Posted in music | pictures on February 3, 2009

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Lykke Li

LET'S get this lot out of the way right at the start: sex, saunas, suicide. And there will be no more mention of Ingmar Bergman, Greta Garbo, Ulrika Jonsson, the humble herring, and last and definitely least, Sven-Göran Eriksson. Lykke Li is Swedish but already in her short but promising pop life, she's fed up talking about her homeland.

"Why does everyone ask me about Sweden?" she says in the bar of a London hotel en route to her Scottish debut. What she probably means is: "Why does everyone resort to Swedish cliché and want to know if all my sisters are blonde, whether it's better to give than to receive regarding birch-twig beatings, and the name of my favourite Abba song?" Actually, I was interested in the Swedish characteristics she liked and disliked, but Lykke Li isn't playing. "Yes, we're obsessed with sex and death and, yes, all my girlfriends are slim and beautiful," she says with a chuckle, closely followed by a frown. "But I'm banned from saying anything negative about my country now." By the government? "No, by me. When I've said bad things I've been attacked and I didn't like that. So, as of today, no more Sweden." [Scotland on Sunday]

Wildbird and Peacedrums opened for, and later joined headliner Lykke Li for some songs at Webster Hall in NYC last night (2/2). Lykke put on a great show that included covers of Kings of Leon's "Knocked Up" (like she's done before) as well as "Can I Kick It" by A Tribe Called Quest (a song she once actually played WITH a member of ATCQ). Tonight (2/3) they do it again at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. More pictures and the full setlist from last night, below...

Lykke Li

Wildbirds & Peacedrums...

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

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Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Lykke Li...

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Lykke Li

More tour dates HERE.

Comments (27)

Can I Kick It? Is there an MP3 of this anywhere?

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 2:19 PM

she looks like a very annoying performer

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 2:21 PM

great show. i was only a casual admirer of lykke li before but she made me a full blown fan last night. the crowd, at least near me, completely sucked. i should have known this show would bring out all the 19 yo nyu kids that wanna see and been seen, but these idiots that are texting and looking everywhere else besides the stage should be slapped repeatedly with a filthy dish towel. i hope the three fugly girls that pushed and shoved their way in front of me read this: you're obnoxious, please don't ever attend any more shows in this city!!

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 2:23 PM

um...were you watching the show? the only people that could stand such filth are exactly those texting 19 yo nyu kids.

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 2:26 PM

she looks like a dog and sounds like a horse, but has the energy of a pig and rocks like a zebra, our little swedish nutria

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 2:56 PM

You could be right if you weren't such an idiot 2:26PM. The two times I've seen her last year there were people from all age groups in the audience. Many critics probably much older than you raved about her songs and performances. Of course here in the world of BV comments idiots know best.

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 3:02 PM

VOLVO!!! SAAB!!!

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 3:59 PM

she was fucking amazing. great energy and a captivating performer

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 4:06 PM

I think I'm a little bit in love with Lykke Li.

Posted by drewo | February 3, 2009 4:25 PM

I like her stage presence, but I thought she sounded kind of out of breath the whole time.

Posted by Zatzbatz | February 3, 2009 4:45 PM

soooo how was wildbirds? anyone got a comment on that?

Posted by melissa | February 3, 2009 5:06 PM

Wildbirds were really cool but vocals were a bit too bluesy but the concepts and performance were great!

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 5:26 PM

Hmm... they seemed to miss the part about how she sang us a lullaby. It was kind of random that she sang half of "Tears on my Pillow" by Little Anthony and the Imperials. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I lost it when I heard her singing it. Hahaha...

Posted by mada | February 3, 2009 5:50 PM

she put on a badass performance. no one can deny. also, what time did daft punk come on?

Posted by hollywasahoodrat | February 3, 2009 6:09 PM

is the betch fat or is that just the outfit? Would NOT hit it...

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 6:16 PM

great show. she had the energy of a crazy swedish forest nymph.
pretty horrible crowd though. some fugly drunk girls were pushing their way around me too.

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 6:52 PM

She didn't do "Until We Bleed".... Damn... Other than that, she always puts on a good show. Great energy...

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 7:08 PM

complaint department was great with the lights. i also love when she hits the drummer's high-hat.

and no, she's not even a little bit fat 6:16

ha! little bit

Posted by Anonymous | February 3, 2009 7:20 PM

Walked into the stage right backstage bathroom right after she was in it. Lykke took a shit. Smelled wild. Is she a vegetarian? Either way she was nice enough to work with but she does kinda have old droopy face.

Posted by Bert | February 3, 2009 9:57 PM

Wildbirds & Peacedrums blew Lykke Li out of the fucking water tonight at MHOW

WILDBIRDS = LEGIT
LYKKE LI = HORRIBLY OVERHYPED

Posted by Anonymous | February 4, 2009 2:42 AM

lykke LI is RidiCulouslY talentEd! hYpe hAs nothInG to dO with her!!! aLl YoU peoPLe are HAterS! SeE YA sOOn LyKKe!!!

Posted by Anonymous | February 4, 2009 8:19 AM

Lick me, Lykke Li

Posted by Nick | February 4, 2009 8:54 AM

Lykke Li put on a great show, have to admit the crowd was pretty lame though. Not a whole lot of people even moving while I thought she had a lot of energy. Either way, I thought she did a great job (come on she covered triiibe man)and you all need to stop hating so much!!

Posted by Nicole | February 4, 2009 2:25 PM

I, on the other hand, can't resist bringing up Sweden. KYLE, your photographs are brilliant and demand as much attention as they deserve. Sven Nykvist (Bergman's cinematographer for Persona and many others would kiss your hand...or, well, something of similar sorts).

As for Lykke Li.. all sexes won't be capable of not having a crush on her. What's not to adore?

Posted by Chelsea Trescott | February 4, 2009 3:36 PM

6:16....do you comment on how fat and bald dan deacon is? i bet not. your double standard is pathetic and old fashioned. also, i'll put money down on a bet that you are not fit and can't sing or dance half as well as lykke li. crawl back into your sad little life and stop trying to lower good people with talent to your sub grave level.

Posted by Anonymous | February 4, 2009 4:33 PM

"6:16....do you comment on how fat and bald dan deacon is?"

Only Captain Obvious makes comments about Dan Deacon's weight and baldness.

Posted by Anonymous | February 4, 2009 7:26 PM

AKVAVIT!!!

Posted by Anonymous | February 5, 2009 1:25 PM

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