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REVIEW | First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit's Klara Soderberg. Picture: Toni Wilkinson

CONCERT
First Aid Kit ★★★★
Chevron Festival Gardens | Review by Nick Sas

It is difficult not to fall utterly head over heels for First Aid Kit. Two gorgeous Swedish girls singing gorgeous songs about love and life (what else), layered with gorgeous Americana harmonies that would make Loretta Lynn’s ears prick up.

Add in a packed Festival Gardens crowd under the stars (easily the busiest the venue has been for the Festival) with endearing onstage banter and you have the makings of a pretty special event.

The Soderberg sisters kicked things off with a brooding rendition of The Lion’s Roar, the title of their 2012 album.

It was evident from the start the girls were a class act, with their voices soaring in harmony over the appreciative crowd — which was, interestingly, an even mix of mature-age and Triple J demographics.

Dressed in different coloured — but matching — tassel tops, Johanna, the blonde, was almost head-banging along with the music, while sister Klara, was egging the competent backing band along with her energetic guitar playing.

Though they are Swedish, it is still odd to hear two girls who probably had Kalles Kaviar for breakfast sound like they were brought up on a diet of beans in a caravan in Nashville.

It was particularly evident in the soaring Stay Gold and Blue, a cute “party anthem” about a depressed middle-aged woman who hates her life. But then again, maybe that’s their charm.

The sisters are so comfortable on stage it feels like being huddled around a camp fire hearing their intimate stories — the incessant “yeah, yeahs” and rambling anecdotes were a case in point.

And they’re funny.

Before playing a loud version of Jack White’s Love Interruption — which probably didn’t quite hit the mark — Klara gave her hilarious Jack White impersonation, describing how he invited them to record in Nashville.

The other cover of the set, “sweet little guy” Paul Simon (and Garfunkle’s) America, did hit the mark and was a set highlight.

Then their most-famous song, My Silver Lining, was just superb.

The girls kicked off the encore with the bootscooting ditty Heaven Knows and it had all ages in the crowd bopping along.

Finishing with the mass singalong to the beautiful Emmylou, the girls and their band bowed and waved goodbye to an audience of smiling white teeth.

We had all fallen in love.