I’m from Barcelona is the happy accident of Swedish frontman Emmanuel Lundgren, who recorded some gleeful pop songs in his living room with a gaggle of friends in 2005. Lundgren organized a one-time performance with all twenty-eight of them, but this ‘finale’ sparked enough internet and blog buzz that within the year, I’m from Barcelona had released an EP, Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams, Buddy, and an album, Let Me Introduce My Friends. If you thought Let Me Introduce My Friends was feel good, wait until to you see them in concert, as Parisist did last night.

After an opening set by Thedo, a less riotous YeahYeahYeahs with Karen O vocal stylings, I’m from Barcelona spilled onto the stage, eighteen members strong. Most of the band plays an instrument at some point, but though the sound remained surprisingly clear, one’s never sure who plays what where. The overall effect is an ecstatic jumble of dancers, singers, and kidders, like a pep rally for pop music.

Lundgren was crowd surfing by the first song with trust-fall ethos. Mission accomplished when he tumbled back on stage and declared, 'I think we all know each other better now.'

I’m from Barcelona’s magnitude likens them to Polyphonic Spree, though the latter’s white robes make them the commune choir to Barcelona’s sand lot singers. Lundgren is familiar and charismatic, and there’s only sincerity in his address to the audience as his friends. There was all kinds of commerce between the audience and the stage, from bounce-a-longs to confetti to an audience-member kazoo solo that almost made Parisist go awwww. Afterward, I’m from Barcelona buddy Adventure Kid spun his beats with the bands, while band members boogied like they were in Lundgren’s living room.

Abundant na-nas and plentiful repetition make I’m from Barcelona’s songs stickier than fly paper and prime for sing along. Which seems convincingly their greatest desire of the night – an ever-expanding entourage.

The songs themselves – harmonic celebrations of the everyday, from chicken pox to stamp collections – aren’t likely to challenge the head, but the group itself is all heart-melting heart. No coincidence, then, that two of their hits (the eponymous ‘We’re from Barcelona’ and Brian Adam's song to which they claim muse) are about the band themselves. For the group band phenomenon overturns the star privilege of the rock group, so that everyone feels like they could be from Barcelona. Group belonging whose only chauvinism is to catchy choruses and love? Parisist’ll sing to that!

If you just can't get enough, see the whole gang crowd a Concert à emporter from Blogothèque:

http://www.blogotheque.net/article.php3?id_article=2417

And.....

http://www.myspace.com/imfrombarcelona
http://www.myspace.com/adventurekidmusic
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/37756-let-me-introduce-my-friends