by:Larm Oslo Music Festival 2009

Saturday (plus sad face game over)

Alix Dunn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:52:00 +0000

Boo hiss for fun things ending, but as warming weather turned piles of snow to ponds of slush, its nice to hide from falling icicles and the like. In true protestant fashion, there were no shows on Sunday, meaning I spent it drinking water and sleeping — I am happy to report a near full recovery. My Saturday night picks were all fantastic live, but I wouldn’t rush out and buy their albums. Something tells me that these types of stage performances may not cage up nicely on a record. Another festival-goer whose music taste I consistently enjoy said Saturday night’s Detektivbyrån from Sweden is her new favorite band – jump on it.
By:Larm is probably the most efficient urban music festival I have ever been a part of. The scheduling was precise, the crews and hosts were skilled professionals, the city expanded to accommodate, the artists were stellar, and the weather did its best to cooperate. The result: an all you can eat buffet with limitless lobster tail.

WhoMadeWho

Alix Dunn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:48:48 +0000

The two front men – one in a full body spandex skeleton suit the other in a black and white cape – carried the show with the everlasting energy necessary for great disco punk. Definitely worth seeing, check out the track “Space for Rent.” They have an album slated for release at the end of March and will be touring Europe to promote it. (Photos: Hilda Klaveness)

The Megaphonic Thrift

Alix Dunn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:47:17 +0000

I’m not a big Sonic Youth fan, and usually three dueling electric guitars and poorly enunciated vocals don’t do it for me – but I was drawn in by The Megaphonic Thrift. With reverbed vocals and pick-breaking intensity the group wandered its way to melody and always found its way back again. If you like smart loud you’ll like them. (Photos: Hilda Klaveness)

The Wong Boys

Alix Dunn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:46:24 +0000

The Danish duo sported a turn table, a mike, some ridiculous dance moves, blending the worst of Chromeo with the weirdest of the Beastie Boys. They are coming to SXSW, and though they were good live, they sound flat and silly on CD. (Photos: Hilda Klaveness)

Friday Night (or i heart scandanavia)

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:42:55 +0000

I spent most of the evening at The Folkets Hus, a classy venue typically reserved for orchestral festivities and pinky-extended wine sipping. Several art exhibitions lined the walls of the lobby including a collection of guitars and a showcasing of paintings juxtaposing graffiti elements and Norwegian pastoral scenes – my favorite was a cartoon monkey painted on the side of a barn house holding a banana to his head on the verge of pulling the trigger. Acts performed simultaneously in several rooms designed for a variety of shows. The only snag in this set up came during the Ølafur Arnalds performance: the bass from the band next door audibly shook the walls while the group played soft songs,leading the front man to joke about the band adding a drummer. Despite venue issues, I was blown away by several performances and impressed by all of them. All of the groups reviewed below are worth a listen and several of them will be appearing at SXSW this year, so if you are fortunate enough to be in Austin, hunt them down.

Frida Hyvønen

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:34:10 +0000

I can’t say enough about this trio of women. The lead vocalist rocked out ballad-style with smart lyrics, catchy instrumentation, well supported by a talented percussionist and bass player. The show was concert hall epic, at times funny, at times emotional, but consistently incredible. They hail from Sweden, will be performing at SXSW, and are my top pick from the festival so far.

Ølafur Arnald

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:33:33 +0000

In another concert hall performance, Ølafur Arnalds effectively wove four, string instruments with a lead grand piano and subtle electronic overtures. The sound was clean, beautiful, and simply stunning. I am going back to see them again tonight, and plan on reviewing their latest album release.

Hjatalin

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:33:10 +0000

This Icelandic band rocked out with two dreamy vocalists, one male one female, an oboe player, a quirky turtle neck dawning keyboardist, an understated bass player and a fantastic drummer. The instrumental showcase never overshadowed the melody or prevented the band from exploding into some gut-rocking jam sessions. The act was polished and fresh and I look forward to checking out their album.

Ballrogg

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:32:40 +0000

This duo from Norway put on a powerful performance combining the contra bass with a saxophone and clarinet. Not everyone will get into their fresh take on heartfelt jazz instrumentals, but if you are looking for something new and emotional orchestration check them out.

Choir of Young Believers

Alix Dunn — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:32:20 +0000

This Danish group seemed a bit out of place in the concert hall, but they made the most of it and put on a polished performance. The lead vocalist sounds like Jim James from My Morning Jacket, but the combination of a trumpet, a stand up bass, two drum sets, a stunning keyboardist, and bass player makes their sound both hard to peg and worth listening to.