Katzenjammer Charm Attack

They dress real, they look real nice, they have an elpee that’s as close to perfect as yer ever gonna hear and it’s finally getting a U.S. release. Norway’s Katzenjammer is about to conquer the known world.

Turid Jørgensen, Solveig Heilo, Marianne Sveen, and Anne Marit Bergheim are the young women who make up Katzenjammer. Between them, they play accordion, mandolin, guitar, piano, balalaika bass, glockenspiel, trumpet, kazoo, melodica, banjo, drums, coconuts, cookie jars and an oversized bass with a big Cheshire Cat face on it.

When I say between them, I mean they all play all of these instruments. Their abilities to pick up just about whatever is lying around and make music with it is the trademark of their live show and can be heard in the carnival sound of “Le Pop.”

You’ll get a few chances to be charmed by them in person starting Thursday, July 1st at Schuba’s in Chicago. Then they play two nights at Summerfest on Saturday, July 3rd at 8pm on at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, and again on Sunday, July 4th at 8pm at the Miller Lite Oasis.

I plan on catching both shows at Summerfest and I’ll be writing about it here. Stay tuned!