Madrugada

About ten years ago I turned 18 and could finally enjoy all the things that become available to you at that age. Many people look forward to getting their drivers license, be able to drink and go out to clubs and such things. For me one of the biggest things was to be able to go out to concerts where you had to be of legal age to enter. Around this time, the late 90's, there was a norwegian rock band that were starting to get some serious attention from both critics and audiences nationwide. The name of the band was Madrugada.

When the band released their first album in 1999 it was in many ways the start of a new age in norwegian rock music. The band of three young men from the north of Norway represented a breath of fresh air in a business that had seemed to wear itself out. Their songs were dark and melancholic and had some of the finest lyrics ever written in Norway surely. I first saw the band just after the release of their first album. It was an awesome and mindblowing experience and it would mark the beginning of my forever lasting love for this band. Since then they have released four more studio albums, one double live album and countless singles. Each of their album releases has gone to the top of the norwegian chart and they remain one of the most successful bands in Norways history.
In the summer of 2007, one of the founding members of the band passed away at the age of just 31. This was a big shock for the entire norwegian music industry, but the band insisted on releasing their final album, which at that time was already completely recorded. It would become their biggest selling album to date. After touring the following year the two remaining founding members of the band decided to call it a day. Last night they performed their last ever concert and I was there (Scroll down for photo). It was an emotional and powerful night.

When you've followed a band from their very beginning and listened to their music on almost a daily basis for years and years, you can't help but feel connected to it. The band has been a part of my life for nearly ten years now and many experiences, both good and bad, have been accompanied by this music. I've seen them live more than any other band, around Norway and abroad and it is one of the few acts I can say have never given a less than stellar performance. Which is a rarity in these times. Now the amount of attention a band or performer gets depends on the look of the band, the music videoes and the money that is thrown around in order for big companies to capitalize on the success. With Madrugada it was never about that. The band have been composing music and frequently releasing albums with outstanding high quality and toured both small and major stages to play for their fans. Now that they have retired it is indeed a loss for all people who appreciate good music, and they leave behind an impressive track record that I doubt will ever be matched by any norwegian act. Madrugada has been the soundtrack of my life for the last ten years and I will miss them deeply.

You know I'm far from satisfied.

Madrugada, Oslo Spektrum 15 November 2008