Trønderrock 101

My introduction to Norwegian music began last month when I visited the Rockheim museum with friends from school. It’s a new museum in Trondheim dedicated to Norwegian pop music, from the 50’s until now. I didn’t realize that Norway had a pop music history before going to the Rockheim. It was a cool place with lots of interactive exhibits, sort of like the EMP in Seattle but with less memorabilia and more wall-sized screens. We listened to Norwegian folk music, rap, and the signature style of Trøndelag, Trønderrock. Here we are exploring the Rockheim:

Some of the biggest Trønderrockers are DDE and Dag Ingebritsen, local boys who made it big singing in their own dialect a long time ago, and are still going strong. Bet you didn’t know Norway had its own awesome 80’s bands. Check out this video of Dag Ingebritsen and the Kids in their hair- ...er, hay-day: 

In case you don’t understand the song, it has a classic storyline: Guy is in love with girl, girl is in love with teacher instead, maybe it's because guy looks like girl and wears tight leather…

Oh hey, Dag!

As luck would have it, DDE and Dag would be coming to Trondheim in October for Trønderfest, a concert fit for a… Trønder? A Trønder is someone from Trøndelag, but more specifically it's someone who looks like this:

The main thing is they need to have a Trønderbart (Trønder mustache), leather vest, beer, pants tucked into their socks, and ideally, a mullet. Apparently this is what Trønder actually looked like a few years ago when these bands were at their peak. They still exist but it's becoming rare to spot them today, except during Trønderfest.

The concert was fun. We hung out at Marit's beforehand, where I was enlightened on more Trønder culture.

Trønderjenter

Our Trønder costumes were lacking, but others were on top of it:

Trønder of the female variety

Tons of young people turned out for the concert, keeping the Trønder tradition alive. Mustaches, real and fake, were rampant. Old Trønderrock is fun, feel-good music, but it's hard to describe. I've never heard anything else quite like it, I think you should just watch this video I took at the concert:

All I know is that he is singing about his butt, and that means he needs to take his shirt off.  I don't get it either, but that's Trønder for you.

Here's one of DDE's songs that I actually kind of like, called Herlig Hemmelighet (Wonderful Secret). I think the accordion really rocks, but see if you agree...

Of all the wonderful things Trønder, this has to be my favorite:

I definitely feel a little more Trønder after all this, but no need to worry, I have no plans to grow a Trønderbart anytime soon.