First Timers Fest, Oslo Hackney
My arms were clad in bangles, and the familiar jingle emanated from my very walking. Slowly waning with each step I took. In front of me, Tommy (a member of the band Pink Bucky) embodied a beacon ahead, their guitar case bobbed up and down, paving our way up the stairs. The music slowly slithered around us until we were just feet away. My bangle’s song was lost in the air, blurring below us.
First Timers Fest in Oslo Hackney. A star-spangled lineup of newly flourishing musicians. The night was decorated with a sea of queer, punk and indie rock bands. A designated area for those with mobility struggles, a bar manned by beaming staff and the fizzing of organisers constantly weaving through the crowd. First Timers Fest (FTF) crafted a grotto of inclusivity. Simply a celebration of music. Describing themselves as ‘getting new faces and voices’ on stage, FTF is the perfect stepping stone for new bands itching to get on stage. Many performances of the evening were the first for the bands, including the aforementioned Pink Bucky.
As the evening began, a charismatic presenter took to the stage. Face painted with a wide grin, teeth catching the stage’s spotlights and glistening a bright white. They radiated “show business”. Immediately introducing a sense of fun. The audience stood and cheered obediently. Anticipation of the night ahead crept up across a crowd formed of aspiring musicians, supporters and strangers alike. A tame roar rippled throughout the room, support rationed for the night ahead. With that, the friendly presenter strutted off stage to be replaced by ‘Ika the millennial’. Lead singer Ika took to centre stage and wrapped her fingers around the mic. Dressed in a grey form-fitting waistcoat and straight-leg trousers, her long brown hair and blunt fringe gave her the look of a corporate punk. Band members assumed positions, and the first performance of the night was set to begin.
Pictured above: Ika and the Millennials
Following the drums, the guitars rang rhythmically. Each strumming of the strings ran around the room before colliding with each other and swimming into a new harmony. Approaching an instrumental section of the song, Ika jumps with the drums. Electric in her performance. Jutting her head forwards and backwards, her hair fanning into a catherine wheel around her. The tone for the evening was set. A night of passion lay ahead of us. Seeing her surrender herself to the song, the audience too began to shrug away their apprehension. What began as the swaying of gig-goers clutching plastic cups, prickled with the first tiptoes of tipsiness slowly transcended, one by one, more and more heads bounced in time. Arms waving, plucking the notes from the air and gorging themselves on the sweet sound.
FTF united impassioned creatives and hosted a space for them to feel seen and heard. I thoroughly look forward to their next showcase of ‘newbies’ on the scene. The music industry can often feel extremely inaccessible. This is only exacerbated by fiscal barriers, isolating working-class creatives. FTF provides a platform for artists to be seen, to gain valuable experience and to be introduced to senior peers in the field. In the face of adversity, all that we have is community. FTF gloriously weaponises this. Uniting a front of ambitious creatives prepared to fight for their space in the music scene. War is looming. Grassroots venues and initiatives are on the up, and silver-spooned-swaggering singers are on the out. The public is sick of shallow trust-fund babies and is hungry for the authentic, the gritty and the new. Looking for your new favourite band? Watch this space. Get yourself over to the next First Timer’s Fest showcase. Connect. Enjoy. Celebrate and discover.
Follow @firsttimersfest on Instagram to stay up to date on upcoming events and don't forget to show support to all of the bands in the most recent line-up of their Oslo Hackney showcase!
Additionally, don't forget to throw your support toward bands @pinkbuckyband and @ika_the_illenialofficial , and a notable mention to the incredible @oslohackney for providing a terrific venue!
Add comment
Comments