THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – MELBOURNE – 29.05.2025
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: Jason Rosewarne
Swedish Classic Rock/AOR Revivalists The Night Flight Orchestra (NFO) returned to Melbourne on their Moon Over Australia 2025 Tour and made a perfect landing at Max Watts in Melbourne on Thursday night.
There is so much to love about NFO. Their live performance is so much fun and gets everyone involved, creating a party-like atmosphere and feel-good vibe. NFO’s music captures the spirit and sound of 80s melodic rock with their catchy choruses and dance elements. Some fans go all out dressing up as pilots and flight attendants for the occasion like our friend Sooze who looked amazing in her stewardess outfit with many punters wanting to get a selfie with her.
The first time NFO came to Australia was back in August 2023 when they also played at Max Watts. I was at that gig with a group of friends and we all had such a wonderful, fun night that we were all back again for another dose. Since 2023, NFO have released their cinematic 7th studio album in January 2025 called Give Us The Moon. It is an excellent album and NFO performed seven songs from it, providing fans with a good taste of their new music.
The two supports were both local bands from Melbourne – Dead City Ruins and Orpheus Omega. It is encouraging to see that international acts are having local bands support them on their tours which helps support and save Australian music.
The Night Flight Orchestra emerged on stage with the FINAL CALL intro, advising everyone to board the plane ready to set flight. The band take their positions and out walks the mega cool lead singer Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid, who is a mountain of a man. Dressed in a silver jacket with tassels on the sleeves, several medals pinned on the chest of the jacket and wearing a pair of black sunglasses and trademark black beret, he looked like a commanding General. Strid is an absolute powerhouse vocalist and sings effortlessly from the big high notes down to the softer, smoother range. His two backing vocalists (Anna & Asa) shine and are a real feature in their show. They sound incredible and look amazing in their air-stewardess outfits.
There are eight band members creating a full wall of sound, featuring funky synths, dancing guitars and percussion. Add to this great stage lighting, laser lights and strobes and you have one large discotheque.
The first two songs were from Give Us The Moon (2025). STRATUS with its distinctive NFO 80’s sound and high energy was the perfect song to get the party started. SHOOTING VELVET with its heavy synth intro and driving drum beats had the crowd dancing about. Strid’s vocals shine in this song along with the backing vocals blending in beautifull. Much to the delight of fans, NFO played a good mix of new and old material like DIVINYLS, THIS BOY’S LAST SUMMER and TRANSMISSIONS from Aeromatic (2020) along with crowd favourite GEMINI from Amber Galactic (2017).
NFO are so playful and energetic on stage, they look like they are having the time of their lives. The stewardess’s crack open a bottle of bubbly early in the set and enjoy a drink throughout the show. The guitarists also enjoyed a few VB’s and said how much they love Australian beer. Strid even throws in an “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” as the crowd chant back “Oi Oi Oi”, much to his amusement.
They launch into a few more new songs from Give Us The Moon (2025), LIKE THE BEATING OF A HEART, which is a catchy new song which connects well with the crowd. At the end of the song Strid asks the audience: “Are you getting in the mood Melbourne?” Strid tells a short story about the last time they were in Melbourne, he received some bad news that his mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. He was trying to keep it together for the tour and said that Melbourne fans helped lift him during the show and it was so incredible and memorable that he decided to write a song dedicated to the fans. They then played MELBOURNE, MAY I? The crowd loved it!
Strid performed a power ballad called PALOMA which was a standout of the evening and is about a stewardess friend of theirs dating an asshole pilot that treats her poorly yet she keeps on going back to him. The song is encouraging Paloma not to go back to him and to walk away.
The synth and digital piano took on a variety of moods and colours as the expert technique and musicianship of Lonnmyr was showcased. First we were hit by an onslaught of improvised rapid fire notes as his fingers flew across the keys, then treated to a sweet, almost innocent melody that tugged at our heartstrings. You then had Forslund up the back of stage behind the backing vocalists, playing guitar and percussion, tinkling the chimes and adding his strategic use of bongos to created layers and textures to round out the sound.
TRANSMISSIONS had a wonderful synth intro and great disco (pop) vibes. Strid spoke about the passing of founding member and guitarist David Andersson in 2022 and how tough it’s been on the band. It was a very emotional part of the evening. TRANSATALANTIC BLUES from their 2012 debut album was the heaviest song of the night and featured an incredible guitar solo. Two of the most popular songs of the evening were SATELLITE and BURN FOR ME, which had the crowd bouncing around. The energy in these songs is infused with strong melodies, pumping synths, groovy rhythms, and powerhouse vocals, which makes them so lively and fun. As the band walks off stage, Strid says “You guys are insane!”
The encore consisted of three songs, commencing with the popular WHITE JEANS and glancing around the bandroom there were many in the crowd wearing their finest creams as they danced the night away. Strid comments: “Melbourne you make me feel right at home”. WAY TO SPEND THE NIGHT is an upbeat new song the crowd got right into immediately. Then NFO traditionally finish their shows with WEST RUTH AVE from their debut Internal Affairs (2012) album. During this song they encourage the crowd to form a giant conga line and shuffle around the bandroom which is a sight to see and fun to be a part of. NFO’s performance was so much fun that it had the crowd dancing and singing non-stop throughout their 2-hour show. They were outstanding and we will definitely see them again the next time they’re in town. You really don’t want to miss the opportunity to see this incredible band
REMAINING DATES
31/5 Crowbar Sydney
1/6 The Gov Adelaide
The current NFO line-up are:
Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid – Lead vocals
Sharlee D’Angelo – Bassist
Jonas Kallsback – Drums
Sebastain Forslund – Guitar, bongos & percussion
Anna Brygard – Backing vocals
Asa Lundman – Backing vocals
John Lonnmyr – Keyboards
Rasmus Ehrnborn – Guitar
SET LIST:
Final Call (intro)
Stratus
Shooting Velvet
Divinyls
Like The Beating Of A Heart
Gemini
Cosmic Tide
This Boy’s Last Summer
Melbourne, May I?
I Ain’t Old, I Ain’t Young
Paloma
Satellite
Transmissions
Can’t Be That Bad
Transatlantic Blues
Burn For Me (ballad style guitar intro and first part of song)
Encore:
White Jeans
Way To Spend the Night
West Ruth Ave
