SISTE DANS

This post had to come. My favourite band in the entire world, Kaizers Orchestra, did their last show (at least, in a very log time) this Saturday. To be honest, I can't even write about this without welling up. After an incredible goodbye-tour, where I saw them just over two weeks ago here in Bergen, they finished it all in their "home" town Stavanger. In the end they did nine concerts at DNB-arena with the funeral this weekend. Even The Jackal, Janove, could barely keep his eyes dry that night.

I know I don't have to write about their great achievements during the last twelve years, the Internet is full of that stuff. And the impact they have had on my life, it kind of has to go without saying as well, because I just can't describe it. Altogether I have seen them live eleven or twelve times, I've lost count. I hugged all of them once, they signed my "russebukse" and I have got several albums and CDs signed.

Even though I'm not the person who's entire apartment looks like a scene from the Kaizer-universe or has traveled around the world as a groupie, I am very much in love with this band. Their music will always be with me! Every single day.

Until next time, Kaizers.

MRS. CARTER

Traveling by train is the most amazing way to get a glimpse of Norwegian nature. I had never traveled on "Bergensbanen" before, which is the route from Bergen to Oslo, (and I have heard it is THE TRAINRIDE to go on.) It definately lived up to the expectations.

Seven hours later we found ourselves at, what Oslopeople like to think of as, the centre of Norway. We got some sleep but was up at 7 AM to go stand in line for the Beyoncé concert. In total we spent 13 hours at Telenor Arena that day.

Two hours into the "que-ing" a bird shat on me! This was hilarious and my friend showered my hair with anti bacterial foam and drinking-water.

A couple of hours later, I met a radio-celebrity... She has been on the morningshow that I have listened to since I was very young, and I was stoked to talk to her. I think she was amazed that she even had a fan?

The male part of our group managed to become friends with the security people, and before we knew it, our whole gang was put first in line of ALL the people going to the concert. This meant we could wander around, talk to strangers and basically just chill out, while everyone else sat in the sun, bored, for hours.

When we finally were let in and got to the front, I went back out to use the toilet. Out there it was a mess and many hundreds of people in line to get into the arena. When I was told I had to go all the way to the back of the line again, I thought; "I have not been here for 8,5 hours just to stand in line AGAIN!" Being rather tiny, alone and quiet I managed to climb under some ropes, run from the security man and back to the entrance without any trouble. Back inside I also decided to brung some beer for the gang which had to be thirsty by now. Then I kindly asked a million of angry Beyoncé fans to let me get back to the front, and so I did. My group was amazed that I manged to get through the crowd, but I've done this before, haha. (If you haven't already guessed it, I am very much a concert-person).

And of course, Beyoncé was amazing!

SUPERMALE

Remember the band Bowhill that I have designed for? They had their first live concert yesterday as a support for Supermale. This happened at Det Akademiske Kvarter in Bergen, and I have to say that I was swept off my feet. Supermale were at the stage playing, and everyone just startet dancing. Not the way you usually would dance at a concert, but two and two, freestyling the old school way.

This is a tip; if you would like to dance like me - I got the fashion moves!

SYNKOKE + NI

Sometimes there is an emergency and one has to act quickly! Stop doing whatever you are doing, change the plans you already made and just help out. I recently experienced such an event when I was asked to create a poster for SynKoke and Ni's Norwegian tour, in just a few hours. As well as having my graphic design one man band, I also work full-time somewhere else, which made those few hours even fewer. This is the result, and if you are in Norway, I hope you see the poster hanging somewhere! And please, share your thoughts below! :)

SynKoke band photo by Silje Måseide.

AT THE FESTIVAL

The reason I love Hove-festival is the great music! I usually arrive there loving a couple of artists and bands, liking some and not knowing who a lot of these people are... When I leave I have a program scribbled with notes about which bands are the best – and that is how I manage to refill my iPod-playlists year after year.

I am looking most forward to seeing Rise Against, but there are some huge artists I can't miss; Snoop Dogg and Skrillex for example. I think Lamb of God is going to be amazing, Mac Miller a bit funky and The Shins just beautiful! Sirkus Eliassen is also warming up at the camping-stage which I think will be very funny. 

Any of these you have seen live before? I absolutely LOVE concerts, and I would like to call myself a very big fan of festivals.

Images: Rise Against, Snoop Dogg, Skrillex