Upstairs in a pub in Shoreditch, not just any pub but the renowned Old Blue Last. The audience strike me as anything but casual bystanders, they are here because they are in the know, well-informed and well warmed up by the time Dag för Dag hit the stage. And how they hit that stage. Looking like glitter hippie refugees, headbands, silver scarves and attitude. Dag för Dag rock like some post punk noiseniks, putting up a wall of sound from the off. It's well formed though, beautifully executed, brother and sister Sarah and Jacob Snavely trading off each other musically and emotionally. Sarah is the guitar meister, with Jacob on bass. The band is made up on stage with Chuck Bukowski on drums, and at one point they are even joined by a second bass player to add slap.


They got here tonight from Sweden, where they tell us they live their American lives. It's been quite a trip for them to get here, starting out in California, apparently living separate existences until they got together in Stockholm maybe two years ago. They have hardly gone native, from what I can gather they speak about as much Swedish as I do, almost enough to get by.

On that small sweaty stage, they expend energy like it's going out of fashion, like Iggy Pop doubled, despite Sarah being six months pregnant, which she herself tells us from the stage. My new friend Jim, alongside me and himself a grandfather says he will put her at more like 5 and a half. Sarah tells us the father is here somewhere in the audience and we all kind of half turn around. Jacob jokes that they are going to get Sarah a 12 string so that the baby can join in, Sarah ripostes that until then they were thinking about putting a distorted mic on the bump. All of a sudden audience banter means that 'Distorted Mike' becomes a new comic character.

None of this stops brother and sister trading guitar and bass licks although Jacob does most of the throwing himself around the stage. This is one good night and the crowd are lapping it up, drawn into their raucous good noise. I'm not making comparisons but if you like Belly or the Breeders, then I think you should give these a check. It was loud and intense but tuneful.


As they hit the last song, they wound each other to some frenzy, Jacob getting so whipped up climbing over things that, in the end, something got broken. It all ended with him slumped over the amp at the back next to the drums. He ended up there motionless for so long that people were starting to think the worst, but it was all good.

They stay around to chat at the end, as stoked as the audience. Sarah signs a CD for me, and to finish with her quote "Music is love"

There is a set list in the photos.

Do yourself a favour, if you can't get to see Dag för Dag live, buy the new CD "Boo" - it's out officially in a couple of weeks but you can pick up a copy at their live shows


They are touring - off to Europe tomorrow but back in the UK in March

2 Feb The Deaf Institute Manchester
10 Feb Boo Release Party @ Södra Bar, Mosebacke Stockholm
20 Feb Debaser Malmö with Railcars Malmö
22 Feb Molotow Hamburg
23 Feb Bang Bang Club Berlin
24 Feb Groove Station Dresden
25 Feb Orangehouse Munich
27 Feb Rock im Saal Festival Haldern
1 Mar Italian Tour Faenza
2 Mar Rome
3 Mar Teraccini
4 Mar Florence
5 Mar Cesena
7 Mar Back in the UK - Portland Arms - Cambridge
8 Mar The Garage Upstairs London
9 Mar The Cooler Bristol
10 Mar Captains Rest Glasgow
11 Mar The Bodega Social Club Nottingham
12 Mar Hedon Zwolle
24 Mar Les Femmes S’en Mêlent Festival @ Cabaret Electric Le Havre
25 Mar Les Femmes S’en Mêlent Festival @ La Carene Brest
27 Mar Fuzz Yon La Roche Sur Yon
29 Mar Les Femmes S’en Mêlent Festival @ La Maroquinerie Paris