Jesper Binzer
Pumpehuset, Copenhagen - 2020
Text: Tobias Nilsson Photo: Lunah Lauridsen
Jesper Binzer is a busy man, all things considered. It wasn’t very long ago at all, that we saw him play with his main band D-A-D in Tivoli in Copenhagen for several sold out days in a row, and now he was back in town with his self-titled project, playing two sold out shows in Pumpehuset - on the same day!
Add to that, that D-A-D released their latest record, A Prayer For The Loud last year, and Binzer released his latest project album this year, Save Your Soul.
Given this, no one would have blamed him for needing a bit of time warming up, or catching his breath. When the show opened, that didn’t seem to be the case though, as Binzer and the rest of the gang were all fired up and ready to go!
“My, how good it is to see you here! It’s great to be out playing, but it’s even greater that you all dared to show up. Now, just sit back and receive this gift of ours.”
- Jesper Binzer (vocals)
As the lights went down, the sound of thunder and rain filled the room, closely followed by an added keyboard run. It didn’t take long for the lights to go back up again though, and the band to enter the stage - followed by loud cheers and applause from the audience. Apparently Pumpehuset wasn’t as restrictive as Tivoli had been, about letting the crowd’s voices be heard.
Binzer had time for a short greeting, before the band was off and running, their first song of the night being the opener of the new album, Life Is Moving, and I could now recognise the intro keyboard run, as the one opening this very song.
The band moved easily from debut material to sophomore, and they dynamically mixed faster songs with slower ones, to keep us interested. There was a section after the first couple of songs which slumped due to too many slow songs in a row, but other than that, it was good - and as soon as the tempo picked up again, all was forgiven.
Having these seated rock shows is a strange size. I understand and accept that it’s better than to have nothing at all, and yeah, it really is. That doesn’t mean that it’s the same though, and I thought this could be felt tonight, even more so than for the D-A-D concerts the month before.
The crowd was shouting along, and there were applause and support enough for the band, but a certain amount of laziness, in lack of a better word, sets in while seated, that won’t be experienced when standing or moving about, and it was this laziness that dragged the fulfilment of the show down a bit in the end.
It surely wasn’t the band, or anything they did or more particular didn’t do, rest assured about that. From the moment they stepped on stage until the time they stood arm in arm and took a bow before leaving, they were 100% on. It was especially Binzer and the two guitarists, Søren Andersen and Christian Hede Madsen, who rocked out on stage; Anders Borre Mathiesen (bass), Jakob Rønlov (drums), and the newest branch on the trunk, Jesper Bo Hansen (hammond) took a physically calmer route, albeit no less intense to watch and hear.
In fact, it was Bo Hansen’s birthday, a thing remarked by Binzer, and cheered by the crowd.
I’ve mentioned something about the set, but I’d also like to bring up a specific highlight of the show. This was in Planet Blue, where a very much extended solo section first let Bo Hansen and then Sørensen really shine with their capabilities. I’m usually not a solo kind of guy, but this one stood out from the usual crud, as it was both fun and engaging - and the thought of it will stay with me!
Apart from being overwhelmed by this, there was one other detail that piqued my interest. Since this was December after all, and Jesper Binzer released a christmas song back in 2018 (One Day Of Peace, in case you were wondering), why wasn’t said song played at the show? When could he possibly find a better fit for it?
Aside from that, we had a good time with Jesper Binzer and band. Their rock, and the cold beers we had in front of us, were the perfect antidote to the growing christmas madness outside. Let’s just hope there is a day of peace in store for the busy Binzer as well.
Setlist:
Life Is Moving
My Head’s Been Places
Undecided
Real Love
Planet Blue
Rock On Rock On Rock
Premonition
The Price Of Patience
Don’t Let Them Make You Choose Sides
The Heart Will Find Its Way
Dream Big
The Future Is Now
Dying Is Easy (Rock’N’Roll Is Hard)
Move A Mountain
Save Your Soul
Add to that, that D-A-D released their latest record, A Prayer For The Loud last year, and Binzer released his latest project album this year, Save Your Soul.
Given this, no one would have blamed him for needing a bit of time warming up, or catching his breath. When the show opened, that didn’t seem to be the case though, as Binzer and the rest of the gang were all fired up and ready to go!
“My, how good it is to see you here! It’s great to be out playing, but it’s even greater that you all dared to show up. Now, just sit back and receive this gift of ours.”
- Jesper Binzer (vocals)
As the lights went down, the sound of thunder and rain filled the room, closely followed by an added keyboard run. It didn’t take long for the lights to go back up again though, and the band to enter the stage - followed by loud cheers and applause from the audience. Apparently Pumpehuset wasn’t as restrictive as Tivoli had been, about letting the crowd’s voices be heard.
Binzer had time for a short greeting, before the band was off and running, their first song of the night being the opener of the new album, Life Is Moving, and I could now recognise the intro keyboard run, as the one opening this very song.
The band moved easily from debut material to sophomore, and they dynamically mixed faster songs with slower ones, to keep us interested. There was a section after the first couple of songs which slumped due to too many slow songs in a row, but other than that, it was good - and as soon as the tempo picked up again, all was forgiven.
Having these seated rock shows is a strange size. I understand and accept that it’s better than to have nothing at all, and yeah, it really is. That doesn’t mean that it’s the same though, and I thought this could be felt tonight, even more so than for the D-A-D concerts the month before.
The crowd was shouting along, and there were applause and support enough for the band, but a certain amount of laziness, in lack of a better word, sets in while seated, that won’t be experienced when standing or moving about, and it was this laziness that dragged the fulfilment of the show down a bit in the end.
It surely wasn’t the band, or anything they did or more particular didn’t do, rest assured about that. From the moment they stepped on stage until the time they stood arm in arm and took a bow before leaving, they were 100% on. It was especially Binzer and the two guitarists, Søren Andersen and Christian Hede Madsen, who rocked out on stage; Anders Borre Mathiesen (bass), Jakob Rønlov (drums), and the newest branch on the trunk, Jesper Bo Hansen (hammond) took a physically calmer route, albeit no less intense to watch and hear.
In fact, it was Bo Hansen’s birthday, a thing remarked by Binzer, and cheered by the crowd.
I’ve mentioned something about the set, but I’d also like to bring up a specific highlight of the show. This was in Planet Blue, where a very much extended solo section first let Bo Hansen and then Sørensen really shine with their capabilities. I’m usually not a solo kind of guy, but this one stood out from the usual crud, as it was both fun and engaging - and the thought of it will stay with me!
Apart from being overwhelmed by this, there was one other detail that piqued my interest. Since this was December after all, and Jesper Binzer released a christmas song back in 2018 (One Day Of Peace, in case you were wondering), why wasn’t said song played at the show? When could he possibly find a better fit for it?
Aside from that, we had a good time with Jesper Binzer and band. Their rock, and the cold beers we had in front of us, were the perfect antidote to the growing christmas madness outside. Let’s just hope there is a day of peace in store for the busy Binzer as well.
Setlist:
Life Is Moving
My Head’s Been Places
Undecided
Real Love
Planet Blue
Rock On Rock On Rock
Premonition
The Price Of Patience
Don’t Let Them Make You Choose Sides
The Heart Will Find Its Way
Dream Big
The Future Is Now
Dying Is Easy (Rock’N’Roll Is Hard)
Move A Mountain
Save Your Soul
Jesper Binzer
