Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: The Baboon Show (Sweden)

The Baboon Show (Punk / Garage Rock / Power Pop, Sweden)

The Baboon Show started out in Stockholm in late 2003 and was formed by Cecilia Boström (vocals), Håkan Sörle (guitar) and Niclas Svensson (drums). The name is based on the Swedish government, which in the eyes of the band behaves like “a horde of wild baboons”. In 2004 they released the DIY 6-track EP »This Is It!« and started touring Sweden and made themselves a reputation of being one of Sweden’s best live acts. They were played frequently in national radio and television and have been nominated for several awards.

In 2004 The Baboon Show signed to the Swedish indie label National. They released their three first albums within one year and seven months (Wow! That’s fast!) The Baboon Show kept on touring and soon they were asked to play abroad as well.

From the beginning, until this day, The Baboon Show are a frequently touring band and their fan base are growing bigger and bigger for every show they make. The Baboon Show are mainly touring in Scandinavia and Europe, but they have also toured in countries such as China and Cuba. The Baboon Show are a socialistic band and have a special love for Cuba, hence they returned to the tropical island for four times. In 2015 the band also went into a studio in Havana to record earlier released songs, but this time with Cuban musicians. A mixture of punkrock’n’roll and Cuban rhythms and beats.

From the fourth album »Punk Rock Harbour« (released in 2011) and forward, all The Baboon Shows albums have been released in Germany by the German label Kidnap Music. Since the »Punk Rock Harbour« release The Baboon Show work together with the producer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (The Hives, Randy among others). Their latest album »Radio Rebelde« was released in 2018 together with a Spanish edition.

The Baboon Show play a mixture of 77s punk, garage and power pop with influences such as X-Ray Spex, Blondie, Ramones, Buzzcocks, AC/DC, Toy Dolls and Dead Kennedys. The songs are mostly short, direct and very catchy; almost always without long intros and without background singers, choirs or the like. The distinctive voice of the lead singer Cecilia Boström and the hard, puristic, sometimes almost metallic sound of the (only) guitar are inseparable from the style of the band. The lyrics of the band are very often political and socially critical.

Discography:
• »Don’t Don’t Don’t« (National, 2005)
• »Pep Talk« (National, 2006)
• »Betsy’s Revenge« (National, 2007)
• »Punk Rock Harbour« (National/Kidnap Music/Cargo Records, 2010)
• »People’s Republic Of The Baboon Show Formerly Known As Sweden« (National/Kidnap Music/Cargo Records, 2013)
• »Damnation« (National/Kidnap Music/Cargo Records, 2014)
• »The World Is Bigger Than You« (National/Kidnap Music/Cargo Records, 2016)
• »Radio Rebelde« (National/Kidnap Music/Cargo Records, 2018)

Band members:
Cecilia Boström – Vocals
Håkan Sörle – Guitar
Frida Ståhl – Bass
Niclas Svensson – Drums

https://thebaboonshow.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thebaboonshow
https://www.instagram.com/thebaboonshowofficial/

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well