The Ark, Corfu, Greece
Christoffer Timoteo sing and play guitar in the band Memetics. They’re a indiepop band from Sandefjord, Norway and have been playing since 2009. They recently released their first EP: “Generations EP”, and will be playing at a couple of festivals this summer (one of them is Slottsfjell festival in Tønsberg, Norway).
My favorite place in the world must be “The Ark” lounge bar on the island Corfu in Greece. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but I can recall everything as it was yesterday. An open space with huge sheets as roof and the soothing sounds of the waves washing up on the clear white beach. This was also where I first got in touch with the game Backgammon, and I believe this also was where I had my first glass of wine. I was 13, so I felt really grown up playing backgammon and drinking wine with my older brother. Great place, on a beautiful island, filled with magnificent people!
Jaeger, Oslo, Norway
Of Norway are well known to not only Norwegian dance heads but also festival crowds and the gang at NRK P3. The band describe their sound as “like getting lost in the Norwegian woods”. It is a sometimes warm, sometimes cool world of crackles, clicks and bleeps which mix stripped-back electronic sounds with the exotic, exquisite sound of modern life.
The few times we crawl out of the studio to check up on the world around us we go to Jaeger in Oslo. It opened in January 2011, and took over the venue from an older rock club (Garage), and it looks like it’s going to be a new haven for the techno/house/disco crowd in Oslo! Good sound both upstairs and downstairs, good DJs, MC.
Caman, great atmosphere and friendly people. What more could you wish for? You can find it in Grensen / Oslo
Zensa lounge, Dénia, Spain
KINEE is a duo from Fredrikstad, Norway who performs electro acoustic pop. Our music tries to combine the best from both worlds: the singer/songwriter and the DJ.
My favorite place is at a bar called Zensa Lounge in Dénia, Spain. I reckon Denia as my second home beside Norway. I’ve been travelling to my fathers apartment there since I was 12. At Zensa Lounge I have all the time in the world, chilling beside the harbour with the beautiful view of Denia’s fortress. A huge glass with either rosé or white wine (2 euros each!!) keeping me company. I don’t even have to ask for olives. In summer, a speedboat with a scary face and grinning teeth in neon colours, brings visitors over from the city. The boat is too scary for me with it’s pirate flag and all. I prefer to take one of our in-house twin bicycles “Rulle” or “Skrulle” for a 10 minute ride along the beach to get there. There’s always a lot of fiestas in Spain and Dénia is no exception. The most beautiful fireworks I’ve seen was from Zensa Lounge when Dénia marked the end of July’s festivities. That led me to write the lyrics I’m most proud of.
Paté Paté, Copenhagen, Denmark
Øyvind Blomstrøm plays guitar in El Cuero who will release their third album this year. Their last performance at by:larm got them a front page in the by:larm newspaper, and a raving review from Uncut writer Eden Park. This year they will strike again! See them at by:Larm, 19th of February 11:30pm at Rockefeller!
Paté Paté is a fantastic restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark. Placed in Kødboderne in Vesterbro, it’s kind of hip and trendy because of the huge transformations in the meatpacking district over the last few years. The slaughter house look makes a great atmosphere for concerts, art, food, drinks or just strolling about for a chill beer.
The waiters at Paté Paté welcomes you in, and tells you everything you want to know about todays menu with great confidence. The placing of the restaurant gives them easy access to meat, so the menu will change slightly from day to day, depending on what part of the lamb, veal etc. they are using. With hardcore, simple food, made with great elegance and amazing flavours, the chefs at Paté Paté made me one of the best meals I ate in all of 2010!
Food for me is on of the main things I care about besides music, and one of the things that make travelling so interesting and fascinating. A good meal can make your day, and a bad meal can certainly ruin your day in many different ways! So nothing makes me happier than a good value meal, eating a rustique dinner in the sunshine outside a kickass restaurant. At Paté Paté I ate grilled veal tounge for starters, accompanied by a lovely salad with beets and poached egg (this was actually two starters, but I had to try both, haha!). Very fresh. I’m pretty full at this moment, but then I’m hit with the main course, which is the best damn braised lamb I’ve ever had. Served with peas and carrots, it’s a pretty simple dish with three or four tastes, but when things are cooked to maximum perfection, that’s really all you need. This dinner really opened my eyes for easy, simple cooking, and their passion for food and wine makes it worth every penny!
HULEN, Bergen, Norway
by Marie Rosted Furseth, assistant at Up Front Artists
My favourite place is Hulen in Bergen. When I first entered the mysterious hallway to this cave I got goose bumps all over my body. Hulen is Scandinavia’s oldest Rock Club and you can really feel the history in the walls. This was the place I had been looking for my whole life (or at least from the day I turned 18): a place where you can enjoy cheep beer and cool rock music, a great concert and fun at the dance floor. All in one night… every night. I don’t think I ever came home clean (physically) and sober after a night at Hulen. It’s just something about those doors: If you go in you will never forget, maybe what you did, but never the feeling. The dark atmosphere between raw and unpolished rock walls with water dripping from the ceiling and no signal on your phone made me work there for a year after my first visit. This is a place for every student and everybody who loves rock, indie, electro and pop and those who want to dance to other music than Lady Gaga and Rihanna. I’ve never seen better use of a shelter from the war!
Address: Olaf Ryes vei 48, 5006 Bergen, Norway (MAP)
Hulens website
