Liseberg - September 3. At exactly 7pm the lights on the back of the main stage at Liseberg suddenly spring to life and a warning siren begins to echo around the park. Out strides the self confessed ‘Världens snuskigaste man' (‘The world's dirtiest man') dressed in knee high boots pulled over black tight trousers and topped off with a jacket featuring shoulder padding that wouldn't look out of place on General Pinochet. He looks like he means business as he kicks off the aforementioned song with gusto.
Immediately following it with ‘Vill ha dig' (‘I want you') and it's not hard to see that all the young ladies in the audience have already given themselves up to him.
The band, clearly well polished after a summer of festivals, are somewhat anonymous (the guitarist looks like The Edge as played by the nerdiest kid at school) but it's Kristian though who is the focus and he gives it his all. He is clearly enjoying playing Liseberg despite the rain.
A gorgeous version of ‘Paris' is played and then after a brief geography lesson - "Mölndal" (big cheer) "Örgryte" (silence) "Hisingen" (medium cheer) "Västra Frölunda" (huge cheer) - he kicks of the song of the same name throwing his guitar around his neck and sending the Spanish matadors hat he's been sporting flying through the air. The crowd sparks into life, ignoring the rain, and the celebration continues into a brilliant version of ‘Smutser.'
Anttila is known for having a young audience and it's certainly in evidence here at Liseberg. My wife and I are both amongst the elder members despite she only being in her late 20's. She comments to me that she's glad we're both wearing Converse as this seems to be the footwear of choice (we count at least 26 pairs in our immediate vicinity!)
It's easy to understand Anttila's appeal to the younger generation but there is a sense that he's striving for more. A new album is due out next month and, on evidence of the newer material tonight, his current teenage audience will in future be swelled by more Converse wearing adults than just the wife and I.
Världens snuskigaste man? Probably not. Sweden's next big thing? Almost certainly.
