Monday, August 4, 2025

BLÅ TÅGET – På Fågel Blå (MNW, 1982)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

I suppose a lot of people assumed that when Blå Tåget disbanded in 1974, that was the end of it. The revamped version called Stockholm Norra was more like an afterthought, and besides, it wasn't the original band anyway. A one-off Blå Tåget reunion in 1980 was just that, but they returned again for several concerts in 1981. The first one was at Fågel Blå, resident stage of theatre group Tidningsteatern, and ended up on a double album the year after.

They performed several new songs (or at least songs never previously recorded), but the whole thing feels more like a nostalgia show. The playing is more accomplished than during their original years, but that means they lost much of their original amateurish appeal. Here they sound like a bunch of cabaret entertainers delivering dance band-like renditions of the Gunder Hägg/Blå Tåget repertoire – imagine The Fugs playing a backstreet Las Vegas joint with ”Nothing”, ”Kill For Peace” and ”I Couldn't Get High”. What a hoot. (Actually, thinking of it, that would be more interesting to hear.)

The original line-up is intact with one glaring exception: Roland Keijser isn't here and with him gone, it becomes ever so obvious that he indeed was one of the most important members of the group. At the same time, I'm happy he didn't lend himself to this. 

Full album playlist

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