Gig-gles: Mum Live at Mosaic Music Festival, Singapore - 13 March 2008

Photo courtesy of Esplanade, Singapore

When I was 10, my auntie brought me to a Disney on Ice performance. I was so chuffed, I wore my Bambi costume to the show, complete with the furry white tail. But as the night progressed I discovered, to my horror, that they weren't going to reenact a single scene from that cartoon that transformed my entire perspective of animalfolk. My auntie kept trying to explain to me that Bambi wasn't a musical, that all the other Disney cartoons were just as good, that Simba is really a shorter, chubbier species of deer—no can do. That night, I went home, set fire to my costume, and vowed never to let any performer cheat me the way those Disney scoundrels did.

So, midway through Múm's gig last Thursday evening, my silent enjoyment of their quaint set was interrupted with a sudden, uncontrollable surge of vengeance. As the Icelandic bunch chirped and chortled, buoyed by some fully sick drumming, I felt possessed. At that point, an inner 10-year-old squeaked: Where were the goodies from Finally We Are No One??? Where is 'Green Grass of Tunnel'? 'Now There's That Fear Again', hello? 'We Have A Map Of The Piano', at least? Where, where, where!!!!

As the lights came on, I found my hand reaching for the Beretta that I never knew I had in my socks, and my feet dragged me towards the autograph line. At this stage, all 180 of those shrink sessions were proving futile, as the once-suppressed Bambiphile took over, fully prepared to unload pre-pubescent fury upon those who had endeavoured to rob him blind. Never again, the inner brat chanted. Do it for Bambi. Do it for B...

And then out they came. Hildur Guðnadóttir and Sigurlaug Gisladottir. The Múm gals.

Sigh. Disney rocks.

Set list:

1. Winter (What We Never Were After All)
2. Moon Pulls
3. Hestur (I was Her Horse)
4. Oh, How the Boat Drifts
5. Marmalade Fires
6. Guilty Rocks
7. Blessed Brambles
8. I'm 9 Today
9. A Little Bit, Sometimes
10. Koztryn
11. These Berries Are Eyes
12. Dancing Behind My Eyelids
13. They Made Frogs Smoke 'Til They Exploded

Encore
14. The Ghosts You Draw On My Back
15. Smell Memory

Múm - The Ghosts You Draw On My Back (from Summer Make Good)