Borealis Day 3

On day number 3 of the Borealis festival, we ended up in Bergen's pride, Grieghallen (The Grieg Hall). Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester was playing with Leif Segerstam (conductor) and Anna Lindal (violin). They played Segerstam's "Symfoni nr 181", Anders Hillborg's "Fiolinkonsert", Henrik Hellstenius' "Like objects in a dark room" and finally (thank God a quite powerful piece) Magnus Lindberg's "Seht die Sonne".
The concert started with Ole Hamre playing the famous Folkofonen ("Peopleophone"), where people from Bergen have been recorded, and computerized. On the picture you see the Norwegian minister of defence singing!
Later we went for something completely different. At the Landmark club Whiptrash was doing some screaming electronica, Nils Økland played solo on a lot of violins (so quiet and so beautiful) and then Von Südenfed (Mark E. Smith (The Fall) + Mouse on Mars) pumped out electronic disco with grumpy punk vocal.

Alive in Paris 1970

Somewhere I found info on a DVD with live recordings of Soft Machine called "Alive in Paris 1970". The band: Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean and Lyn Dobson. It looks like it's made available by Voiceprint, but I can't find it on their site. Something fishy here?

News from Rune Grammofon

I got a news message from Rune Grammofon, and here it is:
"New Skyphone album available now
Skyphone belong to a new generation of Danish musicians that also include bands like Under Byen and Efterklang. Musically it´s possible to place them somewhere between Efterklang, Sigur Ros and Swedish group Tape.
With ”Avellaneda” they have further developed the ideas of their acclaimed ”Fabula” debut into a seamless blend of acoustic and electronic elements, rich in detail and sonic refinement, with the occasional touch of Scandinavian folk music providing a strong melodic base. Order it here.
Forthcoming releases
March 10
Shining – Shining – RLP3060 (2LP including both their previous RG releases, 500 copies only).
March 31
Motorpsycho – Little Lucid Moments – RCD2073 / RLP3073 (CD or 2LP)
The mothers of stoner psychedelia in full flight on four long tracks.
April 14
Scorch Trio – Brolt – RCD2074 / RLP3074 (CD or Ltd 2LP with bonus tracks)
Free, edgy and powerful trio musings. Old school analog recording.
May 26
Elephant9 – DodoVoodoo – RCD2075 / RLP3075 (CD or LP)
Ståle Storløkken (Supersilent), Torstein Lofthus (Shining) and Nikolai Eilertsen (National Bank) runs the voodoo down in an explosive mix of electric Miles, Weather Report and Lifetime. Old School analog recording.
April / May
Various Artists – Money Will Ruin Everything 2 (2CD / book) – RCD2072
Updated and expanded follow-up book with two CDs of mostly exclusive tracks. Forewords by Geoff Travis (Rough Trade founder) and David Fricke (Rolling Stone senior editor)".

Borealis Day 2

BIT 20 Ensemble's concert in Logen Wednesday was great. They played compositions by Henrik Hellstenius, Christian Blom, festival composer Mathias Spahlinger, Magne Hegdal and Toru Takemitsu. Christian Blom's "Brøndals præpositioner" and Magne Hegdal's "Decett" were played for the first time ever, and damned fine they were.
All composers (except Takemitsu 1930-1996) were present, and looked happy. But once again, why do concerts like this have to be that stiff? First come the musicians, and we applaud them. Then we wait for the conductor, and there he comes (puh!), we applaud once more. He greets his favourite musician, and we're on. The first piece is 10 minutes long. We get some more musicians on stage, and hey, we're waiting again for the conductor, because he went out. Thank God, here he comes back, we applaud again, he greets the same favourite musician and we're on. Come on! Why this drama?

Borealis Day 1

Oh damn, what a long night it was, the first day of the Borealis festival in Bergen. Five hours is too much for an old man like me.

The first “band” out was Ensemble Rechercehe, playing works by Schönberg, Schwehr and festival composer Spahlinger. I'm not really able to dive into this music, but I try. Much of it was played in a very silent way, and with long pauses and breaks too. Some of it though is real fun, but my God they look serious, and you know it’s contemporary classical when the piano player is more inside the piano, than he is playing the keys. The sounds of knees and backs aching among the audience, added a nice ambience to the show.

Next came Nils Økland Ensemble with a piece made for the festival ("Scordatura"). A lot of fiddles, and some good fun too in a hunter's suite that really would scare the moose (bottom picture).

Last but not least: Mike Patton and Stian Carstensen (Farmers Market) (top picture)! Wow, what a duo! Patton sings both like a metal screamer and an Italian crooner (and Elvis) and Carstensen plays anything you hand him from guitar to accordion to steel guitar and so on ("Ladies and gentlemen: The banjo!"). They were having a great time on stage, ending the show with Bowie’s “Life on Mars”, and the audience were one big smile.

Borealis 2008

The Borealis festival is happening in Bergen right now, and you will have some posts from the festival this week. Promise! I will go through folk music, noise and contemporary classical with an open mind and rinsed ear plugs.
A lot is in fact happening in the public library, and on my way from work today I sat in a couple of Wittgenstein chairs (total of four)! Here you may listen to lectures (in Norwegian), readings and more on Ludwig Witgenstein, with music added. Libraries! Look at the nice picture of chair number one.

Round Midnight once more

Yesterday we had a great Round Midnight festival, and I mentioned Rober Wyatt's version (surprise!). I realise that all of you may not have that recording (how about putting it on the Myspace site?). You'll find Robert's version here:
Shipbuilding (12", Rough Trade, RT115T, 1982)
1982-1984 (12" EP, Rough Trade US, RTSP 25, 1984)
Mid-eighties (CD, Rough Trade R2952, 1993)
EPs (5 EPs CD, Hannibal HNCD 1440, 1999).
The cover on Shipbuilding is from a painting by Stanley Spencer, the rest of them are by Alfreda Benge.