By:Larm 2008: Pining For the Fjords

The nicest cities and towns are the ones that are comfortably nestled in their own part of the world, and not just another place you encounter while on the way to another center. To see Oslo, Norway, you have to want to go to Oslo. Unlike other major European cities like Amsterdam or Frankfurt, where many of us North Americans claim we’ve “visited” while sprinting to our next connecting flight, you’ve got to make a concerted effort to visit anywhere in Scandinavia. It can be a grueling trip (16 hours for this Western Canadian), but it’s always, always worth the jet lag.

With a population of about half a million and surrounded by gently sloping, forested mountainsides to the north and the water to the south, Oslo isn’t hampered by the kind of environment-killing urban sprawl that most major cites experience, yet for all its coziness, it’s a remarkably cosmopolitan city, boasting a surprisingly lively nightlife, old architecture and museums, not to mention plenty of high-end shopping and dining, but unlike the more populous, crowded centers to the south, there’s a complete lack of pretension to Oslo, a place where the people are genuinely friendly, dogs happily ride the metro line (known as the “T-Bane”) with their owners, everyone seems to cross-country ski, and even the drunk dudes in nightclubs are exceedingly courteous.

Exhausted and fresh off the Flytoget bullet train from Gardermoen Airport, yours truly found himself thrown into this charming maelstrom of hustle, bustle, and disarming friendliness, suitcase wheels thunk-a-thunk-ing on the cobblestoned pedestrian streets, off to check in at by:Larm, the annual smorgasbord of Scandinavian indie pop. Although it’s the biggest music conference of its kind in Northern Europe, it’s thankfully nowhere near as chaotic as Austin’s wildly overblown South By Southwest, yet at the same time, the 2008 roster was so jam-packed with artists, that it would be impossible to see even a quarter of those performances.

As I found out over the next three days, however, despite huge crowds in every venue, it was incredibly easy to get around and into shows, long lineups minimal to non-existent, the clubs and theaters all situated within a five to ten minute walk from each other. The efficiency of the entire event was something to behold, every set starting exactly on time, nothing running late, allowing punters to dash from club to club, and once we got in, the sound quality was always impeccable. Coupled with some absolutely gorgeous weather for February (a comfortably crisp 45 degrees), it was the most enjoyable, best-run music event yours truly has ever attended.

Of course, though, by:Larm would not have succeeded without its standout performers, of which there was no shortage this year. Starting with Lykke Li’s heavily-hyped performance of the festival on Thursday, February 21st, and concluding with Super Family’s raucous, highly surreal set two nights later, the music I took in ran the proverbial gamut. Mercifully, the good far outweighed the bad.

Lykke Li

The buzz surrounding 21-year-old Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li Zachrisson had been steadily growing since late last year, first on the music blogs, then with the disarmingly pretty single “Little Bit” and its plucky follow-up “I’m Good, I’m Gone”, then with a bathroom performance that became a minor YouTube hit, culminating with the release of the debut full-length Youth Novels (produced by Björn Yttling of Peter Björn & John), which subsequently debuted in the top five in Sweden. Carrying the same indie “poptimist” appeal as fellow Swedish songstress Robyn, Lykke Li’s music casts a much broader net, as evidenced on the album, with its tendency towards acoustic instrumentation, quirky arrangements that hint at a bit of a Tom Waits influence, and even a couple of spoken word tracks. At times the brazenly diverse album feels like it might bite off more than it can chew at any minute, but her personality makes even the slight mis-steps very likeable. The only question among those crammed into the cozy Bla nightclub was whether or not the charm of the album could carry over in a live setting.

Oh, does it ever. Nattily clad in black, and sporting everything from bells to a kazoo around her neck, and supported by an ace three-piece backing band, Lykke Li, whimsically sashayed her way onstage during the opening notes of “Dance Dance Dance” and proceeded to deliver a knockout performance. The light reggae-meets-funk of “Let It Fall” shimmered, the ballad “Hanging High” cranked up the emotional intensity, while “Breaking It Up” was transformed into a rousing club rave-up. All the while, Lykke Li was all over the stage, exuding the innocence of a girl playing pop star in front of a mirror with a hairbrush, but also brimming with the confidence of a seasoned performer, making eye contact with as many people in the crowd as she could. Capping off the set with a boisterous rendition of “I’m Good, I’m Gone”, which was preceded by a fun, brief cover of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It?”, by the end Lykke Li’s status as by:Larm’s It Girl had been cemented. She’s a star in the making, and her stature will only grow once she hits North American shores this spring. [MySpace]

Ida Maria

A veteran of by:Larm, expectations surrounding Nesna, Norway native Ida Maria’s third festival appearance in three years were huge. With the perpetually slavering UK press recently hopping on a bandwagon that seems to be getting more crowded with every passing month, this without an actual album to shill (it’s due out later this year), the energetic indie darling returned to her home country a local hero, the Sentrum Scene theater packed with fans, press, and industry reps, and true to form, she and her band put on a rollicking show of simple, no-frills, hard-driving garage rock, new song “Drive Away My Heart” warmly received, but the most euphoric reactions saved for the trifecta of fan faves “Better When You’re Naked”, “Louie”, and sassy single “Oh My God”. Ever the manic performer, Ida Maria was a little tornado onstage, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. Not surprisingly, she was the deserving winner of the fest’s 20,000 dollar grant. [MySpace]

Anna Järvinen

The Finnish-born, Sweden-based Järvinen had both critics and audiences swooning with the release of her solo debut Jag Fick Feeling last year. With the help of none other than retro rock greats Dungen, the delicate-voiced Järvinen created a sumptuous combination of roots rock and 1970s AM radio pop, her lilting Swedish lyrics transcending any language barrier thanks to her tender, soulful delivery. Onstage at the large VG Teltet, Järvinen was a study in contrasts; while performing, she was an emotional powerhouse, gesticulating passionately while singing her heart out, but once the music stopped, she smiled shyly, almost apologetically, as if slightly embarrassed at having opened up so much, which in turn made her performance all the more endearing. [MySpace]

Sahg

Being one of the world’s leading exporters of cutting-edge metal music, by:Larm’s lack of stalwart indie acts was a bit surprising, but thank goodness for Sahg, who tore up the Rockefeller Annex with their dead-on homage to old-school heavy metal. Part mid-’70s Sabbath, part UK doomsters Witchfinder General, Sahg trounce their trendier, American retro-doom peers in the Sword and Saviours, thanks to singer/guitarist Olav Iversen, who brings the kind of vocal range that the sound demands, a concept so few American bands are able to grasp. Churning out tracks like the towering “Godless Faith” and new song “Ascent to Decadence” (from the forthcoming Sahg II), it was a well-timed respite from the festival’s more sedate fare. [MySpace]

Shining

Wildly eclectic, veering from the clinical precision of early ’80s King Crimson to the murky, soulful jazz fusion of early ’70s Miles Davis, to the eclectic nature of Frank Zappa’s work, to the modern math metal and noisecore of the Dillinger Escape Plan and Botch, Norway’s Shining (not to be confused with the Swedish black metalers of the same name) made heads turn last year with their astounding fourth album Grindstone, but for all of that album’s achievements, nothing could prepare yours truly for the scorching performance the five-piece band had in store. Led by multi-instrumentalist Jørgen Munkeby and new guitarist Even Helte Hermansen, the quintet launched into a seemingly non-stop set that focused on the band’s more aggressive fare, Munkeby manically switching from saxophone, clarinet, and guitar while his mates sounded far more powerful than they ever did on record. Progressive rock doesn’t get more exhilarating than this. [MySpace]

By:Larm 2008: Pining For the Fjords part 2

Hanne Hukkelberg

A dozen or so journalists and industry types were carted off to Oslo’s Propeller Studios, and were treated to a wonderful little private concert by hospitable singer-songwriter Hanna Hukkelberg and her four-piece band. The Norway native’s sumptuous hybrid of pop, jazz, and Weill/Brecht-inspired cabaret was already captivating on her albums Little Things and Rykestrasse 68 (the latter of which will be released in North America this year on Nettwerk), but the emotional wallop of the material was elevated significantly in the cozy, candle-lit studio, as Hukkelberg and her mates delivered stunning renditions of such songs as “Berlin”, “The Pirate”, “A Cheater’s Armoury”, and a somber cover of the Pixies’ “Break My Body”. [MySpace]

Katzenjammer

I never saw this coming. I made my way into the jam-packed VG Teltet not knowing just what the hell to expect, and the four young ladies in Oslo’s Katzenjammer brought the house down. Swapping instruments at an alarming and confusing rate (including an enormous bass balalaika that dwarfed the band members), the foursome tore through a raucous set that dipped into Nordic folk, country, British pub sing-alongs, sea chanteys, and punk, rich vocal melodies offset perfectly by their contagious, manic energy. Part Dixie Chicks, part Gogol Bordello, this was the most fun set of the entire fest. With an album due out later this year, this is one band we’ll be keeping our eyes on. [MySpace]

The Thing

The best thing about seeing shows at Rockefeller was how one could take in a set in the main venue, then dash around the corner to the Annex on the side immediately after and catch another band. Scandinavian efficiency, I tell you. Anyway, this was one of those happy accidents you wish for when you attend such an event; I’d just seen Sahg do their thing, and walked over to the main hall, only to be floored by what I saw and heard. Here was a jazz trio performing a pulverizing set, instruments being assaulted, baritone sax filtered through effects pedals, stand-up bass connected to a laptop, free jazz colliding violently with dissonant post rock. Awe-inspiring. [Official site]

Alog med Sheriffs of Nothingness

Accompanied by a pair of violinists, musicians Espen Sommer Eide and Dag-Are Haugan pieced together a surreal mixture of minimalism and improvisation, technology melding with organic instrumentation. [MySpace]

Bandit

Preoccupied with 1960s kitsch in the same way Pizzicato 5 was a decade ago, the Bergen band’s take on vintage pop is made all the more palatable thanks to charismatic singer Therese Vadem. [MySpace]

In Vain

Hailing from Kristiansand, Norway, the six-piece band alternates from classic doom, progressive metal, and blackened death metal, offering a solid balance of melody and brutality, with very strong potential. [MySpace]

Lukestar

Already big in Norway, the heavily-hyped Lukestar didn’t disappoint, though I found myself wishing they’d explore the more subtle aspects of their music a little more, similar to what they do on the brilliant single “White Shade”. [MySpace]

Dylan Mondegreen

Twee guitar pop similar to the Lucksmiths and Belle and Sebastian, the singer-songwriter is a quiet, understated sort onstage, but the music he and his band creates is luxurious, albeit somewhat safe and predictable. [MySpace]

Stalingrad Cowgirls

Haling from the far north of Finland, this all-girl trio tore up the John Dee club, serving up more guitar rawk muscle than the Donnas and Sahara Hotnights combined, pop punk given the Motörhead treatment, led by the drop-dead gorgeous singer/guitarist Enni. [MySpace]

The Violent Years

Surprisingly enough, Americana seems to be rather popular in this part of the world, and give the Violent Years credit, their rustic, 16 Horsepower-inspired tunes sound good enough to hold up well alongside Stateside contemporaries Magnolia Electric Co. [MySpace]

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Comprised of a singer who sounds part Jarboe and part Karen O, this Swedish duo packs a lot into its minimal sound, furious, primal beats offset by glockenspiel, zither, and one hell of a powerful voice. [MySpace]

By:Larm 2008: Pining For the Fjords part 3

All That and a Bag of Chips

Not only is that one woeful band name, but the last thing the world needs is yet another Interpol clone. If I hadn’t have been staking a spot for Lukestar’s hugely anticipated set, I would have left. [MySpace]

Charlotte & the Co-Stars

Not that Charlotte Jacobsen’s music is bad or anything, but compared to the more clever arrangements of Anna Järvinen and Dylan Mondegreen’s lush melodies, this just came off as pedestrian in comparison. [MySpace]

WTF?!: Super Family

Just try to imagine this: a manic bespectacled lead singer who looks and acts like a cross between Gord Downie and Jarvis Cocker leading a septet, including two preening male dancers, that simultaneously rips off both Arcade Fire and the Killers to the point where newbies (i.e. us bewildered North American writers) are wondering just how much of it all is a gigantic piss-take. Granted, this is a part of the world that embraces kitsch rock, from hair metalers Wig Wam, to the costumed Lordi, to the demented genius of Turbonegro, but this spectacle was so over the top in its post-punk shtick and overt gayness that to see men who would otherwise come off as your average Linkin Park fan go wild for this stuff was simply logic-defying. In a way, you have to admire how well Super Family sells it all, but after three songs, it really started to wear too thin for comfort. Still, the big crowd ate it all up, and left the venue beaming. A group of us tired, jaded writers bemusedly watched as the happy kids exited the venue, off to raise hell in this lovely city that never seems to go to bed. [player]

“Would this go over in the States?”

“Not a chance.”

But to Super Family and their obviously strong cadre of followers, they couldn’t care less. It’s goofy, but it’s theirs, a perfect encapsulation of the likeable insularity of this part of the world, and to hell with the rest of the world if they don’t get it.

Animal Alpha

The promising Norwegian rockers, and former by:Larm endowment winners, are set to get a big promotional push in the UK this year. [MySpace]

diskJokke

One of Norway’s leading electronica artists, Joachin Dyrdahl’s dub-infused tracks conjure images of locales further south. [MySpace]

Familjen

Swede Johan T Karlsson has already won over many with the excellent Det Snurrar I Min Skalle, and was one of the most buzzed-about artists of the fest. Too bad I arrived a day after his only performance… [MySpace]

FM Belfast

“Lotus”, the Icelandic electronica outfit’s saucy cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name Of”, is inspired. [MySpace]

Truls & the Trees

Led by Lukestar’s falsetto-voiced Truls Heggero, this indie folk collective was one of by:Larm’s biggest surprises in the eyes of many. [MySpace]

With time to kill in the mornings, let alone an extra full day to decompress after the madness of by:Larm, your humble narrator had plenty of opportunities to explore Norway’s capital. Below are ten non-by:Larm related memories I take with me back to chilly Canada:

1. Pølse

Who knew the Norwegians could perfect the hot dog the way they have?

2. Vikingskipshuset

Astonishing museum housing still-intact Viking ships from the Ninth Century. Epic!

3. Neseblod Records

A black metal mecca hidden away in trendy Grunerløkka.

4. “Hi hi.”

Seriously, the way Norwegian girls greet you is adorable.

5. Cross-country skiers crowding the Frognerseteren T-Bane on a Sunday afternoon

It’s true. Everyone here skis. No wonder they’re all so fit and good-looking.

6. Accessibility

From the express train to and from the airport, to the bevy of bus, tram, and T-Bane lines, not to mention pedestrian-friendly Central Oslo, it’s incredibly easy for the most befuddled visitor to get around.

7. The food prices

Everything’s pricey in Scandinavia, but nothing quite compares to the food here, which is at least four times what it costs in North America. The key is to repeat the mantra, Just don’t think about it…

8. Akershus Slott

‘Cos castles are awesome, plain and simple.

9. The steps leading up to the Holmenkollen ski jump

Climbing the endless, horrifically steep, wet, slippery steel grate steps, one’s only thought is, Okay, so I’m going to die inside a ski jump in Norway. Didn’t see that coming.

10. The top of the Holmenkollen ski jump

Once you reach the top and realize, by the grace of Odin’s beard, that you’re still alive, the spectacular 360 degree view of the city and fjord is more than worth the effort. What a wonderful little city.