Ida Maria @ The Carling Academy 9/11/08

Ida Maria the Norwegian singer-songwriter, is probably best known for her chick rock song, “Better When your Naked”, which many may dismiss for being too superficial and a bit of a cliché. Those who do, are missing out big time, for this is an artist out of the ordinary.
It wasn’t until I heard “Oh My God” that I really began to like Ida Maria.The song is so powerful, you can just feel her frustration, and listening to it nice and loud, is a great vent for ones own. The more I heard her album through and through, the more it grew on me, and now that I have seen her live, I’m completely sold.
Ida describes her songs as square pop songs, and although they are quite guitar heavy in a good way, they are catchy pop tunes, easy to sing along and let loose to, and all under 3:30minutes. Her voice is so unique, cracking at all the right places. She has a wonderful Norwegian accent, adding to the charm of her presence on stage.
Ida stepped on stage wearing a big fur coat, and began with the line “whisky please”, which the crowd, consisting mainly of teenage girls, the alternative kind, began singing along to. The concert was very intense, her eyes, almost crazy looking, starring over the crowd, perhaps due to her synesthesia. The roadie had to come on stage several times, to pick up her guitar or microphone which she let crash around on stage, something that the security guards didn’t seem to be expecting, judging from the young girlie crowd. Despite her on stage performance, the crowd were very mellow, and it wasn’t until the last song, that everyone finally let loose, jumping around, and all pushing to the front in a big mush pit. The screams when she finished were piercing, and she said very sincerely thank you so much, before leaving the stage dripping with sweat. I have to say, it was great!

1) Queen of the World

2) Louie
3) Morning Light
4) Forgive Me
5) Keep Me Warm
6) Drive Away My Heart
7) Stella
8) Always Alone
9) Oh My God
Encore
10) Hell
11) Naked

More information visit: http://www.myspace.com/idamaria

Words and photos by Emilia Flockhart