me was the segue from “Attack of the Ghost Riders” into “My Tornado,” probably becuase of the tuning, but regardless it was a magical moment.
These two songs are absolute modern classics that sound just as good today as they did 11 years ago at SXSW. Other highlights included “Gone Forever” and “She Owns the Street” from the new album.
Obviously I cannot say enough good things about this band—buy every one of their records on vinyl. The band’s sound celebrates the warmth of analogue and you’d be selling yourself short if you didn’t enjoy each and every note from The Ravonettes on your turntable. Check out all of the photos from the show in hi res here.
