KONSERTHUSET - 09/20/1968

STOCKHOLM - SWEDEN



Venue Address: Hotorget 8, 111 57 - Stockholm, SE 
Promotion: Karusell Konsertbyra
Event: In Concert

Also Performing:
International Harvester

Setlist:
 
Early Show
House Announcer (Unknown)
Five To One
Love Street
Love Me Two Times
When The Music's Over
A Little Game >
The Hill Dwellers
Light My Fire
      -Persian Night
The Unknown Soldier

Late Show
Five To One
Mack The Knife >
Alabama Song >
Back Door Man
You're Lost Little Girl
Love Me Two Times
When The Music's Over
Wild Child
Money
Wake Up!
Light My Fire
The End

Recordings / Film:
Interview Recording
Professional/Soundboard Recording

Photographers:
Dan-Åke Carlsson
Lennart Halvarsson (Hotel Appolonia)
Christer Landergren
Bertil Stilling
Olle Wester (Hotel Appolonia)
Håkan Wretljung

Reviews / Info:
-The Doors stay at the Hotel Appolonia.
-A small press conference is given on September 19th at the Hotel Appolonia.
-Sveriges Radio personality Lennart Wretlind records an interview with Jim Morrison at the Hotel Appolonia on September 19th with the other members of The Doors present.
-7:00pm & 9:30pm scheduled start times.
-Both performances are sold out.
-After failing to perform in Amsterdam a few days prior, Jim Morrison is determined to put on a good show.
-Robby Krieger's parents are in attendance at these shows.
-Setlists include rare performances of Mack The Knife, Love Street, and You're Lost Little Girl.
-Both performances are recorded and broadcast by Sveriges (Swedish) Radio.
-Jefferson Airplane does not perform with The Doors on this night.


"My name is Karl and I'm from Norway. Back in the last half of the 1960's I went to Stockholm in Sweden to see The Doors play with my friend Hans. I don't remember many specific details because it was so many years ago, and I have been to many rock concerts in my life.

At the time I had never heard of The Doors or Jim Morrison, but Hans was a big fan, and he told me to go with him to the concert. He played some of their songs to me on his vinyl record player, but I was not impressed at first. I could not understand the choruses and I thought it was very weird music.

I decided to go regardless.

I live close to the Norwegian city Oslo, and it took a very long time to drive to Sweden I remember. I was always very scared to go to Sweden because they drove on the wrong side of the road, but I was very relieved when I was told they now drive on the right side.

When The Doors started playing, I noticed that their guitarist played without a plectrum, which I thought was very interesting. The drummer was great and I fell in love with the pianist. I had never heard anyone play like him before. I thought the music almost sounded evil but not in a bad way. The first song was very hypnotic. I don't remember the name of it, but it was a very spiritual feeling almost. I didn't know the names of any of their songs or the text other than Light My Fire, but I sat with my eyes closed and just enjoyed how fantastic they played and sang. I did talk to some people from Denmark before the concert who saw them in Copenhagen, and they told us they were really bad live, but that was not correct.

It was an incredible experience seeing them in concert, and I have loved The Doors ever since. I cried when Jim Morrison died beceause I knew that the world will never see someone like him again. He was beautiful with the voice of Frank Sinatra. My wife Eva loved him too.

I am sad that I never saw them again, but I think I am very lucky that I did see them in concert, which is something not many people can say."

Karl Larsen
Oslo, NO
Copyright © 2022 Karl Larsen

A Special Thanks to Karl Larsen for providing his review of the concert to MildEquator.com!


"I was 18 by the time and my buddy got tickets to The Doors concert in Stockholm back in 1968. It was magic to say the least. After the gig I went backstage and met Robby and we sat down in a staircase chatting for about 15 minutes while the roadies worked. Got autographs of course and Jim came out with two French groupies clinging on him, and he wrote a kind of dedication to me; to Bobo... And signed w/ Jim Morrison... It's framed today and my son's got it on the wall. The strangest thing was that the concert hall was just half full, The Doors hadn't hit the charts over here by then."

Bobo Fransen
Stockholm, SE
Copyright © 2020 Bobo Fransen

A Special Thanks to Bobo Fransen for providing his review of the concert to MildEquator.com!

ROGER ERSSON'S STOCKHOLM SCRAPBOOK



On September 20th, 1968 Roger Ersson attends the early show in Stockholm and later construct's a scrapbook of materials documenting the show that includes a handwritten setlist. With a special thanks to Christian Strandell, MildEquator.com is pleased to feature Roger's album here on our Stockholm concert info page, with translations for our English viewers completed by Christian!

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook


The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors are still the hottest pop group in the USA: Their LP recording and latest single "Hello, I Love You – what’s Your name..." tops all conceivable lists. "Doors" are, as you may know, on the way to Sweden this fall.

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, recently here, and the likewise American DOORS, clash together in London over the weekend. The Airplanes five ton of equipment is expected to offset by Doors’ super sex star Jim Morrison. "Doors" are coming to Stockholm on the 20th of September.

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

THEY DECIDED TO BECOME MILLIONAIRES

Since Ray Manzarek, the organist, and Jim Morrison, the singer of The Doors, met on a California beach in the summer of 1965, they have earned a million dollars! Today The Doors are the "hottest" group in the USA, without competition. The Doors' three LP's have all become million sellers in the US. The newest one, "Waiting For The Sun" has in just a few weeks sold in 5,000 copies only in Sweden. Friday the 20th of September The Doors arrive in Stockholm.

Photo Caption:
The Doors that come to Stockholm on the 20th of September, are the "hottest" pop group in the USA right now.


The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

SNAKE ONANISM

An acute case of burning snake onanism in the form of The Doors singer Jim Morrison, is arriving to Sweden and Stockholm today. This disease, that may only smite a few persons, or maybe even just one, could however spread to large masses of people through a strange kind of second hand-media, like record players and radio; through air and vocal chords.

This disease can be cured through a carefully executed reptile burning, preferably modelled after any of Madame Desgranges' cosy recipes taken from De Sades "120 Days Of Sodom".

This Morrison together with the other three Doors members, Densmore, Manzarek, Krieger, started their career by trying to pry their way through door openings in Huxley-Blake quotes about "The Doors Of Perception"...

"There are things that are known and there are things that are unknown, and in-between are doors".

Since then they have evolved into great snake- and reptile lovers, symbols that are stuffed into their songs. Morrison's identifying with reptiles, has gone so far, that he calls himself "The Lizard King" (cont'd),


The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

although this has come after a period as "The Moon Prince" – inspired by Krishna, and perhaps Vidyapati’s "Love Songs" (Bonniers) "... The glowing moon hovers in space as a bee intoxicated by love. The night is bright and the day is hidden in the dim. Rapt girls proudly reject the beloved and the Love God throws insidious glances like a foe..."

Because of being a God himself, Jim Morrison shows no fear towards others of his kind, and happily shares the snake transition to LBJ and his following, in the poem about the old swamps in the regions around the Arlington cemetary –
"I wanna tell You 'bout Texas Radio and The Big Beat,
Comes out of the Virginia swamps, with plenty of precision
Cool and slow, with a backbeat, narrow and hard to master
Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance..."

Aha, this is a case of Serpent Power, thinks the reader, LBJ like a boa slithering over log and stone. But that's not the case, Serpent Power is the meditation form, where through meditation you wake up the slumbering snake bundles that lies coiled in different parts of your body, so called chakras. When the snake gets erect and wakes up, you slid into a Nirvana-like state. These reptiles we can find in the Doors-songs in different shapes. Sometimes as a morally dissolved phallos symbol; or like a practical fetish to to flaunt in the wind, instead of the real stuff. But mostly it slithers like a travel guide in travail on it's way towards self-awareness, and asks us to embrace it's slippery body made of freedom and violence. Serpent Power. The Doors are happening at Konserthuset tonight.


The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

DOORS BREAKING ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE

"There are things known and things unknown – and in between are – The Doors. Break on through to the other side." This is the password of The Doors, who in a short period of time has become one of the hottest progressive pop names in the US. The Doors' music ain't the kind that is suitable as background sound – with it's abstract lyrics and testing composition, it requires attentive listening. The lyrics has similarities to a decadent Edgar Allan Poe and the music combines a pulsating beat with sweet harmonies.

Singer Jim Morrison has been called America's Mick Jagger – if that comparison is to any avail. The admittedly easily shocked USA has been appalled and facinated by his sexy stage appearance. This Friday we get the chance to judge for ourselves – that's when The Doors play Stockholm's Konserthus on their European tour of England, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

The Doors were formed in 1965. That's when Ray Manzarek (bass and organ) and John Densmore (drums) met at the Maharishi Yogi's meditation center in Los Angeles. Ray was already good friends with Jim Morrison. Robbie Krieger (guitar) joined the group shortly after, and he too was enlisted from the friends at the meditation center. Following some club engagements, one being at the famous Whiskey A Go-Go for instance, The Doors got to make their first record at the beginning of 1967 – an LP that got titled "The Doors". On that record is "Light My Fire" – The Doors' first major hit. Since then the carousel has been turning, with enormous concerts at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Fransisco, another two LP's and now the latest smash hit "Hello, I Love You".

Two weeks back The Doors performed at The Roundhouse in London, at a concert that lasted from seven thirty p.m. to six o'clock in the morning. The Doors have fostered some kind of obsession at their shows. There is a lot of improvisation in their artistry. A few times the American police has been forced to arrest Jim Morrison in the middle of an ongoing concert.

The Doors in Stockholm is a great pop music event. We'll see if it's also going to be a happening.

Photo Caption:
The Doors – coming soon to Sweden.

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

Photo Caption:
Jim Morrison, sex apostle in The Doors. Photo: Bertil Stilling


The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Roger Ersson's Scrapbook

HOTEL APPOLONIA INTERVIEW RECORDING


Recording Date: September 19th - 1968
Interview Location: Hotel Appolonia - Stockholm, SE
Publication: Unpublished
Length: Unknown

Info:
This interview recorded by Lennart Wretlind was conducted at the Hotel Appolonia in Stockholm, Sweden on September 19th, 1968. A portion of this recording features unique poetry read by Jim Morrison with improvised 'musical' accompaniment by the band.

SWEDISH RADIO CONCERT BROADCAST


Broadcast Date: Possibly Live on September 20th - 1968
Station ID: Sveriges Radio
Programming: Concert Broadcast
Host: Lennart Wretlind
Recording Date: September 20th - 1968
Recording Location: Konserthuset - Stockholm, SE

Info:
The Doors give an early and a late show in Stockholm, Sweden on September 20th 1968, and both concerts are recorded in their entirety for broadcast on Sveriges Radio. The details on whether or not the concerts were broadcast live as they happened are unknown, however a broadcast date of December 4th, 1971 has been documented. The master tapes are intact and bootleg copies of broadcasts are known to collectors.

ARCHIVE/MEMORABILIA:



REVIEW #1:

Newspaper: Unknown
Author: Ludvig Rasmusson
Publish Date: Unknown - 1968
Copyright © Unknown
The Doors - Stockholm Konserthuset 1968 - Review
Contributed By: CStrandell

TRANSLATION:

THE ENTERTAINERS OF POP

Doors are the entertainers of the pop age. Had Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald started out today, they would have sounded like The Doors. This is a thing you won't get from just hearing them on record or reading about them in sensational newspaper reports. They performed at Konserthuset this Friday evening. There was two performances in a row, both sold out and both with a wildly applauding audience. That's when it dawned on me that it's wrong to speak of The Doors as psychedelic or underground, experimental or revolutionary. They're simply entertainment artists.

Everything was well thought out and rehearsed during the quick show. Admittedly there was some improvisations, but they too were part of the planned routine. Jim Morrison was constantly pushed forward as the main man and lead star.

As a stage personality, Jim Morrison is totally unexpected. Personally I didn't find him at all that sexy as the publicity had promised. He is quite fat and mostly stood hanging at the mike stand, slowly rocking his body. But a few girls I talked to afterwards, thought he was incredibly sexy. So I guess he was.

In any case, I could in a fully objective way establish that he sang very well and that his three fellow musicians backed him excellently. Besides that they sounded very much like their records, and at the first show I witnessed, they weren't really up to scratch, but performed largely on routine.

First half of the concert the Swedish band International Harvester played a set. Many in the audience were enthusiastic, but most seemed to be more puzzled. International Harvester is one of the very few Swedish pop groups that surprise and bring something new to the table.

They played and sang a few of their own Swedish folk-sounding pop songs that showed clearly how independently they relate to American and English pop. I think that if Swedish pop is ever going to be anything besides a competent replica, the musicians need to try out the same roads as International Harvester go down. Even if sounds unusual in the beginning.

The contrast between their friendly, soft and unassuming music, and The Doors' showy, sexy and somewhat square music, could hardly be greater.

Translation By: Christian Strandell


ARTICLE #1:

Newspaper: Svenska Dagbladet
Author: Unknown
Publish Date: Unknown - 1968
Copyright © Svenska Dagbladet
The Doors - Stockholm Konserthuset 1968 - Article
Contributed By: SRapallo

TRANSLATION:

CELEBRATED POP VISITORS FROM THE USA THIS FALL

Towards the end of summer we can expect first time appearances in Sweden, from two American pop groups. According to the record company Karusell, Jefferson Airplane will play on the 26th of August and The Doors on the 20th of September, both at Konserthuset.

Both groups have made themselves a name in the U.S., playing a less accessible kind of pop, with connections to both daily politics and the psychedelic sub culture. Jefferson Airplane, resident in San Fransisco, consists of six members of which one is a female singer. "Musically they sound like Mamas And The Papas but they are considerably more advanced and touched up", Ludvig Rasmusson wrote in Svenska Dagbladet, on April 23rd 1967. They use light illustrations as a complement to their sometimes very complicated lyrics and melodies.

The Doors are a newer band which have been on the rise recently. Amongst other things, they have been on the Top Twenty list in Denmark. A single with the songs "Hello, I Love You" and "Love Street" was just released in Sweden. They have also been featured in two short films, "The Unknown Soldier", which has been banned both by American censorship and the Swedish TV for the bloodfilled scenes, and "Break On Through", which might be shown in one of the pop programs on TV in Sweden. The Doors are a fourpiece and most famous is singer Jim Morrison, who also writes controversial lyrics himself , and has lots of "sex appeal" according to female pop fans.

Photo Caption:
The pop group The Doors can be seen at Konserthuset on September 20th. From left: singer Jim Morrison, drummer John Densmore, organist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger.

Translation By: Christian Strandell


ARTICLE #2:

Newspaper: Svenska Dagbladet
Author: Jan Nordlander & Urban Von Rosen
Publish Date: September 19th - 1968
Copyright © Svenska Dagbladet
The Doors - Stockholm Konserthuset 1968 - Article
Contributed By: SRapallo

TRANSLATION:

DOORS BREAKING ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE

"There are things known and things unknown – and in between are – The Doors. Break on through to the other side." This is the password of The Doors, who in a short period of time has become one of the hottest progressive pop names in the US. The Doors' music ain't the kind that is suitable as background sound – with it's abstract lyrics and testing composition, it requires attentive listening. The lyrics has similarities to a decadent Edgar Allan Poe and the music combines a pulsating beat with sweet harmonies.

Singer Jim Morrison has been called America's Mick Jagger – if that comparison is to any avail. The admittedly easily shocked USA has been appalled and facinated by his sexy stage appearance. This Friday we get the chance to judge for ourselves – that's when The Doors play Stockholm's Konserthus on their European tour of England, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

The Doors were formed in 1965. That's when Ray Manzarek (bass and organ) and John Densmore (drums) met at the Maharishi Yogi's meditation center in Los Angeles. Ray was already good friends with Jim Morrison. Robbie Krieger (guitar) joined the group shortly after, and he too was enlisted from the friends at the meditation center. Following some club engagements, one being at the famous Whiskey A Go-Go for instance, The Doors got to make their first record at the beginning of 1967 – an LP that got titled "The Doors". On that record is "Light My Fire" – The Doors' first major hit. Since then the carousel has been turning, with enormous concerts at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Fransisco, another two LP's and now the latest smash hit "Hello, I Love You".

Two weeks back The Doors performed at The Roundhouse in London, at a concert that lasted from seven thirty p.m. to six o'clock in the morning. The Doors have fostered some kind of obsession at their shows. There is a lot of improvisation in their artistry. A few times the American police has been forced to arrest Jim Morrison in the middle of an ongoing concert.

The Doors in Stockholm is a great pop music event. We'll see if it's also going to be a happening.

Photo Caption:
The Doors – coming soon to Sweden.


Translation By: Christian Strandell


TICKET #1:

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Ticket
Contributed By: OBalazs

TICKET #2:

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Ticket
Contributed By: Rockaway Records - http://www.rockawayrecords.com

TICKET #3:

The Doors - Stockholm 1968 - Ticket
Contributed By: RTurcino



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