On a cool summer’s eve, Kim Larsen and his band Kjukken visited one of Copenhagen’s many green parks.
In Søndermarken, beneath leaves still heavy with the rain that had fallen only a few hours earlier, a great many fans had gathered to hear him play – how many I can’t say, but I have heard rumours around the 10000’s, maybe more, maybe less.
Those who had braved the slow-moving queues of the bars, now stood with beer in hand, and waited for the show to begin…

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome.”
- Kim Larsen (vocals/guitar)

When it was time, Larsen walked out on the stage alone, slightly resting on his cane, and sat down in his chair. He picked up his guitar, and began playing Haveje, with the fitting lyrics; “Vi ber bare guderne om godt vejr” (=we just ask the gods for good weather). With a slight alteration to the lyrics, and only the first verse and chorus played, the Kjukken boys entered the stage as well – Karsten Skovgaard on lead guitar, Jørn Jeppesen on rhythm guitar, Jesper Haugaard on bass (and double bass at times), and Jens Langhorn on drums. After introductions were made by Larsen, the whole band went into Strengelegen, in which Skovgaard put more of a rock feeling than usual into the solo.
We had been promised an extraordinary show, where the band would play two sets with a short break in the middle. Well, this was true, but this didn’t stop them from trying to push as many songs in as possible anyway. Especially the first part of the set was played quickly, with songs coming mostly back to back, and very little time was spent not playing. The setlist held many classics, interwoven with songs from the recently released album Øst For Vesterled. One song from this album stood out for this reporter, Vinternat, a driven pop song with a hint of country groove to it.
With all this, it was still the classic Gasolin’ song Det Bedste Til Mig Og Mine Venner, that really grabbed the fans and put them in a party mood. And with that, the first section was finished.

“Blessed is he who sits down.”
- Larsen (vocals/guitar)

Whilst being a quite lovely park, Søndermarken isn’t exactly known for hosting musical events. It’s placed right next to the Copenhagen Zoo, and with some luck, you might spot a giraffe if you stand in the right place. It’s also frequented by people who feel like a nice walk, jog, or run, and the grass isn’t unfamiliar with picnics. This was the first time I’ve ever heard about something like this happening though, and not only was I unsure about where exactly where in the park it would take place, but also how it would be pulled of technically.
The stage was placed in the South side of the park, with some distance to the animals (in order to give them some peace I suppose), in a natural wedge of open grass between strands of trees. The place was large of course, to accommodate the large number of people visiting the show, and there was a large food section and several bar tents put up. Surprisingly, given the number of bar tents, there was constantly a very large line to said tents, something I blame on a slow-moving serving staff. Oh, they were kind and positive enough, but man did it take time to pour that beer.
Still, standing there we had plenty of time to focus on the show. Two large video screens had been raised, one on each side of the stage, so that everyone could follow what was going on, and these were used well, showing both band and crowd, often in a split screen mode, so that we didn’t miss anything. At one point, these showed a very young girl, I would venture a guess at between 7 to 10 years of age, holding a sign above her head which said “Jeg elsker Kim Larsen” (=I love Kim Larsen), and the look of joy that spread across her face when she noticed herself being filmed was absolutely priceless!
We could also listen, and this was probably the most positive surprise of the evening. You see, the sound quality was absolutely fantastic! Everything came through clear and sharp, yet with just the right amount of warmth to make this a truly spectacular event.

Or, it would have been, if the band had put a bit more effort into it. The crowd was warm and willing, and yet things, as I mentioned before, didn’t truly loosen up until the very end of the first section.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the band surely wasn’t bad! They were tight in their playing, and with both the setlist and the sound, they really had the foundation laid out for them. And still, it somehow felt flat. Uninspired. More routine than fire.
Skovgaard and Haugaard made the most effort to break this, as they moved about more than the others, and seemed a bit more playful as well, but it wasn’t enough to lift the entire show.
By the second set, after a 25 minutes break, the band had warmed up a bit more, and halfway through this, Larsen’s voice began to sound more like its old self again. It was sad though, that at a show like this, it would take the largest part of the set for the band just to warm up. The feeling wasn’t helped along by the fact that Larsen sat in his chair the whole time either. Fair enough, he’s no spring chicken, and it’s highly possible that his back operation from a few years ago still plays a part in him taking it easier, but it also puts a bit of a blockage on the energy to just have him sit there. If it were possible, maybe just for a single song or two, to stand up, I believe this would have helped even more.
Still, the crowd was alive and energetic enough to lift the experience. There was a very positive atmosphere in the park, people were singing along as best they could, which was pretty darned good, and some, with the warming aid of alcohol, also took up dancing.
More classics in the second set also helped of course, and here I was especially glad to hear Byens Hotel and Jutlandia. Langebro, which we recently ran into performed as Geordie by the Danish rock band Junkyard Drive at the Nordic Noise Rock Festival, put the final ring to the show, and was what followed us home through the light summer streets of Copenhagen.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.”
- Larsen (vocals/guitar)

The event was called A Summer’s Eve with Kim Larsen, and this was exactly what we got. In the green and pleasant surroundings of Søndermarken, where rain had reigned only a few hours earlier, but was held back by a wish to the gods for good weather. Good weather we got, and a good show. Not flawless, but good nonetheless.

Setlist:

Haveje
Strengelegen (Gasolin’ cover)
Dagen Før
Uma Na Na
Kom Igen
Vinternat
Christianshavns Kanal
Sammen & Hver For Sig
Fru Sauterne
Moder Jord
Jyllingevej
De Smukke Unge Mennesker
Sømand Ombord
Se Din By Fra Tårnets Top (Gasolin’ cover)
Det Bedste Til Mig Og Mine Venner (Gasolin’ cover)
(pause)
Længes Hjem (Gasolin’ cover)
All The Things We Said
Byens Hotel
Sirenesangen (Gasolin’ cover)
Fri Som En Fugl
Køb Bananer
Perron ”Gare Du Nord” (Gasolin’ cover)
Nostalgi
Jutlandia
This Is My Life (Gasolin’ cover)
Susan Himmelblå
Rabalderstræde (Gasolin’ cover)
Midt Om Natten
Kvinde Min (Gasolin’ cover)
Langebro (Gasolin’ cover)