Friday evening, I got to see seven of Norway’s biggest acts: some award winners and two of the top two touring rock acts in the country. Once I am back in the States (and have my home computer back from the shop), I will upload all the awesome photos I have gotten so far. It’s been an awesome trip, the conference has been great, I have met a ton of well-connected, fantastic people and I really consider this the trip of a lifetime.

I just wish I had gotten more rest. Such is life.

Friday, I finally subjected myself to entering the VG Tent in Younstorget, a dizzying mass of vinyl tenting, the sheer mass of the performance space was impressive. The band we had been ushered here to see, Katzenjammer [MySpace], were runners-up in the 2007 Eurovision contest and had plead with Propeller that they were the label for them. Being a “small label that produces big music,” I can’t help but agree. Meeting somewhere between a bluegrass band and some crazy gypsy rock project, Katzenjammer tore the roof off of the ten and it was easy to see why so many people had packed in to catch of a glimpse of these four uber-talented ladies. Taking turns on guitar, drums, piano, mandolin and a ridiculously oversized “balalaika” (with trumpet thrown in on the opener “A Bar in Amsterdam”) the girls of Katzenjammer (which is a German word for bewilderment) won my heart and the hearts of those in attendance. I’m a convert.

After this set (and a quick trip back to the hotel), I headed North to Cosmopolite, which happened to be where heralded 22 were playing at 10 PM. I would first have to check out Moddi [MySpace] to get to a band named for my favorite number (I wore “22″ in college as it is my initials in the mirror), and the Norwegian didn’t disappoint. Pal Moddi Knutsen captivated the audience with his soft voice and magnificient presence. This guy is great, a gentle shake-up of any singer-songwriter that drew inspiration from Jeff Buckley and a fan of sonic landscape creation (along the lines of Beth Orton) to accompany his distinctive voice. Even with an accordion in his hand (which appears to be a big deal in Norway - I am fine with that), Moddi works magic. Check out “Rubbles” on his MySpace page for a taste of the great potential he exhibits.

After finally checking my coat upstairs, I returned to grab a spot for 22 [MySpace], the art-rock project “born from the ashes” of the highly-acclaimed Gate. 22 were everything I love about Mars Volta without being afraid to play in the car with my mother present. It’s phenomenally rhythmic, bass driven rock.

(SMS Note: I managed a band when I lived in Upstate NY still who sounded so similar to this. I only wish they could have found a good-to-great lead singer to compliment the sound how this band has.)

One guitarist looks like WWE’s Jeff Hardy, the other looks like a dude from Yellowcard, but as musicians, they are really advanced and deserve more credit than I gave them upon initial inspection. Thinking outside the box musically doesn’t always deliver phenomenal results, but songs like “AlgorithM” and “MolecyL” smoked.

Earlier in the day, when we were at Propeller, I mentioned to another music journalist that I was really surprised, as was he, that we came all this way to Norway, but hadn’t seen any hard-ass metal. There was rock and it did “rock,” but nothing that unleashed something primal from within.

My favorite metal find this whole weekend was Nuclear Blast’s Sonic Syndicate [MySpace]. If you took the hyper-tempo of Dragonforce and mash it in between dueling vocalists from Agony Scene or Caliban, Sonic Syndicate is what you get. It’s hard to find the kind of musician exhibited by this six piece, but the Sjunnesson brothers (Robin, Richard and Roger) have pulled together all the right pieces to compliment their tastes. Karin Axelsson (bass) wins extra points for wearing a “I Fucked Your Girlfriend” shirt. Thank God these folks are coming to the U.S. in May. I don’t even like the Chance in Poughkeepsie, but I have already marked it in my date book.

When Sonic Syndicate finished, I raced over to the Main Stage to check out Audrey Horne [MySpace], “Best Metal Album” winners from 2005’s Norwegian Grammy, the Spellermann. Their first album, “No Hay Banda,” revolutionized the metal scene in Norway at the time (according to everyone I have spoken with), presenting melodic rock with competent vocals and powerful delivery. The music speaks for itself. It’s epic in scale and the lyrics aren’t hokey or cliche, you can connect with it, even from 3000 miles away.

Back over to Rockefeller Annex for Soulvenom [MySpace]. The crushing walls the band erected were levels above anything I might have felt to that point. I had seen mostly singer-songwriters or art-rock; this was balls-to-the-walls metal. As I am forever complaining about the nature of modern metal in America (or at least what my former roommate likes), this band reduced me to nothing but a childlike smile. After discussing with a reviewer that works for Decibel and PopMatters that we are all the way in Norway so SHOULDN’T we see more metal, I was happy to catch so many unique acts in one night.

The Rockefeller Annex, situated in a nook around the corner from the main Rockefeller stage (with its own three story viewing area), the band blasted through material that was included on their latest demo. The crowd was in their palms.

By this point, I have mastered the ability to converse with anyone at shows and have found the Oslo crowds the most personable ever. The fans love that American journalists are here covering their music scene and if they weren’t recommending 22, they mentioned one other name…Animal Alpha [MySpace]. The band won a 550k kroner by:Larm stipend in 2006, so I knew they were no joke. If you aren’t into pagentry, this band might not be for you - they opened their show with an interpretive dance piece full of Zombie women. It was awesome. Agnete Kjolsrud’s white-painted face is among my favorite music gimmicks ever, it fits the style of the music and the presentation is so over-the-top, you can’t help it when you get sucked in.

Animal Alpha powered through new songs from You’ll Pay For The Whole Seat But Only Need The Edge, proving that they deserved top billing for their only performance at by:Larm. From an outsider, this is the most exciting act that I have ever heard; the album is a spiralling tangle of lust and rage and I cannot wait to get home and tell everyone I know all about them.

Another fantastic night. A private show and some really great times and some experiences I will never forget. Seven great bands in one evening (plus the Hanne Hukkelberg showcase)? Can’t beat that at any price.

Last 5 posts by Shawn M. Smith

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