Performance: Sverre Knudsen – «Vi»

Atelier Nord ANX, Olaf Ryes plass 2 (entrance Sofienberggt.)
Wednesday 22nd of november 7PM.

In September Sverre Knudsen released his genre-bending album «Vi» to positive reviews in newspapers such as Klassekampen, Dagsavisen and Dagens Næringsliv. In the weekly paper Morgenbladet, King Midas vocalist Ando Woltmann writes that the album «[…]bubbles wildly and chaotically, shooting from the hip poetically and politically in a seductive and lively project».

The daily newspaper Bergens Tidende writes that Knudsen «[…] is aware of his present, free in relation to his musical past, defining his own style[…]»

Wednesday 22nd of November 7 PM «Vi» will be played in its entirety at Atelier Nord ANX accompanied by a mix of video, slides, statistics, digressions, concrete poetry and pure dada. Much of the content in Knudsen’s visual sketchbook dates roughly from around the second world war – photographs from family albums, posters, newspapers and the historian Sverre Hartmann’s archive over the Norwegian-Russian Nazi spy and dancer Marina Lie are just some examples.

The same historical era is reflected in the sound design. Speeches and recording of King Haakon of Norway, former prime minister Einar Gerhardsen, poet Tor Ulven, Knudsen’s former band The Aller Værste! and poet and dramatist Einar Økland are interwoven with tracks influenced by pop, noise, electronica, dub and easy listening. The lyrics are more explicitly political, personal and surreal than anything Knudsen has written previously. They touch on changes in how we approach collectives and the ego over the last 20-30 years, as well as the increasing parallels between our time and the 1930s.

«Vi» is co-produced and mixed by noise musician Lasse Marhaug. Lars Vaular performs on three of the tracks on the album and the cover design is by Kim Hiorthøy.

Knudsen will introduce the album before it is played at Atelier Nord ANX.

Sverre Knudsen (b. 1955) is a musician, writer and producer. He has published at least one book or album a year since his musical debut with The Aller Værste! in 1980 – in addition to having written theatre, tv, soap operas, translations and manuals for software. His latest book; the autobiography «Sverre Knudsen, 1979» was published in 2015.