A Weekend in Germany

Back in the Bergen rain after a nice weekend in Hamburg and Berlin. Here are some words 'n' pictures 'n' videos 'n' stuff.

We got up at 4am and travelled with KLM, my favourite airline. Berlin was hot on Friday – but not too hot for Curry Wurst (it apparently never is). Slept in Silke Bauer's apartment – she gave us the keys for the whole weekend. I love the level of trust in the indiepop scene. Taz.de atually wrote an article about this, you can read it here (if you know how to read german).

On Saturday we took the train to Hamburg – Schönes Wochenende ticket – a concept that I love. I do not, however, love being exposed to shitty parenting on a crowded train for 1 ½ hour… Na ja.

Having played on a Hamburg riverboat before I knew what was waiting this time, but I also knew that we were going to play together with our friends Honeyheads. 

It’s a lot more fun to play when you’re sharing the show with great people. Personally I think the concert was better this time – and the weather too!

Anders and Stian on MS Claudia. 

We spent the night in a girls's apartment. While we were there I kept thinking how cool it would have been if norwegian apartments could look a little more like hers, and they probably could if norwegians hadn’t been so obsessed with redecorating their homes in ridiculously boring styles. It seems “being interested in interior design” means the same as being interested in painting one’s walls white. Na ja…

Then we took the posh train to Berlin.

Before the gig the boys in the band wanted to watch football, but I wasn’t in the mood, so I went for a walk and ended up in the Victoriapark. Fell in love with the place. "Climbed" the Kreuzberg (66 metres high). 

The View from the top. 

Some kids were exploring the art of the area. 

Here's the Wasserturm where the gig was - a really nice venue.

The Boys admiring the Turm

And me relaxing before the gig. 

There were lots of people at the show. Tandbergh, a fellow norwegian, made some videos:

Go!

Are Philosophers Lonely?

Berlinbeat did an interview before the show. 

For those of you who are overly interested in the bunkers I told you about on the boat, there are some pictures here. This was my playground as a kid - mentioned in the song "The Saddest Boy in Town". 

Back to Hamburg to play w/Honeyheads

I know what you get in a Hafen... INDIEPOP, apparently. No more than three weeks after our last Hamburg show, we return to play on the Elbe once again. 

Pictures from the Hamburg gig

Summer weather in Hamburg. Impressed that so many people showed up in this rainstorm!

Thank you Jens for sending us the pictures!

Don't Kill the Clowns from Hamburg

You should try it yourself - standing on one foot, drumming and singing on a moving boat. It'll make you feel alive! This is what it looked like when I tried

Paris/Limoges

Hi all!

This summer we've played two gigs in France and one in Germany.

Here are some pictures from the trip to France.

SFR - clearly much bigger there.

Me and Stian the Tourist in Paris

At the Père-Lachaise we had different people we wanted to visit.

For me Chopin was the most important one.

For Anders it was Proust, and Oscar Wilde of course.

Down in the Metro. Ah, underground transportation!

You shall not pass. Paris' most tired dog didn't move at all when he was stepped over time and time again.

Before the soundcheck in Limoges, where we played in a country side school at the Pop & Merguez festival. Really nice place - great people, great food, and absolutely super to finally meet Guillaume after all these years.

The Wendy Darlings on stage. They were the band I liked the most. Highly recommended!

Late night in Limoges

Me, Guillaume and Anders. We slept in Guillaume and his wife's beautiful house, and got a delicious breakfast the next morning in really nice surroundings. They even bought a Tour de France magazine for Stian. I love the fact that making music has given me the opportunity to meet great people all over Europe. People I had no idea of existed. People that let us sleep in their homes and make sure that we are well fed and get to the correct place on time. This summer we have met people like that in Paris and Limoges and in Hamburg. It makes a heart easily turned misanthropic a little lighter.

C ya! Will try to blog a bit more and a little more often. Other things have been occupying the mind these past weeks.

Be nice!