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by:Larm 07. Trondheim, Norway, 8-10 Feb 07
By:Larm is run as the Nordic version of South By South West, showcasing the regions undiscovered artists struggling for recognition from the mainstream. Bands such as Röyksopp, Kings of Convenience and the Knife may have achieved remarkable commercial and critical success, but there remains a hotbed of unearthed talent lying dormant beneath the tundra.
And judging by the acts on show over these
three days, Scandinavia is still hugely unrepresented on the international music
scene. This touring festival, held
annually in different Norwegian cities, is a continual effort to change this
sorry fact. With over 170 live
performances over the 3 evenings and a daily series of seminars and industry events,
it is clear the events aim is to unite the regions artists with the same international
music business that seems to ignore them.
And if the huge crowds witness any number of remarkable live
performances then so be it, but the emphasis here obviously lay with bigger
fish.
It pains me to say it, but the setting of
the festival was an ideal metaphor for the hidden talent it was
showcasing. Hidden away in Trondheim, Northern Norway, it took place within
a series of impenetrable underground bunkers.
So impenetrable, in fact, that the entire World War Two era complex once
escaped demolition for being too solid.
It was a perfect, eerily surreal venue, though it was slightly
disconcerting that the existence of this leg of the festival was reliant upon
the strength of Nazi architecture. More
surprisingly, this was a perfectly run festival, with none of the glitches that
normally undermine such events. Acts
were nightly on from 8pm to 1am, with most repeating their set over the three days. Like the rewind button or monkeys with
miniature cymbals, this repetition was a brilliant idea. It may not be the most rock and roll concept
ever, but with bands constantly on rotation, playing to the sweatiest masses
seen in Scandinavia since Viking times it makes sense like little else does.
There were too
many acts to fully recollect the details; bands flew by like snow caught on the
western wind. Some, however, clearly
deserve a mention. Heroes and Zeroes certainly amped up
proceedings with their brand of energetic cartoon power-pop. They could be heroes, if just for one 25
minute set. Minor Threat’s
mournful country was laidback and brooding by equal turns; a rare
achievement. And as if naming your band 200 isn’t confusing enough, this trio piece pen
apparently satirical lyrics about independence from Denmark, sung in their native Faroese tongues. I couldn’t understand what was going on, but
they were wonderful nonetheless.
As were retro-rockers BigBang, who
undoubtedly attracted the biggest crowd of the weekend with their radio
friendly rhythm and roll. Surely it’s a
credit to globalisation when a band from Nowhere, Norway
can sound as habitually American as Dylan, Neil Young or R.E.M. Whilst this may sound slightly clichéd,
notions of originality are redundant when music is this timeless, managing to
transcend epochs as easily as their singer crowdsurfing. (use picture here!). So, mixing up acoustic-folk with Delta tinged
rock and roll they united the colossal crowd, proving why theirs is the biggest
selling Norwegian live album ever. Popular music may not have begun with a big bang, but it may well feature
one soon.
But perhaps the most acclaimed act to
perform was frightfully young singer-songwriter Susanne Sundfør. Appearing with a full backing band her
obvious technical skills became irrelevant; the emotion inherent in every
heartfelt lyric was enough to captivate the audience with her poetic, poignant
songs. To a man, our hearts melted. There’s no faux romantic posing here though,
these songs are obviously written from experience; cold and vast like Leonard
Cohen stranded on a glacier with only a piano for company. With her debut album due this year, her star
is definitely rising.
If by:Larm
provides the springboard for just one act to succeed on the international stage,
then the entire event will have been completely validated. All the world may be a stage, yet when acts
are this isolated soley by dint of geography you can understand their efforts
to jump on the international musical Merry-Go-Round. And this is what by:Larm strains to achieve;
recognition for a region’s obvious talent.
Whereas most festivals are merely filthy, sordid arenas of the unwell, By:Larm,
by contrast, is a polite extravaganza of musical talent. Bands, the music industry, and the fans
themselves all benefit…. and we can’t see a single negative.
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