Public - Bodø

 

ANTHONY BOURDAIN ONCE SAID “anyone who whines about writers block should be forced to clean squid all day”. Oui chef, I’ll head over to the seafood station for the foreseeable future. But, have I had writers block or have I just had nothing to moan about lately? Yes, the world’s on fire, but my corner of the universe has been quiet. I’ve been trying to avoid the news, ignoring the bad and focusing on the good. And the news is good, Hortons have released World Cup inspired Tim Bits that no one wanted, and last week I was given a Montana’s gift card. Things are filling up in Southern Ontario I tell ya. Ribs and salad for tea. 

This weekend however, I’m back on my bullshit and on a flight to Oslo. Why am I on a flight to Oslo you ask? Well that’s easy, because yesterday I was on a flight to Bodø. I know, keep up. If you’ve never heard of Bodø, don’t worry, neither had I until I decided to scurry across the pond to see The Cruel Intentions play some gigs. I’ve been a fan of these guys for a few years now, and since it’s kind of rare I care about most other bands these days, I have to say it’s been nice to reignite some of the passion and enthusiasm for rock n roll shows, and duty free cigarettes. A passion and enthusiasm I used to yield so freely. 

Without sounding like I want to insert my tongue into someone’s asshole, and not to sound like a punishing fan boy about it, but for me, this band has it all going on. The look and attitude matches the sound. Something I’ve always had trouble with, with Ghost. Love the music, love the look, but for me there’s a disconnect. Their (TCI’s) marketing and social media is on point. There’s no “bet you thought the 80s were dead” TikTok bullshit. And most of all, the lads are just down to earth good blokes. Something which is sometimes rare in this game. Ok, fan boy moment out of the way, tongue successfully removed from asshole. 

Before we get into the gigs, and the new record, and before you dust off your atlas, Bodø is in northern Norway. Like really northern Norway. So far north it’s inside the arctic circle, and I was subjected to 24 hours of sunlight, and somehow wearing a rain jacket. That’s not a euphemism for a rubber either. The summer solstice was really cool to experience. It is naturally the complete opposite of the winter solstice I experienced in Iceland a few years back. During those winter months (here and there) there’s weeks of little to no sunlight whatsoever, so owing a vitamin supplement shop up here would be a thriving business venture, I’m bloody sure of it. It felt very odd leaving a gig and heading to an after party in full day light, I hoped it would aid the crippling hangover that was scheduled for the following morning. However, it did not.

 Bodø is a nice quiet waterfront town thats plastered on a mountainous scenic backdrop. Occasionally the calm streets are christened with the sounds of ships coming into dock, or a plane coming into land. It's utter gorgeous, something out of a movie. An untouched travel spot. The gig was unquestionably 10/10, and the after party at Public was even better. No opening band, no bullshit, no ridiculous gimmicks, just an hour and ten minutes of pure rock n roll anthems that bring you back to the sights, sounds and smells of the Sunset Strip circa 1987. Songs like Beating in my Chest, Sick Adrenaline, and Sunrise over Sunset perfectly encapsulate everything we've all read about life in LA in this time period. We need to start normalizing shows starting at 8pm and being done by 9:30. Gigs have become marathons, and I’m only here for a 5k. Ten if you’re on your best behaviour. Public was the perfect spot to host an after party, the pints of Nordlands were disappearing at a rapid rate of knots and I, like many others, talked all sorts of bollocks with strangers in a city I barely knew. I highly suggest performing this act the world over. 

Everything in life is either expensive or illegal. And Oslo is certainly an example of this. Mad expensive, but wonderful nonetheless. The quality of life seems to be insanely good. Yes the taxes are high and the winters are long, but so is the paid annual leave, healthcare actually works and there’s no homelessness. Maybe I’m becoming a mad socialist in my age? If you’re travelling to Oslo anytime soon I recommend the following; bring your bloody credit card. Bastard Burgers for a smash. Last Train and Revolver for a cheeky dive bar. Vaterland for an excellent za. Pappabuene for a pint with a view. And take the fast train from the airport, don’t cheap out, just pay the money. 

I started off by jokingly "I've had nothing to moan about lately" and I have to say that's true. My life's pretty damn good and I have a lot to be thankful for. Don't worry, I'm not going to become some power of the positive thinking wanker. But I think it's safe to say All Hail Hypocrisy will be the anthem for the remainder of this year. Thanks to everyone involved, love your work. Better wrap this up, the alarm clock will be ringing at 04:30 to go swing spanners and bang hammers to pay for all this chaos. 

Public - 6/6.

All Hail Hypocrisy - 6/6.