An incredibly great night in Oslo was topped with the experience of Baard Kolstad. First I thought that a good street musician should have a band to play in. That's when I got home I realized that he was World Champion on drums.
My wife and I were in Oslo just two days ago. On Sunday night we just walked up the main public walk way and there he was, hammering away with an understandably entranced crowd looking on. He is truly one of the most impeccable drummers I have ever seen in my 50-year love affair with music. I don't know what he eats for breakfast but I hope he keeps it to himself. I spoke briefly with him after he finished a performance not too unlike the one loaded above. He is modest if a bit laconic but he told me he had been inspired by, among many, Buddy Rich. It's obvious.
I wonder how it'd be like to have our own pro drummers doing street drumming. From jamming on the streets as a champ to touring with Leprous and Ihsahn.
Because this is Norway, and Norwegians don't dance. We have a music festival, Øyafestivalen, that's famous - or infamous among artists - for having the audience just stand completely still and look at the concerts being played, no matter what the artist or music it is. Even in the techno-dance-tent where all the dance and hipster artists are playing, where the roof can really take off like a rocket, people mostly just stand still and watch and listen to the music. There's maybe a few people dancing right up near the fence at the front. Or like here, where there's like at most 3 people not even fully head-banging to this hard hitting heavy metal band. Just look at how still the crowd stands. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1Wogl3jJLa8.html
