I remember stumbling upon I’m From Barcelona’s 2007 Lollapalooza set by accident, mesmerized by the brightly colored costumes, frenetic melodies, and overcrowded stage.
How overcrowded? It takes more than a minute of this video for frontman Emanuel Lundgren’s to introduce the 18 high-energy band members on stage, starting with a bear. Eighteen might seem like way too many people to make up a band, especially if you take into consideration how difficult it can be for your typical foursome to work peacefully.
But a third of the band apparently didn’t even make the trip from Jönköping, Sweden to the Windy City, as the not-Spanish band more often than not consists of 27 members. If you have an evening to spare, you can get to know each of the members by checking out the 27 solo songs, which were released on their website earlier this year.
After Lundgren’s introductions, the band launches into “Britney”, a tribute to the disorderly pop star and her head-shaving antics. There’s a lot of jumping, often while cheerfully clapping to the beat and somehow also shaking tambourines. Brightly colored balloons tied to the many microphone stands enhance the happy rainbow extravaganza.
The security guards seem unsure whether they should be watching out for the relatively tame audience or the hyperactive band members, as Lundgren counts down to his herkie jump from the stage while simultaneously launching into the anthemic and cultish “We’re From Barcelona”:
We’ll aim for the stars
We’ll aim for your heart when the night comes
And we’ll bring you love
You’ll be one of us when the night comes
Watch the video and keep your eyes peeled for the bear and three regular guys performing the dance moves to the aforementioned lyrics. Warning: This song WILL get stuck in your head.
