My brag list

I just found a picture on my mobile phone showing my concert ticket for the DM-show in Bergen in January 2010, a photo I probably took to send to the friend and co-fanatic that is coming with me. And as I spotted the picture I started to think about all the concerts I've seen, and wondered just how many bands and artist I've had the pleasure, or misfortune, to see over the years. Music has been a vital part of my existence all my life, and seeing music live became sort of an addiction after my sister took me to see Michael Jackson at Valle Hovin in 1997, which I think was my first major concert experience, and a bloody good way to start my career as a concert goer, I might add. After that I've been lucky enough to see some of my absolute favorite bands of all time, the ones that come to mind are Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Kaizers Orchestra and of course, Depeche Mode. The best norwegian band I've ever seen was Kaizers Orchestra when they did a gig at Rockefeller in Oslo in 2005. And the one I'll always remember in silent shock and apathy is The Cure. Let's just say that Robert and company had to have a particularily uninspired day when they were at the Arvika festival in 2002.

I know this is going to look like a horribly long bragging list, but I just have to put it up.

Arvika festival, Sweden, 2000
Moby
Ulf Lundell
Lars Winnerbäck
The Wannadies
Fantomas

Arvika festival, Sweden, 2002
Muse
Infected Mushroom
The Cure
The Wannadies
Opeth
Soft Cell

Norwegian Wood, Norway, 2003
The Counting Crows
The Dandy Warhols

Quart festival, Norway, 2003
Mew
The Flaming Lips
Queens of the Stone Age
Massive Attack
Coldplay
Turboneger
Interpol

Øya festival, Norway, 2007
Tool
Nine Inch Nails
Gogol Bordello
El Caco
Memorial concert for Robert Burås of Madrugada

Arvika festival, Sweden, 2009
The Sounds
Detektivbyrån
The Mars Volta
Nine Inch Nails
Elegant Machinery
Bob Hund
Depeche Mode

Stand alone concerts
Michael Jackson, Valle Hovin 1997
AC/DC, Oslo Spektrum, 2000
Roger Waters, Oslo Spektrum 2002
Kent, Oslo Spektrum 2002 (Support: Melody Club)
Ulf Lundell, Karlstad
Smashing Pumpkins, Oslo Spektrum, 2000
Smashing Pumpkins, Oslo Spektrum, 2008
VNV Nation, John Dee, 2006

Norwegian bands:
Hellbillies
Dum Dum Boys
Morten Abel (3 times)
Kaizers Orchestra (4 times)
Turboneger
Bellman
Grand Island
Postgirobygget

I came to about 42 different bands and about 53 different concerts. Not bad for a 23 year old, eh? Since 2003 I've generally gone to very few festivals, mainly due to either mental or monetary problems, or a combination of both, but the very successful Arvika Festival of 2009 has really given me the drive to go to many more festivals, and see many more live concerts. There are a few bands I hope to see before he, she or they quit, like Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Sigur Ros, Metallica, Bloc Party and maybe Tool again (since their perfomance at Øya was sadly short). But I have plenty of time. Might have to hurry with Tom Waits and Nick Cave, tho.

But for now I'll settle with seeing Depeche Mode at the O2 in December, and again in Bergen in January. *manic eyes*