Milky Chance at KOKO

In 2013, German pop/folk/rock duo Milky Chance released Stolen Dance online, where it reached number one in the charts in several European countries. A year later, their YouTube channel has nearly 200,000 subscribers, and Stolen Dance over 60 million views. These two young musicians performed for the wall-to-wall packed KOKO last night.

As the duo come onstage, with lead singer and guitarist Clemens Rehbein playing a melodic introduction, the crowd seems fairly uninterested as they continue to chatter among themselves. This does not last long, as by the next song the pair have the audience in the palms of their hands. The crowd erupts as Flashed Junk Mind opens – anyone not dancing before certainly is now. For some of the slower, more melancholy songs, midnight blue lights give KOKO the sense of gazing at the stars, while the more upbeat are like sunrise with soft yellow lights brightening the room.

The incorporation of melodic guitar riffs, coupled with up-tempo drum sections and a special guest on harmonica, the band’s influence from jazz and blues is clear. The crowd cheers as the harmonica-wielding guest performs a soulful solo. Milky Chance don’t really interact with crowd aside from a few expressions of gratitude, but they don’t seem to mind. With every song they play, the crowd becomes more and more vibrant, and by the end of the show, everyone’s hands are in the air clapping in sync with the music. It is astounding that Milky Chance only have one album as they generate such a large, loving audience. They are wonderful performers, and even without talking they manage to keep their fans enthralled with every song.

Hannah St Jean
Photos: Erol Birsen

For further information about Milky Chance and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Stolen Dance here: