MEET ME AT LONDON'S DORCHESTER HOTEL

Last week I went to see The Sounds play live in Lausanne, at Les Docks.

Like Gossip (see post below), I've always been a big fan of their music and style. For those of you who have never heard of The Sounds, shame on you - especially you Swiss people! I was kind of disappointed (and happy) to see their show wasn't sold out. And why was I also happy? Simply because I got to be in the front row during the whole concert.

Okay, so let's start with some basic facts:

The Sounds are a Swedish "new wave" band founded 10 years ago (just like Gossip), in 1999. Their debut album "Living in America" was released in 2002 and has great songs on it like "Dance With Me", "Living in America", "Hit Me", "Rock'n Roll" or "Like a Lady".

Their second album "Dying to Say This to You" was released 4 years later, in 2006, and features amazing songs like: "Song With a Mission", "Queen of Apology", "Tony the Beat", "Painted by Numbers" or the more calmer song of "Night After Night".

Speaking of the album, the girl on the left of the cover (see below) is none other than DJ Leigh Lezark of the NYC-based DJ trio "The Misshapes". She also appeared in The Sounds' "Tony the Beat" music video and is also an international model (H&M and Gap ad campaigns, Henry Holland runway walk at the 2007 London Fashion Week, etc.). The other girl on the cover (right side) is a friend of Leigh's called Alexis Page.

Their third and most recent album "Crossing the Rubicon" was released in June, 2009. And I have to admit it: I first listened to their new songs on my iPhone on the way to the concert (gawsh I guess my final exams this summer did indeed cut me off from the real world). But I still had an amazing and great time. They played some of my favorite songs, Maja was amazing (she really interacts with her public: likes to touch them, look them straight in the eyes, and even give them the mic - btw if you ever read this, thanks for giving me and my friend Sarah the opportunity to sing some Lalala's for you).

After a lot of shoe touching, necklace grabbing, winks, sing-alongs, screams and laughter, the concert was finished. And I'm happy I finally got to see them live.

Since I didn't have enough pictures to make a full album, I decided I'd post them all on the blog. For the info, I wasn't allowed to bring my big camera, so I used a small Nikon Coolpix, and although it's not my usual style, I kind of like how the pictures turned out! I even got to take some videos, in very poor quality, I have to admit, but still, it gives a good idea of what the gig was like.

The Sounds - Painted By Numbers

The Sounds - Home Is Where The Heart Is

The acoustic version of "Home Is Where The Heart Is" was my favorite song of the show. A duo composed of Maja and her pianist Jesper. That simple: her voice, his piano. Nothing more. Nothing less. And seriously, it gave me the shivers. And I loved how she had to lit up a cigarette for this song and only smoked it once the song was over. I've always been a big fan of Maja's. Her voice, her style, her beauty. EVERYTHING. Her voice is one of my favorite in female vocals, her style is 100% rock'n'roll and her beauty, simply swedish (i'm a blonde myself so this is just blonde-pride).