Review: KAELO at Rockhal

The concert that everyone has been talking about. On July 9th, Luxembourg welcomed for the first time the Icelandic rock band Kaleo, which has gained significant international attention since 2016. Iceland is really making a name for itself in the music scene, and Kaleo is clearly one of the major pillars of this well-deserved reputation. Even if the name dos not sound familiar, you probably know their major hit Way Down We Go, an acclaimed platinum single that featured in the soundtrack of Marvel's Logan. Although this is the song that allowed the band to reach stardom, there is hardly any track in their albums that is not a well composed and beautifully written anthem to Kaleo's deep and meaningful style of rock.

Their work is in some cases so reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s that they managed to gather a very diverse crowd, composed by fans of all ages. As you walked towards the Rockhal concert hall, you could see license plates from all neighbouring countries, a proof of just how international this event turned out to be. Many of the fans brought their best Rock n' Roll outfits, but several decided to go further, and wave around flags of Iceland or dress jerseys of the Icelandic national football team, which has recently gained some popularity in Central Europe.

The first band performing was Belle MT, a promising British group that delighted the audience with some of its most recent work. A lot of it was soft rock, something not as strong and intense as what one would expect from a Kaleo concert, but the depth of both their rhythm and lyrics was noteworthy. Water and Origins were their two most applauded songs, yet an amateur recording of this very concert seems to be the only trace of either of them online. Halfway through the performance, the lead singer shared with us that the whole band voted against Brexit, a statement that got a massive cheer from the audience. No self-respecting rock concert can be considered successful without an anti-establishment political remark. I am sure we will be hearing about Belle MT in the coming years and that their competence and talent will take them far.

After a short break, Kaleo finally got on stage. There are many artists that fail to sound as well as they do in their studio versions and, to be honest, I was a bit afraid this would be the case. JJ Julius Son, the lead singer, takes his voice to such extremes in almost every song that one could only wonder if he would be able to keep it up in a one-hour show. Yet he did not let us down, and managed to sing with such vocal strength, range and feeling that we began to question if this live performance was not even better than the recorded versions we have heard so often.

With only two albums released, the group must have played nearly all of its repertoire during the concert and there was never a dull moment. The only thing one could point out, is that they seemed to change pace a bit too frequently, often alternating between slow ballads and the heavier rock songs that really got us jumping. It certainly did not spoil the fun, however, and you can be sure you're a success when a crowd in Luxembourg does, in fact, jump. The residents of the Grand-Duchy are not exactly known for being a euphoric public.

After a cancelled performance in 2017, Kaleo finally came to Rockhal and lived up to our best expectations. The band promised to return soon and we will certainly hold them to their word.

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