Why Mando Diao isn’t an all around household name yet, I just don’t know. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to hear them, and you like your indie rock punk sounding bands that have a tendency to shift from one sound to the next, then listen to them now! You’re missing out! If you have heard them, then you know what I’m talking about.

Swedish band Mando Diao formed in the late 90’s and have toured Europe, Japan and the US. They’ve toured with bands such as Razorlight, Dirty Pretty Things, Larrikin Love and in March 2007 are set to play the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas and the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California on April 29.

Mando Diao’s new excellent single “Long Before Rock N Roll” is scheduled for release on March 12th in the UK off of their 3rd album Ode To Ochrasy out in April 2007 by Mute Records. Now that we’re in the Myspace generation music has become more accessible than ever thanks to bands adding free music to their Myspace music players. Now a days we don’t have to wait for one single at a time to be released by the record companies - instead we can just log onto a band’s Myspace page and listen to three or four different tracks at a time.

I listened to “Long Before Rock N Roll” on Mando Diao’s Myspace page and because it’s so good naturally I went on to listen to another track, and then another and another. I couldn’t stop at just one song, and continued to listen to all of them, all the way through…a couple of times. Which for me tends to be rare. Not all bands can pull off more than one great song, and I think Mando Diao has done it with ease.

“TV Me” also off of Ode To Ochrasy is brilliant and at the moment is my favorite. It’s got an old school, energetic rock/punk sound. “Good Morning, Herr Horst” sounds like Franz Ferdinand mixed with the Kaiser Chiefs and “Songs For Aberdeen” has a completely different sound as well, a great poppy little dance ditty.

Mando Diao are currently on tour and will hopefully be reaching out to a lot more new fans while on the road.

Following are Mando Diao’s 2007 UK and US tour dates:

*Dates could change! Go to Mando Diao’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

Mar 7 2007 Zodiac Oxford
Mar 7 2007 Gig After Party - “Narcissists” @ Baby Love Bar Oxford
Mar 8 2007 Cockpit Leeds
Mar 8 2007 Gig After Party - “Showcase” @ Mine Bar Leeds Uni Leeds
Mar 9 2007 Promonight @ “Funhouse ” - Barfly Glasgow
Mar 10 2007 Academy club Manchester
Mar 10 2007 Gig After Party - “Jilly’s Rockworld” Manchester
Mar 11 2007 Bar Academy Birmingham
Mar 14 2007 SXSW Festival - “THE SYNDICATE PARTY” @ Red 7 Austin, Texas
Mar 15 2007 SXSW Festival “Spaceland/Live Daily party” @ Antone’s Austin, Texas
Mar 15 2007 SXSW Festival “YARIS MEAT & GREET” @ Artz Rib House Austin, Texas
Mar 16 2007 SXSW Festival “Official Showcase” @ Dirty Dog Austin, Texas
Mar 16 2007 SXSW Festival “Village Voice Party” @ La Zona Rosa Austin, Texas
Mar 17 2007 SXSW Festival “Filter Showcase” @ Cedar St Coutryard Austin, Texas
Mar 17 2007 SXSW Festival “Direct TV” @ Austin Convention Center Austin, Texas
Apr 29 2007 Coachella Festival Indio, California
May 1 2007 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, California
May 3 2007 Dantes Portland, Oregon
May 4 2007 Crocodile Seattle, Washington
May 5 2007 Plaza Club Vancouver, British Columbia
May 8 2007 400 Bar Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 9 2007 Double Door Chicago, Illinois
May 11 2007 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 12 2007 Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, Ontario
May 13 2007 Petite Campus Montreal, Quebec
May 14 2007 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York
May 16 2007 Maxwells Hoboken, New Jersey
May 17 2007 Black Cat Washington, Washington DC
May 18 2007 Johnny Brendas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 19 2007 TT The Bears Cambridge, Massachusetts
Dates could change!

Mando Diao on Myspace
Mando Diao

By: Jenny May