How many are they really? 28? The catalyst Emanuel Lundgren himself hardly knows anymore. It is him who has been the driving force and song writer for Sweden’s most poppy big band since the debut. Until now. The group has plans to release an album where everyone in the band gets to write their own song – and it can sound like anything. The release is planned for this autumn and sometime around next summer there might be another album from the band, but this time more classical.

     – It will be a normal ”Barca album”. We are pretty much halfway through and we have established that it probably won’t be very modest. It will be quite a lot of fists in the air.

     This summer I’m From Barcelona will be touring heavily around Europe. In preparation for the upcoming albums the band would like to know what the reactions on the yet unreleased material will be.

     – It would be a shame if you had recorded the albums prior to playing the songs live and when you put them out to the audience lots of stuff happen. Then you’ll think “damn, I would have wanted to capture that on the album”.

     A lot of inspiration from live shows is therefore welcome. I’m From Barcelona have become known for giving the audience a treat at their joy-filled show and if you ask Emanuel Lundgren how they manage to do that he answers:

     – We have developed some kind of destructive state of mind on how you should play every gig as if it was the last.

     A few hours later it is time for the show. And of course I’m From Barcelona gives their all. The band is like a combination of a children’s party and a run down nuclear power plant. The euphoria is substantial and you are fascinated about how everyone in this bunch contributes, but at the same time it is far from tight or perfect. To be honest you wonder how long I’m From Barcelona can play before something cracks or explodes.

     But it doesn’t and the longer into the gig we get the more the euphoria spreads among the audience. When the band plays Mingus, a real children’s party brakes out with balloons and confetti and during the super cute Treehouse (with affiliated dance routine) Lundgren extends to do a classic stage dive.

     The hit We’re from Barcelona gets thanklessly squeezed in the middle of the set list but besides from that there is not much to complain about. I’m From Barcelona cheer, dance and bounce their way through the whole gig and in front of the stage is a sea of merry Frenchmen who do the same. The euphoria is contagious and I’m From Barcelona plays like if it was their last gig ever. And there might be something saying that the band will not be forever, Emanuel Lundgren thinks.

     – We are painfully aware of the fact that we would never be able to go on for 10 years. It would never work.

Translation: Marie Lindström