“Whatever happens, keep playing.”
That's what Ulf Dageby, who passed away this summer, used to say to the rest of the National Theatre's Rock Orchestra. And even though it was anything but obvious to carry on without him, the members realized that Ulf had been right. Now the legendary band is going on tour, and of course they're stopping in the city where it all began: Lund. On May 16, they'll take to the big stage at Mejeriet!
"In this band, the self is not important, it's the stories that are the thing. Even though it's sad that it's like that, these songs are still relevant and need to be played," says Matilda Sjöström, one of the Rock Orchestra's singers.
“Children of our time”, “Life is a party”, “Look look”, “The bank is trawling”, “But only if my beloved is waiting”, “Hanna from Arlöv”… That’s how it goes. The National Theatre classics seem destined for eternity. Generation after generation sings along to these depictions of growing up, class, exclusion and vulnerability, and takes them to heart.
The National Theatre's Rock Orchestra lost Ulf Dageby, one of the singers, founders and the band's main songwriters, this summer. Since the Rock Orchestra has always been a constantly changing constellation with members drifting in and out, Ulf was always clear that if someone no longer wants or can stay, new talents should be brought in so that the orchestra can roll on: "Whatever happens, keep playing," he said.
"Ulf was both our best friend and a work colleague, so it wasn't entirely obvious that we would continue. But after the funeral, we realized that he had both his normal family and our musical family - and families stick together," says Matilda Sjöström.
Members:
HÅKAN NYBERG – drums
HÅKAN SVENSSON – guitar
ULF VINYL STENBERG – keyboards
MATTIAS HELLBERG – vocals
MATILDA SJÖSTRÖM – vocals
KALLE GUSTAFSSON JERNEHOLM – bass
ANDERS MÖLLER – guitar and vocals