Roskilde 2017: More than something for The Weeknd

July 5, 2017July 29, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

That’s what you call a second act! (photo: Kayla Johnson

Original article written for The Copenhagen Post.

Canadian R&B act Abel Makkonen Tesfayese (aka The Weeknd) was always going to be one of Roskilde Festival’s highlights in a music line-up that many festival-goers contend is void of veritable headliners this year.

This notwithstanding, there was some confusion as what to expect from the show – would it be a masterclass in Tesfayese’s undeniable vocal prowess or would he wilt in the limelight?

Lukewarm start

Kicking things off later than expected, The Weeknd shook the partisan crowd to life with a performance of his flagship track, ‘Starboy’.

A significant screen lag and palpable sound issues marred what was otherwise a befittingly bold opening. This was further diluted by the black and white screen projections against a dark, restless sky.

The lukewarm start dragged past the first few songs before a driven performance of ‘party monster’ changed the direction of the show.

Gone were the insipid black and white screens, duly replaced by rich colours and strong visuals. The sound still wasn’t quite right though and several punters questioned whether what we were hearing was playback or a tone maestro at his recognisable best – pushing his tenor range to the maximum with some mind-blowing falsettos.

Midway through and any doubts as to what we were hearing were consigned to mere memory compliments of an epic rendition of ‘Six Feet Under’ – another of the monumental tunes off Tesfayese’s 2016 album ‘Starboy’.

Cementing his popularity with the crowd, The Weeknd then rolled out a bold performance of ‘Low Life’ (minus the grunts and barks of Atlanta rapper Future, who features heavily in the studio version).

Spellbinding magic
With the skies darkening and a crescent moon rising low over the trees around the Orange Stage, Tesfaye’s show peaked into top gear, as club grooves such as ‘Secrets’ and the iconic ‘Earned it’, off the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ soundtrack, worked a powerful, spellbinding magic on the indefatigable crowd.

A reminder of The Weeknd’s local popularity came towards the end as his popular party anthem ‘Can’t feel my face’ received unanimous backing from the crowd, who sang along for its entirety.

The Weekend came, saw and conquered Roskilde Festival 2017. If Tesfaye arrived as a Starboy, he left as a legend, carried by cheers for what was quite possibly the biggest crowd this reviewer has seen at the Orange Stage in his eight years at the event.

Roskilde Festival 2017 A-Z day one

June 26, 2017January 17, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Another year, another Roskilde Festival (my 8th one to be precise). Here are my shots from the first day of the event, along with a few general observations. #Rf17 seems to be a lot more formal but that doesn’t neccessarily mean it’s better organised. It’s early on but I have yet to figure this festival out (or I have grown old).

A- Authorities

Rescue services are in full force, which is reassuring for us merrymakers

B – Beer bowling

Beer bowling – a national sport at Roskilde, comme tojours.

C – Can collectors

Can collectors from far and wide

D – Delights

Delights – of the (charming) culinary sort – lots of em!

E – Epic Sax Guy

We found him!

F – Foxes

Where there’s foliage there’s foxes – this one was sat by the train tracks in Roskilde West

G – Gadgets

Gadgets & gizmos galore – Fatboys and fidget spinners are killin’ it at Rf17

H – Happy times

Keep em coming 😉

I – Illimatic fashion

Rf17 is hip ville 2.0

J – Jams

Traffic jams, music jams, people jams (like this one on the bridge over to Roskilde West)

K – Kicks

Some stand out more than others

L – Loopey slogans

You can thank Trump for them later

M – Mobile phones

There are mobiles galore and I am also guilty of reaching into my pocket for mine a bit too often

N – Nosh

Nosh – lots of it, mostly organic

O – Old Gees

It’s a festival for the young and old but young at heart

P – Police

There is a heightened police presence this year. I saw police with M16 rifles ( a first), plain clothes police with labradors and police cars driving around

Q – Questions

What are you looking at?

R – Rubbish!

One (wo) man’s treasure, another (wo) man’s trash

S – Skate

The skatepark is less flamboyant this year. Last year’s festival saw Red Bull host a range of engaging activities in my favourite corner of Roskilde West. This year, not much is happening there, though Game Denmark have taken ownership of most of the sporting activities in the rest of the area.

T – Tunnel

The tunnel at Roskilde station – blissful at this moment in time but typically jam-packed

U – Urine

Urine – urine everywhere (but there are more toilets and urinals around)

V – Vans – They are off the wall and über alles

W – Woodstock

Woodstock and Roskilde – not that many parallels but you will find the Woodstock Hummel bus parked in Roskilde West

X – X marks the spot

We all love setting crosses by the names we’d like to see on stage

Y – YOLO

You really do only live once at Roskilde. Cheesy? – it’s Y, give me a break!

Z – Zzz

Beauty sleep – get lots of it at RF17!

See you out there for more action from the music days from Wednesday onwards. Which bands are on your hit list this year? Here’s a list of my favourites from last year. For more Roskilde Festival pictures, check out my 2015 photo roundup

Capital Fluxus at CPH Dox Awards Ceremony

March 26, 2017July 29, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Pics from Capital Fluxus’ performance at CPH Dox’s Awards Ceremony – held at Charlottenborg Palace, Copenhagen.

As Copenhagen Dox, the city’s largest documentary film festival made its return after a one and a half year hiatus, Capital Fluxus marked their musical versatility with a performance at the festival’s awards ceremony.

Who are Capital Fluxus?

“Capital Fluxus are well on their way to becoming one of Europe’s most interesting hip hop acts – and well, honestly, they already are.” “They respect the basics of hip hop and urban music, and additionally try to shake things up by tossing some actual art into the mix.”

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And here’s a their latest video:

CAPITAL FLUXUS – NOL & SOL from Jacob Schill on Vimeo.

In Search of The Human Scale: Cities That Move at 5 km/h, instead of at 60 km/h

September 25, 2016July 29, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article published for The Danish Architecture Centre.

The history of global architecture is replete with examples of monumental constructions. As a civilisation, we often tend to be endeared by that which is mammoth, gargantuan and high-rise; we are a society driven by affection towards that which manifests itself on a grand scale. This is true of the Pyramids of Giza as it is for today’s vast, unending skyscraper skylines of Dubai, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

However, whilst the architectural feats required to raise grand structures such as skyscrapers several hundred feet above ground warrant adulation, there are many who argue that there is an essential element that is often omitted from narratives of this sort. In hisTED talk held at Copenhagen’s Black Diamond Library in November last year, Danish architect Jan Gehl discussed the need for pedestrian-driven cities that put people at the centre of the town planning narrative. The TED talk reflects some of the construction philosophies that have been at the heart of Jan Gehl’s work over the last forty years.

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Jan Gehl at TEDxKEA. TEDxKEA Credit: Daniela De Lorenzo 2015

The Human Scale

According to Gehl, one of the most important elements in the construction of habitats for humanity is what he calls, the human scale – the construction of structures and habitats with humans at the centre of the narrative. Now, whilst this may seem like a given, Gehl argues that modernist (post 1960) architecture and town planning has in fact, eliminated the human scale from the equation, in its bid to build for the modern man.

If we look at the cities before 1960, they were built in small instalments – typically around two building blocks- the street and the square.”/Jan Gehl

These buildings blocks were based on the movement of the feet in the case of the street and the eye in the case of the square. In other words, the old cities were built for and took their departure in, the body. However, with the expansion of the world and the compatibility between mass production and modernism, the human, scale and in essence the way in which people moved on streets and within squares was forgotten.

For Gehl, what followed was a series of cities and construction projects that looked spectacular from the air but lacked essential functionality at the street level. Combined with the increasing role of the car in society, what followed was a prioritization of vehicle transport over people and pedestrians. Gehl had other plans for his city planning endeavours, however.

Strøget

It is needless to say that Gehl is most well known for his groundbreaking work on Copenhagen’s pedestrian street, Strøget. At 1.1 km in length, this is Europe’s second longest pedestrian streets after Bordeaux’s Rue Sainte-Catherine and a major tourist attraction. Strøget’s development was also a cornerstone for Copenhagen’s prioritization of bike and pedestrian traffic. However, whilst the street is revered today, this wasn’t always the case. Rioting motorists and death threats to the mayor of Copenhagen in 1962, Alfred Wassard, at the time the idea of a pedestrian-free street was conceived, threatened to derail the project entirely.

None of the cities had any knowledge about how their cities were being used by people but they knew everything about how the traffic used the city…. This gave a fantastic imbalance”

/Jan Gehl, TEDxKEA

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Copenhagen’s pedestrian street in the early 1960´s. Credit: Københavns Stadsarkiv

Gehl was responsible for making recommendations to the mayor at the time, and started studying Strøget in 1962. Upon his recommendations, the street was pedestrianized the very same year on a trial basis. In 1964, this was made permanent. Removing car traffic from this area of the city was a priority in Gehl’s planning narrative at the time. However, Gehl’s subsequent policies and practicies have also had other focus areas embedded within their narratives (such as encouraging the use of bikes)

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Copenhagen’s pedestrian street, Strøget, today. Credit: Visit Denmark 2015

Gehl’s Influence Globally

Strøget founded the basis of Copenhagen’s pedestrian-friendly city planning policies, as we know them today. However, Gehl’s influence on humanistic planning also extends to the planning policies of other nations.

For instance, in 2007, Gehl was influential in re-mapping New York’s streets in a more pedestrian-friendly manner. Through his advice to the department of transportation, numerous city planning policies in the area have been made in in the interest of pedestrian-friendly urban architecture. Similarly, Gehl’s work has also been influential in Australia and New Zealand, where he has prepared public life studies for the city centres of Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hobart.

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Times Square, pedestrian plaza pre Gehl intervention. Credit: Gehl Architechts, 2010

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Times Square, pedestrian plaza postGehl intervention. Credit Gehl Architechts, 2013
Today, the town planning policies of numerous cities the world over are increasingly concerned with placing pedestrians at the centre of the architectural narrative. This is nothing new in the history of construction, as pre 60´s architectural traditions dictate, so essentially, what is needed, according to Gehl, is a return to some of the architectural paradigms that defined the way we built cities in the past. This, he argues, creates intimacy and interaction; it creates a human scale that places people at the epicentre of the city and the life around it.

‘There’s good money to be made here’

July 5, 2016July 29, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article written for The Local Denmark, available here

The hundreds of can and bottle collectors who come to Roskilde each year can take home a lot of cash, but there can often be a high price to pay.

With over one million litres of beer consumed at your average Roskilde Festival, the mess from empty cans and bottles left behind is an issue that draws attention every year. Yet the revenue that can be generated by collecting and recycling the receptacles is significant, thanks to the Danish deposit system.

That promise of money literally being tossed on the ground draws hundreds of can collectors – many from Africa and the Roma community – to the festival each year. It’s estimated that a single collector can make up to 60,000 kroner in deposit money over the course of the full eight days.

Yet the life of a can collector, whilst well-paid and tax free, is anything but comfortable. Amongst the maddening crowds and mosh pit frenzies they bend, laden with plastic bags filled with empty soda and beer containers. Theirs is a life amongst an underclass in an world whose rules are far from fairly regulated.

Invariably, their work is not without racist abuse from time to time. Yet despite the grumblings of some festival guests, these collectors keep the Roskilde grounds and their environs far cleaner than they otherwise would be.

Like many a festival-goer, I will admit that it can be annoying to have bags of dripping beer spilled on one’s clothes whilst enjoying a good show or relaxing on the camping grounds. And the pressure of having a can collector waiting anxiously for one to down their beverage does create some frustration. All the same, the mess from all the merrymaking needs to be cleaned by someone at some point.

Meet Peter from Nigeria

In an attempt to understand the world of can collection, I spent some time with Peter, a bottle collector from Nigeria, who collected cans at Roskilde for the first time this year. I followed him around the camping grounds for a short while, as he introduced me to his working routine and shared some of his thoughts on the nature of his work.

“The festival is amazing but at the same time I’m working a lot, sometimes up to fifteen hours a day,” he said. “There’s good money to be made here but you have to work a lot for it.”

“What is the most difficult part of your job?”

“Sometimes when you approach people – I can’t call them clients because we’re not selling, you know – some are aggressive. This is normal, somehow we are inferior to them. We have to be strong so we don’t feel the impact of this.”

“There is also the fact that we have to return a maximum of 50 pieces per empty sack. When you’re out collecting, you don’t have time to think about this so you have to sort thing out a lot afterwards.”

I shadow Peter for a short while as he makes his rounds in the Roskilde Festival West camping area. On this brief journey, we manage to gather a few isolated cans and the odd bottle. The camping area is at its quietest, so this is fairly straightforward and without trouble. Peter remarks that this is not always the case, however, stating that it is obviously more difficult to collect cans when the party is in full swing.

Collectors get their own VIP lounge

So the life of a can collector, at least from Peter’s perspective, is not without its challenges, even though, as he contends, there is good money to be made.

This year, Roskilde attempted to mitigate some of the challenges posed by the can collection process. I took a look at one of them, the VIP can collector lounge in the Art Zone. A product of the well-known artistic group Superflex, the Flagship Shelters/Bottle Collectors VIP project features several shelters made on designs based on the flagship stores of major fashion brands such as Prada and Miu Miu.

The shelters are made from cheaper materials and downscaled from the original extravagant designs, in an aim to create a discourse on matters of consumption, social injustice and resource prioritization. The area is well staffed and frequented by many a bottle collector though the main lounge area does have more tired festival-goers than bottle collectors lying around.

On the surface, some of the issues of can collection are indeed raised by this installation. However, most of the festival-goers I met here seemed comfortably unaware of what it was and the palpable gap between can collectors and Roskilde festival’s guests was still painfully apparent.

This is not to say that the efforts of the festival should not be credited. Compared to previous years, Roskilde has indeed made significant attempts to address the issue of can collection, for example by ensuring that refund points are well staffed and that the process is more regulated. The issue is indeed in focus, but can more be done to address the fundamental problem areas?

Throughout the eight-day party, the guests and the collectors complete a symbiosis as can after can is opened, drank, disposed of, collected and returned.

While Roskilde’s 100,000-plus crowd kept the good times rolling, can collectors like Peter continued to earn their keep beneath their dancing feet.

The best concerts of Roskilde Festival 2016

July 5, 2016July 29, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

It was tough to pare it down, but our team has made their picks for the best concerts from this year’s Roskilde Festival.

Befitting the diversity of the line-up, there are precious few overlaps in our three writers’ picks for the best concerts at this year’s Roskilde Festival. Performances from all six stages and on all four of the festival’s main musical days made the cut.

From legendary acts to Colombian experimental rock and UK grime – and just about everything in between – here are our selections for the best performances.

Justin Cremer’s top five picks

1. Neil Young + Promise of the Real (Orange, Friday)

From the opening keys of ‘After the Gold Rush’ through the 30-minute extended jam encore performance of ‘Love and Only Love’, Neil Young put on a commanding, thunderous performance. Mixing old favourites like ‘Alabama’, ‘Words’ and ‘Unknown Legend’ with newer tracks like ‘Mother Earth’, Young and his excellent backing band Promise of the Real put on a show that was quite possibly the best I’ve witnessed on the legendary Orange stage.

2. Kvelertak (Avalon, Thursday)

There were an estimated 7,000 Norwegians at this year’s festival and at times during this Stavanger band’s wild and raucous late night set, it felt like I was surrounded by all of them. This was without a doubt the highest energy interaction between band and audience that I had the pleasure of being a part of.

3. Savages (Avalon, Thursday)

When I saw Savages play the Pavillion stage in 2013, it was one of that year’s most pleasant surprises. Three years later and on the larger Avalon stage, the London-based quartet blew me away again with their mix of attitude, sexiness and intensity.

4. Sleep (Avalon, Wednesday)

The midnight set from doom pioneers Sleep was near the top of my list going into Roskilde, and it certainly did not disappoint. This was an absolutely hypnotizing set that provided the perfect ending to the festival’s opening night.

5. Gojira (Arena, Saturday)

I had heard good things about this French prog/technical metal band’s live performances for years and now I know why. Even though the band apologized several times for being a bit “rusty”, their Saturday evening set was a blistering display of tight musicianship and crunching grooves. The band might not have felt like they had delivered their best, but for me Gojira lived up to the hype.

Chris Manion’s top five picks:

1. Sleep (Avalon, Wednesday)

I sceptically joined a group to see the band Sleep with no prior knowledge of them or ‘stoner doom metal’. As soon as we were about 50 metres from the show, I could sense perfect harmony between the music and the audience. It was this symbiotic relationship that some artists simply failed to capture in the same enigmatic style. The music was expressing a shared feeling, a collectiveness, and that is what Roskilde Festival is essentially about, being together for the love of music.

2. Neil Young + Promise of the Real (Orange, Friday)

The 70-year-old Canadian legend delivered a breathtakingly energetic performance. The show progressed from heartfelt renderings of classics such as ‘Heart of Gold’ to a full throttle rock’n’roll experience like no other.

3. MØ (Orange, Saturday)

The Danish international star came to the Orange stage on the final evening of Roskilde 2016. There were many festival-goers looking defeated and deflated, a tough crowd to bring alive. As soon as MØ came to the stage, it all changed. She brought a passion and energy that could not be topped by many other artists in the world.

4. Courtney Barnett (Avalon, Thursday)

A first-time Roskilde Festival experience for the young Australian singer-songwriter and she did not disappoint. She gave festival-goers a powerfully sincere performance. Many times throughout the show, you could see that this was still a 28-year-old playing songs that openly confess her deepest fears and regrets. That humility gave the performance a beautifully personal touch.

5. Mac DeMarco (Arena, Friday)

The cheeky Canadian up-and-coming star strutted on the stage with unabashed confidence, and then looked at the audience like a naughty schoolboy and gave his famous gap toothed smile. From then on, it was a fun, energetic and charismatic performance.

Allan Mutuku-Kortbæk’s top five picks

1. House of Pain (Orange, Thursday)

The guys that brought us the legendary ’Jump Around’ tune rocked the Orange stage to its core during their Thursday afternoon performance. Who would have thought that a hip-hop mainstay such as this would play Johnny Cash’s ’Walk The Line’ in their set? Schoolboy Q and Young Thug should take notes from these OGs.

2. Tame Impala (Arena, Friday)

Australians Tame Impala are a class act and have grown in presence and stature since their previous appearance at Roskilde a few years ago. Backing their performance with an impeccable light show and a ton of confetti, they were simply insurmountable on the Arena stage.

3. Los Pirañas (Gloria, Saturday)

Colombia’s Los Pirañas churned out an endearing stream of psychedelic rock fused with South American influences that blew the roof off the intimate Gloria stage. Hats off to the stage crew for outfitting the stage with an epic light show to match an assured performance.

4. Tenacious D (Orange, Thursday)

Honestly, I’m not a Jack Black fan and even after his momentous performance at Orange, I still have my doubts about the man’s sanity. Credit is due to him, however, for providing a fun and at times mesmerising show amidst the rain. Where others would have stumbled, Tenacious D were sure-footed, weird and even wonderful.

5. Elf Kid (Apollo, Saturday)

Grime’s renaissance was reflected in Roskilde’s bookings this year. Of those on the billing, South London’s Elf Kid was, for me, the most impressive of the lot. Backed by his DJ, the kid spat out one lyric after another before getting bare-chested in the early Saturday afternoon chill, encouraging everyone to banish their hangovers to mere memory.

New Danish festival: Music, art and talks in castle setting

June 8, 2016January 18, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article written for The Local, available here

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Heartland Festival, the latest entry on Denmark’s long list of summer festivals, will debut this weekend on the island of Funen. Picture, Heartland Festival

The Heartland Festival is hoping to carve out a niche in the busy festival month of June by combining a short but unique music line-up with world-renowned artists, high-level talks and a focus on Danish cuisine.

And the whole thing will be done in the fairytale setting of the well-known tourist beacon Egeskov Castle.

“Our ambition with Heartland is to challenge exciting perception of what a festival experience can be by offering playful formats, multiple art scenes, instant fun and long-lasting substance. With a strong line-up of artists, a beautiful renaissance castle and new ways of experiencing music, arts, literature and food, I cannot wait to present the new Heartland Festival to the world,” festival director Ulrik Ørum-Petersen said.

Immersive experiences

Unlike the majority of festivals on the calendar, Heartland guns for a more holistic festival experience that involves immersion in the central elements of music, art, food and conversations.

To this end, some of the names on the music billing include Mark Ronson, The Flaming Lips, Michael Kiwanuka, Mikael Simpson, Kvamie Liv and Sun Kil Moon.

Talks from Brian Eno, performance artist Marina Abramovic and Danish ‘starchitect’ Bjarke Ingels will also take place during the two-day event.

On the food front, Heartland have planned a culinary programme that is designed to stand out from other festivals, featuring, amongst others, top chefs such as Per Hallundbaek.

Danish focus with international roots

With a predicted attendance of 6,000, Heartland is not an event targeting the average festival-goer, aiming instead for a more culturally aware audience.

“Heartland Festival is an entirely new festival approach, that does not resemble any of the other festivals that we know in Denmark, but that has had success in other countries such as England and Holland,” Ørum Petersen said.

Practicalities

When: Friday, June 10th – Saturday, June 11th

Where: Egeskov Castle, Kværndrup, Southern Funen

Price: 955 kroner for both days, 655 kroner for one

Accommodation: Guests can camp in their own tent or choose a pre-pitched option. Local hotels, bed and breakfasts and holiday homes are also available (at a separate cost).

Key Names: Mark Ronson, Michael Kiwanuka, Blaue Blume, The Flaming Lips, Mikael Simpson, Anne Linnet, Whomadewho, Brian Eno, Bjarke Ingels, Marina Abramovic.

Transport: Trains to Kværndrup Station run from Odense’s central station. Free shuttle buses to and from Kværndrup.

More information is available on the festival’s website.

Carl Prisen 2016

April 20, 2016January 18, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Carl Prisen 2016, A showcase of Danish Music

In a year in which both Lukas Graham and Mø have made headlines abroad with top ten hits that have taken Danish music to an international audience, it comes as no surprise that both of the aforementioned artists were richly rewarded at the annual Carl Prize, held at Carlsberg’s iconic ”Jacobsen” brewery. Whilst few Danish musicians have broken the threshold of international stardom, there are encouraging signs that this may be about to change.

Christiania-born and bred Lukas Graham raked in the accolade for the composition of the year within the category of pop for the songs on his eponymous album. The chart topper ’7 years,’ on the same album, also won the prize for the song of the year. For her part, Mø went home with an unsurprising reward for the most streamed song of the year, ’Lean on’ which was made in collaboration with American producer, Major Lazer and has over 1.3 billion views on YouTube. The Sony signed starlet also pocketed the honour of International success of the year, due in no small part, no doubt, to the overpowering global reach of ‘Lean on.’

Now in its fourth year, The Carl Prize aims to reward the efforts of songwriters and composers and features 12 different prizes, ranging from the classical composer of the year to the upcoming talent of the year. Hosted by the hirsute children’s entertainment figure, Mikkel Lomborg and singer Pernille Rosendahl, the awards ceremony drew over 200 participants to the rustic confines of the Jacobsen brewery on Monday.

A full list of all winners follows below:

Cash prizes of 30´000 Kroner for the talent of the year: Rock band, The Kikos and classical composer, Per Nørgård (who gave the award to Cellist Jakob Kullberg)

The honour award: Per Nørgård (who received a standing ovation for his efforts within classical music composition over the years)

Classic Composer of the year: Grand Ensemble: Sunleif Rasmussen for ”Symphony Number 2, The Earth Anew.”

Classical Composer of the year: Small Ensemble: Karsten Fundal & Efterklang for the opera ”Leaves – The Colour of Falling.”

Composer of the year – film score: Jonas Struck for his score to the film ”Idealisten” (The Idealist.)

Composer of the year: Children’s music: Stine Michel for the songs in the theatre play ”The Light and The Spider of Luck.”

Composer of the year – Roots: Rune Thorsteinsson for the songs on the album ”Global Compositions.”

Composer of the year – Jazz: Jakob Bro for the works on the album ”Gefion.”

Composer of the year – Pop: Lukas Forchhammer, Stefan Forrest, Morten Ristorp, Morten Pilegaard (Lukas Graham) for the songs on the album ”Lukas Graham (Blue album.)

Composer of the year – Rock: Jonas Schmidt, Robert Jensen Buhl, Søren Jensen Buhl, Peter Bøgvad Hansen (Blaue Blume) for the songs on the album ”Syzygy.”

Most played song of the year (Airplay + Streaming)

Karen Marie Ørsted (Mø) for “Lean On” which has over 1.3 Billion views on YouTube.

Talent of the year (Including a check of 30´000 Kroner):

The Kikos

Songwriter of the year:

Marie Key for the texts to the songs on the albums Do You Think We Should Dance?

International success of the year:

Karen Marie Ørsted (Mø)

Song of the Year:

”7 Years” Morten Pilegaard, David James Labrel, Christopher Stephen Brown, Lukas Forchhammer, Stefan Forrest and Morten Ristorp Jensen.

Pictures by Allan Kortbaek

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The best Danish bands you’ve (maybe) never heard of

April 7, 2016January 18, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article co-written with Christopher Manion for The Local Denmark, available here

Denmark may not be widely accepted as the musical centre of the world, but there is a banquet of exquiste and groundbreaking Danish music awaiting your ears if you listen just a little harder.

Denmark’s Lukas Graham tops iTunes, is Billboard next? (29 Mar 16)
The best album ever recorded in Denmark just turned 30 (03 Mar 16)
Bruce Springsteen gig confirmed in Denmark (17 Feb 16)
Danish artist MØ to sing at Nobel Prize concert (02 Dec 15)

Lukas Graham’s steady climb up the international music charts (‘7 Years’ as at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second week running) may be putting Denmark on the global music map but the country is still arguably not known as a hotbed of fantastic musical acts.

Asked about Danish music, most people outside of the country might only be able to offer up ‘Barbie Girl’ or one-fourth of Metallica as examples, but there is in fact an exceptional feast of incredible Danish sounds that has seemingly evaded many people’s musical radar.

Here, in no particular order, is a little sample of some fantastic talent coming out of the crooks and crannies of Denmark.

1. Iceage

The Copenhagen band, formed in 2008, has captured that energetic youthful abandon with their unique punk-rock/noise-rock/post-hard-core sound. Iceage’s first album ‘New Brigade’, released in 2011, was a ragged hack and slash punk album that encapsulated that adolescent ‘screw it’ attitude. But, like many seminal 90s post-punk/shoe-gaze bands like Sonic Youth and Pavement, Iceage honed in on a unique well-constructed sound on their 2014 album ‘Plowing into a Field of Love’. If Iceage’s albums leave you lusting after more of singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s whisky and Marlboro infused vocals, check out his side project ‘Marching Church‘. Fans of Nirvana, Joy Division and Sonic Youth will certainly be in for a Danish treat with this Copenhagen band.

2. Under Byen

One of the things Denmark is widely known for are the ‘Scandinavian Noir’ crime dramas such as ‘Broen’ (The Bridge) and ‘Forbrydelsen’ (The Killing). The dark, melancholic undercurrents that have become so synonymous with Danish drama are gloriously exuded by the Aarhus-band Under Byen (Below the City). Aarhus locals Katrine Stochholm and Henriette Sennenvaldt formed the experimental post-rock band back in 1995 and by 2003 former senior editor of Rolling Stone David Fricke had called them the best band in the world. Though the statement is contestable, Under Byen certainly have a unique atmospheric, sleek and intelligent sound that encapsulates those long Scandinavian winters succinctly.

3) Manus Nigra

The trio from Aarhus effortlessly blend a variety of musical genres to create a multi-layered soundscape. The band released their first self-titled album in 2015 and the hip-hop/trip hop/soul trio have slowly been making waves in the Danish music scene. Manus Nigra’s unique sound comes from the combination of lead vocalist Fönix’s classical training, melded seamlessly with freestyle veteran Ham Den Lange and producer DJ Swab bringing plethora of knowledge from more than 15 years’ experience in the music industry.

4. Felix De Luca

Depending on who you ask, Felix Da Luca is one of the most on-form rappers in Denmark at the moment. De Luca raps in English with a style that would be at home on the mammoth American hip-hop market. His latest release ‘Valentine’ encapsulates all the elements of Felix De Luca, with its spooky, teasing groove and rapid-fire lyrics.

5. Myrkur

Myrkur (Icelandic for darkness) is an atmospheric black metal project that sounds like a chariot ride to hell on a carriage drawn by swans. A love-her-or-loathe-her polarizing figure within the metal scene, Myrkur is the handiwork of Amalie Bruun (known for her modelling work in productions like Martin Scorsese’s Bleu De Chanel ad), Myrkur is dark, ethereal and compelling all at once.

6. Communions

Combining the fast paced energy of 70s punk with modern indie to create a sound that will resonate with fans of the post punk revival, Communions; first studio release ‘Cobblestones’ came out in 2014 and began the ball rolling for the Danish band who are now gaining recognition from the likes of music media giants Pitchfork and NME. The momentum has yet to subside as their new EP ‘Out Of My World’, released June 2015, received universal praise for the merging of indie-pop sensibilities with a sprinkling of punk rawness. Communions is most certainly a band to keep an eye and an ear on so you can be that person at a dinner party saying “I heard them before they were famous”, you little hipster.

7. Piss Vortex

With a name like that what is not to love about this Copenhagen grindcore band?! The name may create a mental image of a bottomless abyss of urine, but the four-piece have incorporated furious sounds with a subtle undercurrent of jazz composition to create a remarkably unique sound. Admittedly Piss Vortex’s visceral and aggressive sound may not be every single person’s cup of chai, but they were able to grab the attention of influential metal site Metal Sucks after releasing just two songs. If you are partial to fast-paced and aggressive music, don’t flush these guys away without a listen.

8. Suspekt

This hip-hop trio from Albertslund, just west of Copenhagen, have been making waves in the Danish music scene since their beginnings in 1999, culminating with a festival-closing performance on Roskilde’s Orange stage last summer. Suspekt’s explicit raps have sometimes earned them the ‘horrorcore’ label and their Danish-language rhymes aren’t your mainstream ‘hey mum you’ll love this song’ kind of music, but the group puts a unique take on a somewhat tired genre.

9. LSD on CIA

The humoursly-named LSA on CIA provide hedonistic thrash rock that is quickly gaining widespread European popularity. Their sophomore album, ‘Celestial Bodies’ has only just hit the shelves and is a work to behold. Watch out for the melodic mind-blowing efforts of Piotr Fronek, Troels Dankert and Mikkel Konyhe.

Story continues below…

From Abandoned Train Sheds to Street Sport Mekka’s

March 17, 2016January 18, 2020 / Alan Kortbaek / Leave a comment

Original article written for The Danish Architechture Centre (Arcspace), available here

Once a greasy, dusty train shed that belonged to Denmark’s national rail company, DSB, GAME Streetmekka Esbjerg represents the matrimony of raw, edgy street culture with disused architecture. Street culture, as the name suggests, tends to rely on the narrative and aesthetics of urban landscapes. Disused, semi-derelict architecture, such as an abandoned train shed, is an ideal environment within which street culture can flourish.

A partnership between Esbjerg Kommune, Realdania, TrygFonden, Nordea-fonden and GAME Denmark, the building is the first of three such-like facilities that planned for construction in various towns around Denmark. GAME Streetmekka Esbjerg, located on the west coast of Denmark, opened its doors at the start of January 2016, following many months of construction and planning.

Street Basketball and Street Football courts. Streetmekka Esbjerg, Effekt Architects @ Game Denmark

Focus on The Youth

GAME Denmark is an NGO that has focused on giving children of all backgrounds access to sport through activities such as street football, parkour, and street basketball. “We Love Asphalt” is the maxim that the organization operates by – using tough, asphalted urban terrains as a backdrop for creating equal access to sports for all.

The industrial confines of the former train sheds form the backdrop for an architectural narrative that does away with elaborate structures and creates democratized spaces that can be occupied by youth culture. In this manner, the existing aesthetic with its rough, unbridled qualities are given a new lease of life under an architectural narrative that is conducive to playfulness and flexibility.

Skate bowls render. Streetmekka Esbjerg, Effekt Architects @ Game Denmark

Skate bowls. Streetmekka Esbjerg, Effekt Architects @ Game Denmark

A Space to Hang Out

EFFEKT Architects, the designers behind GAME Streetmekka Esbjerg focused on creating plenty of strategically placed hang-out options within a brief that “keeps the existing building as a rough, industrial shell with great connectivity between the exterior and interior.” For their part, GAME Denmark describes the venture as the perfect place to meet and play street sports on asphalt.

The facility opens up towards the street and lowers the threshold to sports with its big gates and low entrance fees […]After the first week of usage we’ve had more than 2,000 young people through the doors”/Simon Prahm, GAME director.

Access to sport for the youth. Streetmekka Esbjerg, Effekt Architects @ Game Denmark

At a time of major criticism towards sporting venues built specifically for events such as the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, initiatives such as the GAME Streetmekka project are a prominent reminder of the fact that it is possible to re-use and indeed re-invent existing urban spaces. Such spaces have the potential to transform ragged confines in a state of disrepair to pulsating areas that are accessible to a broad economic demographic, who interact with them in a manner that creates a vibrant, active culture. In such a way, the aesthetic appeal of the raw urban space is preserved and reinterpreted through the expression of street sports. In the coming years, GAME hopes to establish similar street sports facilities in other countries around the globe with the goal of helping more children and youth through sport.

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