JEERK (original) (raw)

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Rhythm performance group from Sweden

JEERK
JEERKJEERK
Background information
Origin Sweden
Genres Dance, Rhythm Artists, Rock Music
Years active 2002–present
Members Niklas KarlssonThomas BergstigJohan RegnellBo-Erik ErikssonJohan ErikssonKristian LindinMikael Johansson
Past members Michael JanssonFredrik Lexfors
Website http://www.jeerk.com

JEERK is a rhythm performance group from Sweden, which was formed in 2002. The founding members were Niklas Karlsson, Johan Regnell, Bo-Erik Eriksson, Michael Jansson and Johan Eriksson. The group's name, JEERK, was formed by using the first initial from the founding member's surname; i.e., Jansson, Eriksson, Eriksson, Regnell, Karlsson. After two months, Thomas Bergstig joined JEERK. Each member has attended either the Ballet Academy or the Performing Arts School in Gothenburg.

JEERK writes and produces all of their material, e.g.: music, choreography, scripts, videos and graphics. JEERK is administered through two corporations: Greenhouse Production AB (Sweden) and DDFS Entertainment, Inc (USA).

JEERK specializes in visual music. They perform varied styles of dance, primarily tap dancing. The group features rhythms made by converting ordinary items (i.e., lunch boxes, hockey sticks, trash cans) into percussion instruments. The members of JEERK are all multi-instrumentalists and incorporate original songs within their performances.

Performance History

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JEERK's first show was at Pusterviksteatern, Gothenburg, in 2002 with the group's first showcase in Skene, the same year. JEERK has performed in many venues,[1] including: stage shows, as guest entertainers on television programs, at special events, festivals, as well as several product launches. JEERK has choreographed several numbers for guest performers at Sweden's Onstage Event, and to promote new products for companies. Lindab is one of JEERK’s most devout partners and provided the group with ventilation pipes for drums. Whenever Lindab quests to conquer a new market, JEERK helps out with their special talent for loud sound. JEERK has also composed rhythmic pieces of music for German CLAAS and Swedish SKF. The song Emergency was originally written for a commercial for the diaper brand Huggies.[2]

The JEERK Show tour with the National Swedish Touring Theatre, was JEERK's first full-length show which toured almost 40 cities around Sweden. JEERKs second full-length show, Overload sold out for four nights in a row during December, 2004.

JEERK’s TV-breakthrough was Sweden’s most popular TV-show, ”Allsång på Skansen”, in 2003, with millions of viewers every summer.[3] In 2004, they appeared as special guests on Lill-Babs 50 år, a television show celebrating the career of the Swedish singer and actress.[4] On the show, which had 1,730,000 viewers[5] JEERK performed a version of the famous Beatles song, "Come Together".

In 2006, JEERK performed in the opening ceremony of the European Athletics Championship in Göteborg, an event which had "a total audience of 340 million over the seven days of the championships.[6]"[7][8][9] Singer, Ronan Keating, famous for his rendition of When You Say Nothing at All, also performed during the Ceremony.[10]

In the same year, JEERK appeared as guest performers at the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest, with approximately 3,645,000 viewers.[11][12]

In 2007, the group performed on Let's Dance, Sweden's version of Dancing with the Stars,[13] which had a viewership of over two million people.[14][15]

In 2008, the group performed on the Romanian show Dansez pentru tine which means “Dancing for you” in an episode where the contestants as well as the guest artists performed for a cause. JEERK, in this particular case, performed for a girl who was not able to pay for her dance school.

In 2009, the group had their first US performance at the theme park Silver Dollar City,[16] performing several shorter shows per day. After a successful 10-week run at the theme park, JEERK returned to the US in 2010 to perform for two years at the Hughes Brother's Theatre in Branson, MO.[17] Following the second year's performances, JEERK began to pursue a European and US tour.[18] The group is now based in the US, while performing both in the US and Europe.[19]

In May, 2012, JEERK released their first full-length Album, FAMOUS.[20][21][22] FAMOUS consists of nine tracks, composed and written by members of the group.[23] June 23, 2014, JEERK announced the release of a new single, Play Your Mind.[24][25]

[26]

  1. ^ Group Tour Media Archived 2012-09-08 at archive.today
  2. ^ Huggies Commercial Feat. Emergency
  3. ^ sv:Lista över medverkande i Allsång på Skansen#2004
  4. ^ Sveriges Television
  5. ^ Norrbottens Kuriren
  6. ^ European Athletics Official Website Archived 2011-12-12 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Göteborgsposten
  8. ^ Göteborgsposten
  9. ^ Swedish Newspaper Expressen
  10. ^ Göteborgs Posten
  11. ^ Göteborgsposten
  12. ^ Göteborgsposten
  13. ^ Swedish Newspaper Expressen
  14. ^ Best Seller
  15. ^ "Nöjestorget". Archived from the original on 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  16. ^ The Branson Courier Archived 2012-02-28 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "ReserveBranson". Archived from the original on 2013-03-01. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  18. ^ TriLakes News
  19. ^ JEERK's Website Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ JEERK's Website Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Spotify
  22. ^ MTV Profile
  23. ^ All Music
  24. ^ JEERK's Website Archived 2014-11-07 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ Spotify
  26. ^ JEERK's CV Online
  27. ^ Dagens Nyheter
  28. ^ "The Hughes Brothers Website". Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  29. ^ Branson Critic Awards Archived 2012-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Andy Williams Website
  31. ^ Dreams Resorts and Spas Website Archived 2013-01-04 at the Wayback Machine
  32. ^ Journal Sentinel
  33. ^ "Realitatea Romaneasca". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  34. ^ Meridith Harmon Sauer Guest Artist Series