Siena Root

OCTOBER 16th 2004 at the Underground/Cologne, GER

At first, I feel sorry for the big belay about this review, but it was such a nice and entertaining evening at the Underground, that I want to have a small report about it in the Cosmic Lava. It wasn't the first time for SIENA ROOT to play some shows here in Germany, but it was the first time for me to watch this band as well as for my friend Rolf and his girlfriend Anja. A few months before this show, the group had released their excellent debut album "A New Day Dawning" and so they come over with more than just a dozen of good songs. But the evening started with a shock! When we arrived in Cologne at the Underground, only about 5 (!) persons were at the venue and it shouldn't change within the next hours. One again, I can't understand why people don't lift up the lazy asses from their couch, when a hot and promising band is playing in their hometown. But there was no SIENA ROOT hype or any other media.bullshit, and so there's no reason for the decadent mass to take notice from this show. Maybe that's one of the sad reasons for this state. Well, whatsoever, this didn't really bother us, because we have had our fun at this evening!

So, without any support band, SIENA ROOT entered the stage, and although only seven people were there, they played a full set over two hours! And they played very enthusiastic and powerful - there was no minute, when the band seemed to be bored or frustrated about the empty venue. Of course, they played a lot from the debut album as well as unreleased stuff and I must confess, that the whole show was a trip back into the heydays of heavy bluesy organ-based rock ca. 1971. Oskar Lundström's soulful voice was as charismatic as on vinyl, while he added some heavy-organ playing to the entire sound. The band was absoluty authentic in their natural performance, while the heavy blues came flowing out of the vintage stacks. SIENA ROOT were amazingly tight and heavy, and they did some jamming and improvisation as it was usual in the 70's, but they never lose the song or came up with some sort of long-winding boredom. One of the visual highlights happened during the drum solo, when drummer Love H. Forsberg set his sticks on fire, and continued his solo. Believe it or not, but the burning sticks fit perfectly to this smokin' heavy rock show! After ca two hours, the band came to an end, but they were kind enough to enter the stage again for an encore!!!!!

As far as I remember, it was a brandnew song and it was as great as the other material. After the gig, we went backstage with the nice guys of SIENA ROOT, and had a lot of fun and some good talk. But we had to take the last train back home, and so we must leave this place with the memory of an unforgetable good evening. I send my best regards over to the band, and give you advice to go to one of their shows - you won't regret it!!!!!

(KK)