Europe gig no.34 - August 5th 2017 - Finnsnes

The most epic gigs I have gone to have either been special gigs like Grieghallen (2012) and Circus (2016), or gigs where the journey to get there was filled with epic scenery (like Ålesund 2016), or gigs where I met members of the band. This gig wasn't out-of-the-ordinary-special in terms of the actual gig. That doesn't mean that the band didn't deliver and awesome gig, 'cause they absolutely did. But for me, this gig was special because it had awesome scenery AND meeting with band members combined!

In 2005 I moved away to start University College in Tromsø. My bachelor took 3 years to complete. Those three years were the busiest years on the official forum. To this day, some of the people I chatted with back then still think that I live in Tromsø, 'cause that's where I was when we got to know each other. During my years in Tromsø I went to two fan meets (Gothenburg 2006 and London 2007), and three Europe gigs. This may not sound much. But if you consider the fact that I was a student with student economy AND had a fear of flying, it's pretty impressive. 'Cause every single one of those events I had to fly to.
Anyway, I loved it in Tromsø. I had a great view from my student home window; it's such a lovely town; and the atmosphere is just magical.

When Europe announced they were playing in Brumunddal in June, I was ecstatic!
When they announced they were playing in Kvinesdal 2 weeks after the Brumunddal gig, I was very happy, too! So I was "acting out" on Facebook: "Woohooo, Europe is playing in Norway twice this year! Then said Stein-Vidar: "But Tone Irene, they're coming to Finnsnes in August!" Suddenly Miss 'I-must-go-to-all-Norwegian-Europe-gigs-I-can-manage' was a little bit doubtful... I had a trip to Canada planned as well... this would be expensive...

I had nearly given up the idea of going to Finnsnes. Then May 17th came, the Day of the Constitution here in Norway. I was too exhausted to partake in the celebrations (if you haven't heard of Norway's celebration of May 17th, it's google-time for you!). So instead I sat at home watching a movie from the 60's, featuring my beloved Tromsø. And seeing that movie, I got really homesick... So I started looking for flight tickets, and what do you know; the Norwegian airline company "Norwegian" had cheap flight tickets on Norway's Constitutional Day! Lucky, eh?

I arrived in Tromsø on August 3rd, and was taken to my friend's apartment, my own free Air B'n'B. My friend had business elsewhere that weekend, so after he picked me up at the airport, gave me the keys, took me there and had a brief chat, he was off with his boyfriend. Oh well. I was happy in my own company, in my old town, with the same old view. For my two days in Tromsø, I walked around the city (will insert pictures here!) and met up with a few friends that hasn't moved south, gone on vacation or was otherwise busy.

To get from Tromsø to Finnsnes, the easiest route is to take the speedboat. It takes 1,5 hours. It was a hoot for a girl that loooves mountains. Too bad the windows were not cleaner. But the day was really bright, and I never got bored on the boat. (insert pictures further down)
That 1,5 trip on the boat had taken me from a sunny summer day (which aren't plenty in the northern area) to downpour 5 seconds after coming to the shore in Finnsnes. I almost missed getting off the boat... because no one else was.. so I figured there was a line at the door or something... but of course this boat's final stop was not in Finnsnes! I dread to think where I would have ended up and when I would have happened to take another boat back if I didn't snap out of it when I did!

At the docks I was picked up by Vinjar, whom I hadn't seen since Europe played in Tromsø in 2011, and before that when they played in Lakselv in 2008. He had offered me a couch early on when it became clear that I was going to Finnsnes.

As I briefly mentioned: I went to Canada earlier this summer. I went there for the sole purpose of meeting two friends. Two friends I have known online for 13 years. but that I hadn't met before. Friends I never would have had, had it not been for Europe. My first trip overseas was to meet Europefans. And I got to experience Niagara Falls with them. That experience will forever be one of my most prized memories. (will insert picture here)

I was so fortunate to have a sit-down with John Levén prior to the gig in Finnsnes. I am from the south of Norway (Oslo, at the moment), whereas the friends I was there with was local. Our dialects are vastly different. Levén said he thought it was easier to understand northerners, but I could see he did have a hard time understanding them sometimes. So we talked a bit in english when the confusion was too much. I thought it fitting to tell him in english the story about how I had gone to Canada this summer, to meet my two friends whom I had met on the forum. His comment was that "Europe brings people together!" And they really, really do. I don't think my life would have been half as interesting had it not been for that forum the band started in 2004/2005.

The gig setlist was Standard Summer Tour. In the pouring rain in Kvinesdal in July, the band had left out both Cherokee AND Days of Rock'n'roll, so I wasn't on cloud 9 after that gig (plus, I was soaking wet). In Finnsnes, standing beside Michaela, I was bouncing when Joey came out with the guitar which meant they would do Ready or not, even if it was the third time I heard it that summer. But when Ian started drumming the announcement for Cherokee, I was almost beside myself! After it having been absent for ONE of my gigs... It didn't take much to please me... And then, when Joey came with his guitar into the stage after THAT, I was jumping and yelling and grinning like a kid! I would hear my beloved 'Days' again! Even though the concert took place inside a tent, the sound was good (apart from the fact that I FELT the drums, but apparently, tents are hard, soundwise). The band delivered a very energetic set, and John Levén came to see us and smile as us a bunch of times :)


After the gig my friends and I found the hotel where we had met Levén earlier, and we waited outside the entrance (the bar was closed), to see if we could meet other band members. Norum and Joey arrived, and our modest group of fans approached them to have some pictures with them and maybe autographs. They appeared tired after the gig, but they were still very gracious about talking to us and having pictures with us. I know I have met them in the past. I may not be as starstruck as some of my friends were that night. But I so appreciate to have the chance to see them and talk to them, these guys that have been my heroes for years and years. And it's so nice to be met with a "How are you? Good to see you" from the Northern Guitar Hero. And then a warm hug/embrace (I'm short).

Joey doesn't get physical like that. He's mr. Cool. There's no touching when you have a photo with Joey. But he bent down closer to my hemisphere for the photo. And although he didn't directly acknowledge us having met before, I think he kind of felt he didn't need to. "She knows I remember"... The only real acknowledgement I got from him, which I am still not sure how to interpret, was him asking me a simple question. "Do you live around here?", he said. I replied that no, I didn't. I thought of mentioning that I had been studying in the same county as Finnsnes for 3 years, but I wasn't very expressive that night, apparently... anyway, his reply was "No, I thought you wouldn't be".

It could have been the difference in dialects (I was surrounded by local northerners, as I mentioned). It could have been that he has seen my face in different places all over the country (and out of it). 21 places in the same country to be precise... Maybe he was just acknowledging  me as a familiar face in gigs.

I don't know. But I don't think it was condescending. At least I hope it wasn't. This is after all the guy that started talking swedish to me while in Glasgow... so.... But hey, he took the time and energy to direct a question to me. And cared enough about the answer to make a follow-up comment!
I still smile at the sight of him visibly bending down to take a picture with me :) Such a small, but nice gesture.

Further, as far as acknowledgements go, John Levén, when I met him earlier that day, clearly showed he remembered me. I greeted him as I would a long-time absent friend with the phrase "Long time, no see!". His reply was "It wasn't that long, though..." No Levén, it wasn't that long. I saw you play four weeks ago in Kvinesdal. And two weeks before that I saw you in Brumunddal!

"No, but it's been a while since I was able to talk to you!" I said. This brought a smile and agreement from the kind bass player.

I have had dreams where I sit and talk to Levén or Joey or Mic about everyday stuff. Waking up from those dreams, I have gone around smiling for hours. Chatting with Levén before the gig actually fulfilled that dream. I asked him about his summer, and chatted to him as... an equal. Not a man on my own personal pedestal. I even tore myself away from his company to go and order a cider from the bar. He asked what I was having. I asked if he wanted a taste, and when he said yes, I poured some into his glass. Like I would a friend.

We were perhaps 5-6 fans crowding a single band member. I said that if he wanted us to leave, he needed only to say the word. And he replied "nah. this is like my own private meet'n'greet, haha"

Oh, when I saw that it was time to leave in order to get good spots in front of the stage, I told Vinjar I wanted to get going. And so his friends stood up to come with us too. John Levén joked about me being the leader of our group. "Is she the boss of you?"

I. Love. My life.

On Sunday, there was no option for a speedboat. Only for the Express Route/Norwegian Coastal Express. In Norway it's called Hurtigruten. Well, all three are misnomers. 'Cause the word 'Express' or 'Hurtig' (meaning fast) all implies speed. But the coastal express used nearly 3 hours on the same route that takes the speedboat 1,5. But there's a reason all the tourists are travelling with this ship: It gives you the opportunity to experience norwegian nature. You can go out on deck and around the ship on whichever side and floor you like, to get the best view to the fjord and the mountains.
(insert lots of pictures here)


After arriving in Tromsø, I only had to take a bus to the airport, fly for two hours, take the airport express bus from the airport, and a taxi the last trek home.... I was sooo exhausted. But it was definitely THE most worthwhile Europe gig this summer.