by:Larm 2017: Opening speech

Hello, everyone!

Music and the arts are essential parts of life. Music expresses emotions, unites us and reconciles differences. We listen to music when we want to have fun. When life gets tough, we listen to music. When I am angry, I listen to Blodtørst by Kvelertak or Toxicity by System of the Dawn. Does it help? Not at all. I do it anyway. Music is of course more than purpose. It's an amplifier, and energy. It affects us all: A good society is about more than efficiency, security and wealth creation. It also includes beauty, dancing and artistic expression. Music is one of the things that makes life worth living.

This is the 20th by:Larm. And when it began 19 years ago in Trondheim it had a grand plan: To bring people together from all across the musical world. From the performers and songwriters to promoters and talent spotters – or the financial wizards and legal eagles that makes everything run smoothly and profitably.

Today, by:Larm is an important international hub, focused on the Nordics and Norway in particular – connecting the experts to the best new talents. In return, the gifted artists get access to practical advice, artistic inspiration and the whole business: the venues, the studios, the festivals, the media. Some even get a kickstart to a career on the international scene.

Tonight, by:Larm is a vibrant, temporary village set up in this city— a platform that shines a light on the wealth of the cool, outstanding, inventive music that pumps out of our northern lands.  

And what a pool of talents we got! Many of the artists are present tonight – like the nominees to this evening’s Prize award. Still, we need international partners, and we love to show what we have to offer. Norway, Scandinavia and the wider Nordic region has a musical output that is disproportionately large and surprisingly innovative for its geographical size. by:Larm is one of the busiest crossroads in this market.

During all these years by:Larm has been transformed from a demo festival to the largest musical connector for the whole business in the Nordics. The lineup of artists who made it from by:Larm to an international scene is long. You can be proud of your achievements.

And you made it with a human touch. by:Larm is an excellent host – serving waffles, handing out beer coupons, organizing parties, concerts, tram rides and trips to the Munch museum. It’s quite a challenge not to have a good time during the festival!

Dear founders, organizers, administrators, runners, those on-stage, back stage, ticket sellers, marketers, sound, lightning – and all those I forgot:

Thanks to you, the audience here tonight can do their job and refine their performance. The producers, the labels – the whole music business can meet the songwriters and the artists. Just like you planned when by:Larm started.

We should remember that the festival’s name — which looks and sounds a bit strange to foreign ears— actually means "city noise":

When by:Larm makes its noise in the city of Oslo, the world pricks up its ears.

Congratulations with the anniversary! I really look forward to the rest of this Phonofile Nordic Music Prize award show!

 
Thank you.