mewithoutYou

support Lingby
author TL date 08/07/10 venue Debaser, Malmö, SWE

Thank God for technology. Were it not for my phone continually staying updated with my google calendar, I would have likely forgotten all about mewithoutYou's Malmö show before it was too late. Instead, due to such wonders, I find myself visiting Sweden and making my way to the Malmö version of the Debaser venue, for something as rare as a free show?!? I don't know why this particular show was free, but I know that Debaser is a pretty weird venue, what with it being just as much a café/bar/restaurant. In fact, the actual venue is closed off when I show up around nine o'clock, and I am informed that the first band wont even play until eleven?? More weirdness, but alas, it's not so bad, because even if Swedes tend to serve overly expensive and watered down beer, the show tonight turns out to be an installment of a continuing event called Gold Soundz, and appropriately, the DJ treats the venue's guests to enjoyable material from a variety of quality indie bands, Pavement of course included. Hence the hours pass merrily, courtains are drawn, and I turn my attention towards the German support band Lingby.

Lingby

As their myspace will reveal to you, Lingby are a German five piece, who play lingering and relaxed indie music. Truth be told, their online songs didn't really excite me when I was checking them out prior to the show, but live, their performance is slightly more potent. Especially so when the normal band constellation is varied with trombonist/trumpeteer Judith Hess taking over the vocal duties from singer/guitarist Willi Dück, and bassist David Schütte laying down his bass in favour of a cello. Not that Lingby are bad otherwise, the classical instrument simply adds extra flavour, just as Hess's singing seems slightly more soulful and accomplished than Dück's. In fact, Dück seems poorly matched for the frontman's position that he occupies, filling the moments between songs with probably the dorkiest banter I've ever heard. - But still, I suppose it has its backwards charm, just as Lingby's music has, all original and unobtrusive, yet still imbuing the members with a fleeting feeling of goodness. Politely relinquishing our attention when their set ends, Lingby leave as calmly as they both came on and played, yet now, listening to their songs online again, the memory of a cool show is awakened? Pretty good I guess.

7

mewithoutYou

My first thought when mwY come on is this: "Where is Aaron Weiss's beard!?". I know it's a stupid and superficial thing, but my memories of both the mwY shows I've previously seen, are mostly dominated by Weiss prancing around like some kind of maniac indie Jesus - And seeing him attempt the same in his new beardless appearance just really isn't the same!? That being said, mewithoutYou put on a show as good as they've ever done. Weiss is as always the center of attention, hopping and swaying while the remaing band play it fairly cool, and delivering his quirky lyrics with an odd and introverted defiance, that seems to speak of a man that has gotten almost too used to playing to an audience that's either confused or otherwise reluctant to appreciate his art. Maybe the beard made him look friendlier, or maybe it made it easier to accept his strange behaviour? Regardless, songs are being delivered with skill and conviction and the relentless progress of an assembly line, and before I have time to think about it, several highlight cuts from the band's records have been aired, and all the while, the crowd has been showing casual but unwavering appreciation, singing the odd lyric back, or swaying or dancing a little on the spot, yet not doing anything to break the relaxed mood that has dominated the evening this far. Hence, if I had not had a look at the setlist, I could have believed that the decision to deliver two songs acoustically before the end of the show could've been made spontaneously to fit the mood, especially when members of Lingby are invited on stage for assistance and taught the chord progressions on the spot. That's not the case however, as the setlist below will reveal, however, that setlist is incomplete, as mwY were drawn back on after "In A Sweater Poorly Knit", to play a seemingly unplanned encore. Unfortunately, yours truly didn't have time to hear what it was, having to run for a train to avoid being caught in Sweden for the night, but it mattered little. mwY showed again that they are a seasoned band with plenty of good songs, which they seem to consistently deliver in the face of audiences both friendly, hostile and just plain old relaxed.

Setlist:

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