It's time for by:Larm!

MODDI (N)
ELEPHANT9 (N)

The Øya Festival has already booked a solid selection of Norwegian acts that’ll definitely make their mark on 2008 and the years to come. Several of these will perform at the annual Norwegian music event by:Larm, which is to take place in Oslo next week. We’ve now added another two exciting acts to the bill that’ll surely gain a greater audience throughout 2008. The young artist Moddi is relatively unknown as of yet, while Elephant9 is a highly interesting constellation of experienced and gifted musicians.

ØYA ACTS TO PERFORM AT BY:LARM:
Animal Alpha / Elephant9 / Gerilja / Ida Maria / Ingrid Olava / Lykke Li / Moddi / Pirate Love / Sigh & Explode / Truls & The Trees

NEW ARTISTS WE’RE GOING TO SEE:
We’ll be going out ourselves to see new acts at the many great venues of Oslo. Among others, we’re really looking forward to checking out these (click on band names):
Master Piece of Cake
Monolithic
Soulvenom
Dylan Mondegreen
The Holy Tongue
Kambodsja
Roger Græsberg Anti Music Bonanza

EXCITING NAMES AT CLUB:LARM
The club:Larm program includes many hot names, and we’re hoping to catch Flying Fellinis, Mono Lake, Pow Pow, The South, Wolverines, and Spirits of the Dead. Check out the entire club:Larm program here:

club:Larm bands

REENCOUNTERS AND OTHER TIPS
The Øya booking group will be checking out songs from upcoming albums by The Disciplines, Rumble in Rhodos, Silver, Je Suis Animal, and Grand Island. Among the foreign acts, we’ve so far made mental notes to go and see Kissaway Trail from Denmark and Mapei from Sweden. We’re also hoping for joyful reencounters with Howl, Lukestar, The Grand, Deadends, The Lionheart Brothers, Familjen, Low Frequency In Stereo, Thom Hell, Susanna, Benea Reach, The Captain & Me, Lukas Kasha, Ungdomskulen, Hiawata!, Serena Maneesh, Moving Oos, Bladed, Superfamily, and Bloodlights. If you’re not familiar with these names, then get your hiney out of the couch and jump onto the next flight to Oslo, Norway.

We’re also looking forward to seeing again those of our foreign festival colleagues who’ll be making the trip to the Norwegian capital and by:Larm. This is a big happening for Oslo, and we’re really looking forward to it. It’ll be almost like our own Club Night, only this time we’ll be able to see a lot more gigs ourselves, as well as throw back a few brewskies before the night is over. We’d also like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone who might be in Oslo next week to get out on the town and catch some good shows – and too se what’s happening at the grassroot level of Norwegian rock. As for us, we can’t wait!

Check out the program here:
by:Larm program

Buy by:Larm tickets here:
by:Larm tickets

MODDI (N)
The charming newcomer Pål Moddi Knutsen comes from the north of Norway and makes powerful music on a small selection of worn-down instruments. He started out small-scale about four years ago, but this year a much wider audience will become acquainted with this young, northern gentleman. Among others, he’s inspired by Jeff Buckley, Múm, and Sigur Rós. According to Moddi himself, he makes music that “at any given time sounds bigger and more pompous in my head than what ends up on tape, and that’s probably a good thing.” The foundation of his mystical and melancholy songs is always either an accordion or an acoustic guitar. Good friends help him out on strings and drums, but Moddi himself is always, and quite naturally, at the center of every song. As such, he alternates between being a lonesome singer/songwriter and a more space-demanding artist in a larger setting.
2008 is the year when many will get to know Moddi – and the Medieval Park in August may prove to be the perfect setting for falling in love with Moddi’s songs.

Moddi on MySpace

ELEPHANT9 (N)
The trio Elephant9 was originally named Storløkken/Eilertsen/Lofthus, the surnames of the three members. Now the trio is ready for the Øya Festival, and anyone who loves jazz rock should start looking forward to their performance. The album DoDoVoodoo will be out in May, and on it you’ll find obvious traces of rock, prog, jazz, psychedelia, and fusion. Elephant9 is an energetic live act whose appeal reaches far beyond the jazz audience. The lucky few who’ve seen the band play live, points to Weather Report and Miles Davis as references. The band’s strong points are their musical interaction, striking precision, and obvious love of playing. Christian Engfelt has helped them out on their debut album, and the result is one of the most exciting musical journeys that have been undertaken in Norway in 2008. In August you’ll get to see a dazzling live display of skilled musicianship at the Øya Festival.