It’s hard to imagine how Daniel Norgren would approach a live concert, when you know of his far from typical recording habits: he’s well known to dislike most high-tech production techniques, insisting on using stripped-back and outmoded equipment. Often he goes so far as building his own instruments. How far he could adapt these preferences to an amplified gig at Komedia was an interesting question.

He and his two supporting band-members took to the stage with a starting lineup of guitar, double bass and keyboard. All three sang for the opener ‘Waited For You’, which, aside for some distortion on the guitar, went out unaltered and with an all-natural sound. It was a good indication of what was to come; a song rooted in a simple and earthy subject, which was loaded with natural imagery, acoustically focused, and standing on the strength of the musicians.

Norgren clearly cultivates an organic atmosphere across his live music, as well as recorded. The stage was heaped with instruments. The band frequently switched up – but never used much tech. On the whole, all Norgren used were musicians, instruments and microphones, and bore out the natural sound with raw and simple lyrics. Norgren himself undoubtedly led the band with his guitar playing, dictating the rhythm of the whole group with his right hand – but the essence of the band lay in their excellent instrumentation, and each member brought their own style. If a dominant influence had to be identified, it would be southern rock and folk – but this ignores the musicianship the performers displayed.

A few songs in and Norgren had switched to accordion, which he played impressively well and again, with a commanding rhythm. He switched between this, guitar and keys throughout the gig, making the concert something of a musical exhibition. He also playrd a scorching harmonica solo on ‘People Are Good’ later in the set but, thankfully, the band never went overboard on the solos or made the concert musically elitist. They did, however, give the songs more energy and flexibility than his recorded material.

Norgren had immaculately composed the setlist so that the concert peaked in his four final songs, which included ‘Moonshine Got Me’, perhaps his most famous track – but he’d saved two of his best for his return to the stage, ‘I’m a Welder’ and ‘Whatever Turns You On’, which were a final glorious burst before he left the stage for good.

Norgren’s obviously an intelligent performer as well as a measured songwriter. He knows how to incorporate a broad range of influences, and how to stick close to his style while allowing for experimentation to make his live show exciting and rewarding. Towards the end of the concert, he welcomed his support, Phil Cook, onstage to play piano. Cook added a great deal to the songs, and this gives an indication of how far Norgren is willing to stray from the script in the interests of his live show – meaning that throughout the gig, he didn’t just give what could be heard on his records, but added to it significantly, making the concert a one-of-a-kind experience.
Ben Noble

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