A farewell to Kent

Few Swedish bands have left a mark quite like Kent. Tonight they played what was announced as their final concert in Gothenburg, one stop on a farewell tour that promised to close a remarkable chapter in Swedish music.

I was there for their first Gothenburg show way back in 1995. More than twenty years and another dozen concerts later, it feels strange to imagine that this really is the end. They’ve spent decades evolving their sound without ever losing their identity, and while it’s always disappointing to see a great band call it quits, there’s something admirable about leaving on your own terms.

Kent farewell tour.

My only real complaint was the setlist, as 11 of the 24 songs came from albums released within the previous four years. For a farewell tour, I had hoped for a broader retrospective, a chance to revisit more of the songs that shaped those eleven studio albums and accompanied so many different stages of life.

Kent farewell tour.

That said, it’s difficult to leave disappointed after a Kent concert. The atmosphere was electric, the performance was pitch perfect and for a couple of hours it felt like nothing had changed.

Farewell, then. Or at least until the inevitable reunion tour. Bands have a curious habit of discovering that “never again” often comes with an expiration date.