While Hot Chip might have slept first-class, their UK-tour support Casiokids is travelling and lodging a little more modest. We meet them the morning after their opening for Hot Chip at Glasgow’s O2 Academy at their hotel next to a very busy flyover. It is somewhat noisy, so the five Norwegians grab their instruments and flee from the heavily trafficked area to the waterfront. At the landmark Squiggly bridge the Bergen-based band performs “Gront Lys I Alle Ledd” and “Verdens Største Land” on old-school keyboard, electric guitar, tambourine, some red percussion thingy and a carrot shaker. Clutching his banana and swaying to the music, their tour manager has temporarily slipped into the monkey-role. It’s fascinating how Casiokids transfer their brilliant pop songs from their enormously danceable, bass- and beat-soaked stage performance with funky disco feeling to a fragile and reduced outdoor set that is still completely winsome. No wonder that this band succeeded in the historic release of the first ever Norwegian language pop single in the UK in 2008. Most of their worldwide fan crowd might not have the slightest idea about what Ketil and Fredrik are singing in high voices and still get the message.

casiokids.com
myspace.com/casiokids