Einar Eidsvåg is the booker at BLÅ, he tells us about the club, Oslo and his vision of who to watch out for on the Norwegian music scene for 2009. BLÅ has gained a reputation due to its eclectic and interesting program of live shows and club events. Einar’s choice of acts makes sure that the venue stays on top. Read the interview

Name: Einar Idsøe Eidsvåg

What do you do?
100% booking and marketing @ BLÅ in Oslo, Norway

How did you become involved at Blaa?
Coincidence really. I was in between jobs and BLÅ was looking for a booker so it worked out really nice for BLÅ and for me.

Describe Blaa in one sentence.
BLÅ is a highly acclaimed alternative venue with a broad spanning profile focusing on quality

What can we expect to hear there?
Let us look at the first week in February for example to get a touch – Monday: James Yorkston (Domono/UK) is a folk musician. Tuesday: Sebastien Tellier (FR), Thursday: Steve Aoki and Bloody Beetroots (IT). Friday: John Wiese (US) + Marc Francombe (UK) – noise followed by a club called TomTom who has booked Lifelike (AT). Saturday it is a Norwegian progpop band called The Low Frequency in Stereo ( Rune Grammofon ). You could say that this is BLÅ in a nutshell. The only thing lacking this week is literature arrangement and jazz.

Other acts coming are Kleerup (S) and Nils Bech, Yo Majesty! (US), Vapnet (S), Max Tundra (UK), Fennesz (AT), Metronomy (UK), Stephen O´Malley (US), Ungdomskulen + + + . And of course: both Todd Terje and Prins Thomas have their own clubs (residencies) @ BLÅ.

How would you describe Blaa regulars?
In-between 20-30. All more or less aware of what they want.

What’s the best thing about Oslo?
The Area BLÅ is situated by the river and the Barcelona/Berlin feeling. Another thing with Oslo is that the culture scene is exploding. Everyday several things are happening. Nothing beats Oslo and its parks and fjord in the summertime.

And the worst?
Too cold sometimes and it is a small city – only 550.000. Too much going on.

If you could invite anyone (dead or alive) to come and perform, who would it be and why?
Prince. I am not gay, but he could have me for breakfast if he wanted to. Hot Chip would be ace. Tom Waits would be welcome as well.

Who’s set to be hot in Oslo in 2009?
Norwegian acts: Ungdomskulen, Nils Bech, Center of the Universe, Prins Thomas, Todd Terje, The Low Frequency in Stereo, I was a King, Norma Sass, Fjorden Baby!
As the rest of the world: folktronica, electronic, pop-electronica, prog-noise-rock-pop. Some hp-hop , but not the bling one.

Some advice to anyone visiting the city for the first time?
Stay off Karl Johan. Go see Majorstua, Frognerparken, Grunerløkka (young hipsters), visit the squatted buildings and hang around Youngstorget. If you are there in summertime – take a boat out to one of the islands in _oslofjorden and hang out all day.

What’s the secret behind the popularity of Blaa?
Broad span of alternative bookings done with integrity. This way we do not die with a trend or expression.

Most memorable experience at the club?
The Dø (FR) sold out on a Monday or Cut Copy (AUS) played in April last year. Other than that: I never get tired of looking at people.

A moment you would rather forget?
We thought we booked a band from the Netherlands called ZZZ, but it turned out the agent had sent us the wrong link, so we got an Australian with that name. At the same time it was a double booking so the whole night was a mess!

What are you listening to on repeat at the moment?
Todd Terje edits, Glass Candy, Chromatics, Kleerup, Metronomy and Paul Simon

Your hopes and fears for the music industry for 2009?
LIVE LIVE LIVE – both posistive and negative. That my gut felling about this being our best year so far does not work on the audience – in other words being out of touch with reality

What’s the most exciting thing in your life right now?
Going to my family’s winter house this weekend to enjoy snow and the wicked nature we got up here and I am going to SXSW – it is always nice to have something to look forward to. . See how this semester works out booking wise

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Tags: awdio, Blaa, Club, live, norway, oslo, Prins Thomas, Todd Terje

This entry was posted on Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 12:53 pm and is filed under Awdio Sources, Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.