The
Cardigans Bimbo's
San Francisco, CA June 19, 1996
The Cardigans came with all their weirdness to San Francisco's Bimbo's Club. Strolling on-stage in front of the 1,000-plus crowd ever so coolly, singer Nina Persson and her four Nordic males waved and introduced themselves politely. It is truly disgusting, but each member could probably do modeling for Hugo Boss if they weren't in a band, because they are all gorgeous. Those damn Swedes!
Wearing a tiny black tank-top and a denim mini-skirt, Persson gracefully walked around the stage as she sang, waving her arms occasionally as if she was sprinkling the audience with fairy dust (or that powdered cheese that comes with the macaroni). She glided through songs like "Daddy's Car," a song about a holiday gone "bad," and "Rise & Shine." Persson has an amazing voice; smoother than melted Nutella on a hot scone. Problem is, she could sing these songs standing on her pretty little head, so it would've been nice to hear her sing something a bit more challenging.
Another problem with the show is that the Cardigans' music just doesn't transfer to the stage very well. The sound is good, but this type of lounge music is better suited for a supper club. It's the kind of music you want to hear in the background while you chat with some friends over a nice plate of chicken Kiev or oysters on the half-shell, so it wasn't surprising to see that most of the audience were heavily engrossed in conversations of their own during most of the 60-minute set. After each song, people would look up and clap politely, then go right back to talking.
But you have to give the Cardigans credit nonetheless, because musically, they are a tight outfit and their lyrics are just strange enough to hold your attention for awhile, anyway. As Persson sang their current single, "Carnival," people actually began to dance a little, and one girl felt inspired enough to yell out, "I love Sweden!" And just seeing Persson and her Nordic males do "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" for the encore made the night worthwhile. "This is a very serious song," said Persson. I couldn't tell if she was making a joke or being serious. Hearing her sing "They just tell you that you're on your own, fill your head up full of lies, lies, lies, lies," in her Wonder Bread squeaky-clean way would be enough to inspire Ozzy Osbourne himself to convert to the priesthood.
So overall, the show was mediocre, but if nothing else the Cardigans do leave you feeling happy. Like childhood nursery rhymes and old School House Rock songs, their blend of upbeat, artsy pop can lift your spirits no matter how down you are.