"Wasting Light"

So the new Foo Fighters album is finally out! I've been so excited for this album pretty much since Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace came out more than four years ago now. Four years. That's way too long to make your fans wait for a new album. But since it's the Foo Fighters, they're officially forgiven.

Also because this album is AWESOME. Critics are, as always, divided in their opinions, with some stating that Wasting Light is nothing special, and some praising it as the best album since The Colour and the Shape. I might admit that my own review of the album might be somewhat biased, as Foo Fighters is my favourite band, and as I have been anticipating this for ages, but, nevertheless, I find Wasting Light both exciting and melodious. I haven't listened extensively to all the tracks yet, but I already have several songs that I really enjoy, such as the first single, Rope, the opening song, Bridge Burning, track three, Dear Rosemary, and the second single, which is out now, White Limo. This last one takes the FF sound back to some of their earlier albums, and has much more of the original hard rock/grunge vibe. Screaming vocals by David Grohl. Dear Rosemary is probably my favourite track at the moment; it has a great beat, wonderful backing vocals by Bob Mould, of Hüsker Dü and Sugar, as well as amazing lyrics. Check it out!

Not familiar with the Foo Fighters? Here's ten reasons why you should give them a listen:

1.) David Grohl (guitar, vocal stylings, occasionally drums, song writer)
2.) The Colour and the Shape (possibly their best album)
3.) In a world of trend-oriented attention seekers, the Foo Fighters manage to remain planted on solid ground. Their music is about music, not about image.
4.) Some bands and artists get pissed off when their album is leaked before its release. Foo Fighters decided to put their entire album, with good sound quality, on their website so everyone could listen to it properly.
5.) How many bands record their seventh studio album in the lead singer's garage?
6.) Varied and interesting music. They have slow, melodious songs, loud, grungy songs and everything in between, while maintaining a distinctly "Foo Fighters" sound.
7.) Fairly easy intro into the world of rock music, if you're unfamiliar with, or new to, the genre. They saved me from my boyband faze.
8.) Wonderful live band. I'm going to see them in June, and I can't wait!
9.) Did I mention David Grohl? The rest of the band, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett, aren't too shabby either. ;)
10.) Final reason: YOU HAVE TO.

Imogen Heap live at Sentrum Scene, 16.11.10

Imogen Heap from her last Oslo show in February

So, Imogen Heap came to Norway for the second time this year. Which is awesome. My friend Hildegunn and I, who also went to see her in February (the 25th), bought tickets and went again. After standing outside in line for about an hour and a half (which was frickin' cold, to say the least), we got through the doors and Hildegunn deposited our jackets while I ran downstairs into the hall, where I reserved places for us front and centre. Which meant that, despite my vertical limitations, visibility was excellent. Thus freezing our butts off outside payed off.

Anyway, as always, we waited around for a while after getting in,  and then Imogen Heap came on stage to introduce her warm-up bands. I love that she does this, and she's the only singer/band I've been to see who does. She usually brings along people she knows and has worked with, which means that the warm-up bands are always really good. In February she brought along an American who calls himself Back Ted-N-Ted, and if you haven't heard of him (most people haven't), go on YouTube and check out Hookie. She also brought with her Norwegian artist Kate Havnevik, who has lived many years in the UK and the States, and written music for, among other things, Grey's Anatomy.

Geese

The warm-up bands Imogen brings along are usually also part of her own set, and yesterday the opening act was a British duo called Geese, consisting of Vincent Sipprell on the viola and Emma Smith on the violin. Their music was very alternative, and the first song the played was very melodic and beautiful. I thought the next numbers were somewhat noisy and erratic, but that's just my personal taste. Still, if you're fond of alternative, experimental music, give them a listen.

Ben Christophers

Following them was another British artist named Ben Christophers. This music was something closer to my tastes. He had an absolutely beautiful voice, and I think I listened to most of his set with my mouth hanging open. In other words, very useful for inducing trance-like states. In all seriousness though, he had some truly wonderful songs, and I will definitely be purchasing one of his albums. Or possibly several. This is the problem with having decent warm-up bands. I want to buy their stuff.

Kate Havnevik

Breaking all manner of records, or, you know, just being awesome, Imogen Heap then came back on stage and declared that we were getting a third warm-up act. As it turns out, she had gotten Kate Havnevik to come by, kind of last-minute, and she did a couple songs, among others Halo, one of my personal favourites.

Then, of course, it was time for the show itself. Imogen Heap came on stage swinging a long plastic tube, or something of the like (she uses about a zillion different things to make sounds for her music), and she started the set with Clear the Area. Now, I don't remember every song she played, and in any case, taking you through the concert in its entirety probably wouldn't be all that interesting anyway. But she did play a couple songs that made me particularly happy. One of them was Closing In, which is currently featuring in one of the many Star Trek scenes in my head (involving Kirk and Spock and my W.I.P. fanfic "Finding Trinity" - don't ask. I'll probably blog about it later anyway). Also, she played Canvas. The previous two songs are from her second studio album "Speak For Yourself", and the last from her newest album "Ellipse".

Anyway, it was a wonderful concert. Imogen Heap runs about the stage, playing everything from rubber tubes to cymbals to drums to piano to wine glasses to keytar to the mbira. It's great fun seeing how she does it all. Not to mention she's very energetic, jumping and dancing about, which makes for a great show, but it makes trying to take good pictures really difficult. I did get a few good ones, though. Here's a small sampling:

Playing the mbira

Keyboards

Imogen Heap with Geese and percussionist Chris Vatalaro.

Last song - Hide and Seek - using a keytar and vocoder

Imogen Heap's lighting technician, John something, I couldn't find his name, anyway, he was really good, and created such a great atmosphere. There were so many shots I would like to have taken, but a brainless oaf of a security person came over and told me to put away my camera. Which was silly, because you're allowed to take still pictures at these things. I'm a neurotic wreck, so I've checked at least three times. The thing is, if you want to get a good photo in these lighting conditions, and with all the movement, you have to hold the camera still and get it ready. So I assume the idiot thought I was filming. Which I wasn't.

Anyway, ridiculous security personnel aside, Hildegunn and I did have a great time, and we'll definitely be going back to see her again the next time she comes.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

Well, I've been thinking of starting a blog for some time, and I figured, given my innate fascination with all things Harry Potter, that my first installment should have something to do with that wonderful concept. Also, the pre-premiere was yesterday (at Colosseum movie theatre in Oslo), so I figured a small review of sorts was in order.

 I've read several reviews so far, and most of them are not favourable. I can understand why, despite the fact that I do not agree. For people who have not read the books, the seventh installment of the Harry Potter movie series might be somewhat confusing, and a little slow-paced. If you are looking for epic battles and cinematographic wonders, this is not the movie for you. Don't get me wrong. The special effects are, as always, wonderful, the filming is good, and most of the acting is decent, but where the previous films have been centered on the action-related parts of the books, often at the expense of everything from characterisation to charm, this movie has chosen to attempt faithfulness to the book whence it came.

As an enthusiastic (bordering on the overly enthusiastic) Harry Potter reader, I feel this decision to remain true to the book has been director David Yates' and screenwriter Steve Kloves' best move so far. For what I love about the Harry Potter books is not the action, it is not the suspense that makes me read the books over and over again, but, rather, the colourful characters, the many charming scenes in between the action, the vivid descriptions, etc.

Dobby the House Elf

This time, Yates and Kloves have chosen to include many of those things that have, in earlier movies, been overlooked. For instance, Dobby the House Elf is given his first appearance since film two. Given that he is one of my favourite characters, it broke my heart that they left him out of the previous three films; in the books, he plays important roles in all these installments.

Moving on to the seventh film itself. As mentioned, I liked it. This was a pleasant surprise for me, as well as for one of my good friends, who, like me, has been very disillusioned with the whole film concept, and who was there last night. I was actually stunned at how little I had to complain about. Mostly, when I watch the Harry Potter movies, I'm constantly sighing and tearing my hair, trying not to throw things at the screen while I wonder at all the poor decisions people who are supposed to be creative manage to make. Movie number three, which is widely praised (at least in Norway) as the best of all the Potter movies, actually irritates me to such an extent that, even when I watch all the movies together, I refuse to see it.

Deathly Hallows part 1 is very much an "in between" film. It features Harry, Ron and Hermione's travels as they begin their search for Horcruxes and try not to be captured by Death Eaters. The movie actually manages to go through a lot of the book story. My friend and I discussed what might take up the time in the next installment, and we both assume that plenty of space will be reserved for the Battle of Hogwarts. And the funny thing is that I am now actually looking forward to the final film. I saw this installment with very low expectations, and, lo and behold, I was, for once, not disappointed!

On to the somewhat less than enthusiastic reviews. The reviewers' main problem appears to be the film's faithfulness to the book, a "problem" which is not going to give me any grief, as I have been hoping for more plot accuracy since I saw the first movie as a thirteen year-old. One issue that was raised, with which I cannot but agree, is the lack of acting skill in the movie's main character. Daniel Radcliffe is sadly incompetent as an actor, something he shows all too well in this movie. Scenes of a more emotional nature fly over his head, and he becomes exaggerated, and something of a caricature of himself. Though Emma Watson is not so much called into question by reviewers, she is also, in my eyes, a significant problem, and her ditsy, girly portrayal of Hermione (which doesn't even vaguely resemble the character we all know and love) bothers me more than Radcliffe's acting. But these are both general problems, which permeate all films, and are not specific to this one.

Rhys Ifans - Xenophilius Lovegood

Bill Nighy - Rufus Scrimgeour

Like I said, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I'll take you through some of the (for me) high points. Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour was definitely at the top of the list. Also, Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood was an excellent choice. They are both spectacular. Generally, the older actors always make me happy. Except Michael Gambon. Though I like him very much as an actor, he was an absolutely horrendous Dumbledore, taking absolutely all the magic out of his character. However, as Dumbledore died in the last film, we don't have to put up with Gambon's very free interpretation of his character in this one. So, yay. Other high points were Ron Weasley's breakdown, which was played quite spectacularly by Rupert Grint (who is, by a long shot, the best actor of the trio), Snape's (Alan Rickman) expression as he is forced to watch Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage die, the reappearance of the delightfully wicked Dolores Umbridge (played magnificently by Imelda Staunton), Harry Potter in women's lingerie, lots of beautifully scenic landscape shots (which the reviewers failed to appreciate), and plenty of humour, despite the movie's darker tone.

To round off this long post, I want to say that I can, for the first time since movie number two, heartily recommend this film. I know my friends and I had lots of fun at the pre-premiere. We made our own cloaks, which turned out wonderfully, but took quite a lot of hard work to complete, and we all looked quite spiffy yesterday.

Karl-Erik, Jeanett, Hildegunn and me - two Slytherins, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff, united for the occasion.

It was Jeanett's genius that instructed us in the robe-making, but we all successfully sewed our own robes. I am also wearing a Slytherin scarf and hat (my gloves are apparently in my bag in this picture) which I have knitted myself.

So, in short, the premiere was a success, the evening was a success, and the film was, despite the rambling criticisms of reviewers, a success. Go see it.