This week Eric Saade has been a busy chap. Well, he’s always a busy chap – but this time it was over in France. He spent a few days there meeting press, performing to fans, and generally setting about launching his pop career over there. The main event of this promotional trip was a gig that he did in Paris last night. AND, as it happens, a very good friend of ours – Patrick (a Scandinavian pop loving Australian living in France!) was in attendance. So when he offered to send us a review, a set-list, some video footage, and above all – some superb photos of the gig, of course we said YES!
So here’s what he had to say;
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On Thursday night, we ventured out into the sleazy and small side streets around the Gare du Nord train station to find a crowd of about one hundred people queuing up and waiting outside a charming city theatre. There were cameras all around, in the hands of both fans and the media, all out to see a one Mr Eric Saade, who was stuck in Paris’ notorious traffic.
First surprise was being greeted by the host of Fredag Kväll med Malin, Malin Olsson, last seen on scandipop.co.uk destroying Le Kid’s famous candy props. Resembling a young, sweet Dannii Minogue, Malin and cameraman Glen were filming Eric’s adventures and capers in France. Some fans had been hanging outside for several hours. But soon we caught a glimpse of Eric being bundled into the venue, and were allowed in ourselves.
Eric graced the stage to perform a set of six songs;
Made Of Pop
Timeless
Popular
Break Of Dawn
Killed By A Cop
and finally Hearts In The Air – his current single out in France right now.
His voice was in fine form and he seemed to have plenty of energy, despite having spent the whole afternoon talking with a string of French journalists. He was joined on stage by two enormously energetic dancers; their vigorous ‘neck breaking’ scene in ‘Killed By A Cop’ being a particularly notable element of the choreography!
You can get a taste of the atmosphere from these short videos of Killed By A Cop and Hearts In The Air.
It’s been said before here on scandipop what a well mannered gent Eric is when you meet him, but it must be said again that he came across as so very humble and genuinely excited to meet this group of French fans for the first time. He thanked everyone numerous times for coming and for being such an enthusiastic crowd. Plus, he joked about his own fitness levels in comparison! He also thanked his “bros”; his dancers and his close collaborator J-Son, who joined Eric on stage for the last song, ‘Hearts In The Air’.
After the concert, Eric spent an hour or so meeting with fans, taking photos and signing autographs. Let’s hope his career in France takes off – a notoriously difficult market for non-Francophone or non-American artists.
Some more pictures from the gig;
