In honor of the Chess revival closing announcement (not gonna touch that discourse with a ten foot pole), here’s my Chess haul from my trip to Lund!
Three of these were things @pocket-elf got me and were waiting for me when I arrived: the OBC recording on CD, the Gothenburg Chess in Concert CD, and Chess pĂĄ svenska on DVD.
The other two I picked up at a record store: the concept album on vinyl and I Know Him So Well on vinyl.
I’m still always on the lookout for more Svenska Chess, but this was a really good haul! And I love finding Chess stuff in Sweden!
Also - look at my bby on the back of the DVD! I had to take the picture like that because Helen just looks so precious here. My favorite Florence. I love her
@yellowandnothing
Everything but the vinyls was bought on Tradera, which is like Swedish eBay. You need a Swedish personal number (like US SSN) to buy from there, so the friend I stay with had already bought the CDs and DVD prior to my stay. I pay her back by stuffing my suitcase full of things she orders from Amazon that are sent to me (avoiding custom charges), vinyls, Hot Topic clothes, and pounds of Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish (yes, American Swedish Fish is different from Swedish pick&mix fish gummies haha).
I got the vinyls from Repeat records, which is a new and used record store in town. When I went in May they only had these two, which I bought (because Chess is my love). But when you go they may have others that have come in - not sure, though.
I suggest checking out the second hand stores in Lund and Malmö (Malmö’s only a 30ish minute train ride away, and only costs like $13 for a 24hr ticket). It’s hit or miss at the second hand stores, and you have to go looking, but there’s the chance of Chess stuff there.
If you wanna explore other Benny and Björn stuff, the second hand stores are likely to have BAO CDs (Benny Anderssons Orkester) - that’s Benny’s band with his music and mostly Björn lyrics - and features vocals by Tommy Körberg (original Anatoly) and Helen Sjöholm (Florence in Swedish Chess production, Kristina in Benny and Björn’s Swedish musical Kristina från Duvemåla, all around amazing singer / performer and my Swedish love).
Lund is my absolute favorite town ever. If I could live there I would. It’s full of history and the university buildings are gorgeous and the center of town has so much to offer and the city park and botanical gardens and the culture museum and the cathedral are wonders. I could wax poetic about Lund for days.
This might be more than you wanted, but if you want more, let me know! And I hope you enjoy your trip!!
