Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Royal Albert Hall, 30 September 2026
I was incredibly lucky that I managed to get a ticket to the last night of two very special shows First Aid Kit played at the Royal Albert Hall backed by the sixty-five piece Gothernburg Symphony Orchestra.
I always forget just how popular First Aid Kit are because every time I've seen them over the years it's been at a small venues, starting with their show at Shepherd's Bush Empire back in 2012 on The Lion's Roar tour. But since then the Swedish sisters have sold out multiple nights at the Roundhouse, Hammersmith Apollo and even the Royal Albert Hall before back in 2014.
They haven't played in the UK for about four years as they have both been off getting married and having kids, so it was a nice surprise when they announced these unique shows at the Royal Albert Hall with a full orchestra, something they have done back in Sweden previously. I didn't expect just how quickly they would sell out though and the demand for tickets. I didn't have a chance at getting a ticket for the first night as it sold out in minutes but thankfully they quickly announced a second and even though that sold out super fast too at least this time I got a ticket.
The Royal Albert Hall really is one of the most beautiful venues, although (for me) a pain to get to, but it was nice for once to have a seat and not have to queue. I was also blessed with being at the very front of the side stalls (no one in front blocking my view!) and no one sitting next to me (I assume they couldn't make it) which was a nice bonus. On top of this there was no support act and instead the show started promptly at 7.30pm and was over by 9.30pm, which is always the gig-going dream!
The whole orchestra took their places and it was incredible to see the actual size of it, with all the stringed instruments and the brass section and even the percussion at the back. I've never actually been to a classical music concert or the proms, so I've never experienced an orchestra live but the Royal Albert Hall seemed the perfect place to do it. Both St. Vincent and Weyes Blood recently also had concerts here playing with an orchestra but I wasn't lucky enough to get tickets to those. As a more folky/Americana band though, I did wonder if it would work as well and I was curious to find out.
First Aid Kit's usual backing back wasn't excluded, they were at the front of the stage, although seated like the orchestra, but behind the conductor, Erik Arvinder. There was a roar of applause and cheers though when Johanna and Klara Söderberg walked on stage, Johanna in a full length gold lame dress and Klara in a black mini dress covered with little gold bows and a white Peter Pan collar as well as gold cowboy boots. They both looked stunning. The orchestra struck up, playing a long cinematic intro before finally morphing into, maybe the band's biggest hit, My Silver Lining, which sounded suitably epic with all the sweeping strings.
I have to say, at first I was surprised with how quiet it was. I think I expected it to sound bigger and more bombastic, especially given there were 70 musicians on stage. I mean it was a pleasant volume but certainly far from what I'm used to (especially since earlier this year I was at the Royal Albert Hall to see one of the loudest ever, My Bloody Valentine). I think I was ready to be blown away like that guy in the old Maxwell cassette tape ad, but alas it was far softer (which to be fair probably suited the music more).
I assumed they started with My Silver Lining as it's their most well known song, and then followed it with Master Pretender because it features a lead vocal from Johanna, but after these two songs, the Söderberg sisters told us that tonight they were going to be playing the album Stay Gold the whole way through (and of course those are the two opening tracks) and that this was something they had been wanting to do for years.
They reminisced about on their first tours it was just the two of them being driven around by their dad, who was here tonight, until eventually they got a drummer too. This simple set-up suited them because Klara said they thought, as folk artists, everything needed to be acoustic. By the time they recorded their third album Stay Gold in Omaha, Nebraska with Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis, Klara finally said "Fuck it, let’s play what we want!" and they went full on with the strings and orchestration on the record. Of course, live they could never recreate this and they even say a couple of times that certain songs they have never played live much before because they needed an orchestra, so I guess these shows are finally realising the dream they had to finally re-produce the songs as they intended them to be heard.
It was interesting to hear all the songs with this added majestic element, although I will say that the sisters' voices were always front row and centre and hearing them harmonise together is truly something special. There were certain songs though that benefited from the orchestra the most, like The Bell which on record has strings and flutes boosting its sound, and The Waitress, which Klara tells us they kept layering the sounds and indeed as the song built, the rousing stings and full strength of the orchestra, truly sent the song into the stratosphere in a completely new way. It sounded magnificent especially with the pedal steel on full blast alongside the orchestra.
The final song of the album, A Long Time Ago, saw them put down their guitars and sit together at the edge of the stage to truly take advantage of the full orchestration, with just their powerful combined voices lifted by the lush strings soaring and taking the song to new heights. They ended by leaning their heads together and closing their eyes, sweet contented smiles on their faces.
When they finished playing all of Stay Gold there was a 20-minute interval, which I guess they would have at any classical music concert (I'm assuming) although when the orchestra finally took their places again it seemed to take ages for the sisters to return to the stage and there was a few times when people started to clap mistakenly. When they finally did appear though the wait certainly had built the anticipation and they looked fantastic having made a costume change, with Johanna now in a long, floaty, pleated, gown with shimmering gold stripes and fluffy feathered trim on the long sleeves, while Klara now sported a long diaphanous gown that seemed to be covered with watercolour painting in muted blues and greens and puffy sleeves, one stylishly off the shoulder.
The second half was a kind of "best of the rest" deal, starting with maybe one of their best songs, Fireworks. Again, they perform this together at the front of the stage sans instruments, making full use of their incredible voices. This song sounds like a lost classic from the 1950s and built in an astonishing and emotional way, their harmonies truly soaring at the end.
Klara reclaimed her guitar although Johanna left her bass where it was, and the pair played a couple of tracks from their most recent album Palomino, which was a treat for me as I didn't catch them on that tour. They then prefaced the next song, a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's America, which they have been performing since I first started going to see them live 14 years ago, with a story of performing the song in front of Paul Simon himself at the Polar Music Prize Award Ceremony in 2012. They told us how they had performed Dancing Barefoot in front of Patti Smith the previous year and famously brought her to tears and had been terrified by the expectation to do it again with Simon. Johanna recalled how Simon looked grumpy throughout, although she later learned he just had "resting bitchface" but he gave them a standing ovation at the end to their relief. Of course the following year they performed again at the ceremony playing their song Emmylou in front of its inspiration, Emmylou Harris, and moved her to tears too.
After calling America "maybe our favourite song ever", they performed another emotional and soaring version of the song, with the swelling orchestration behind them making it feel suitably cinematic and bringing out every element of the storytelling.
The Lion's Roar is the album where I discovered First Aid Kit and it will always be my favourite so I think I was most excited to hear the dark, melancholic Dance To Another Tune, made even more intense and dramatic with the orchestra adding rousing sounds behind them (the original also has strings but of a more folky variety) and of course, the title track, the strings adding an effective pastoral soundscape, while the stomping drums thankfully remained intact.
The final song from Ruins, Nothing Has To Be True, really built to a huge instrumental at the end, allowing the orchestra to take off with the song for an epic and cinematic finale, leading to a standing ovation in the hall.
Of course it was no surprise when they quickly returned for an encore, but it was a lovely moment when they dedicated the next song to one of their heroes and then gave us a gentle and angelic version of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You, forgoing the often belting covers and instead going back to the sweet and tender original version, focusing on the moving melody and the soft harmonies, the orchestra acting in a similarly effective way.
There was no Emmylou Harris in the audience this time to cry but I'm sure a few tears (maybe of happiness though) were shed when they finally played their song that pays tribute to her. Naturally it sounded beautiful with the orchestra behind them, although I think this song sounds incredible due to the sisters' clear, bright, perfectly blended vocals. It obviously sounded particularly magical to all though as people started holding up their phones with the flashlight on creating a sea of sparkling lights around the Royal Albert Hall, which was incredible to see.
This really was a unique show and I'm thankful I got to experience it. But would I trade it for a more rock n' roll sounding show? Probably not. There was definite magic tonight and a few times I got chills but sometimes the songs became more easy-listening than I would have liked. It was wonderful to hear the Söderberg sisters live again though and remember just what fantastic songwriters and singers they are. It makes complete sense they are at the point where they can sell out two nights at the Royal Albert Hall in minutes now and they utterly deserve it. I do think I will treasure having seen them at smaller more intimate venues in the past more though but this was definitely a memorable and wonderful show in its own way.
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