The time has come for my third, and last, Marillion weekend for this Spring/Summer. Even though when they announced the locations I had hoped they would visit Stockholm again, I was happy with the opportunity to visit Oslo as I hadn’t made it there yet. I was also happy for the opportunity to take a train to a place: it gives me another good reason to listen to This Train Is My Life on repeat.

The ride itself is a bit under 6 hours, but of course, on the way there, the train got delayed. There was even a point when we were informed that we might not even be allowed across the border due to a fire in a town on the Norwegian side, that impacted a silo located very close to the tracks. But after a two hours delay, I found myself at Oslo Central Station, and a few minutes after, in my hotel room.

I had a few landmarks I wanted to see in Oslo, but most of the sightseeing was just picking random streets and places that came on Google Maps, and desperately looking for good coffee. Of course I wanted to see the Munch Museum, due to MTV’s bumper from a long time ago, but also because of a project of one of my favorite Norwegian bands, Satyricon. Unfortunately I was unable to see their project when it was underway, but it was enough reason to go see the museum and the artist’s works. Impressive and very beautiful!

But after complaining about not finding good coffee and walking till my feet gave up on me, it was time for the first evening of the weekend and hearing Marbles again. The location: Sentrum Scene. First impression of the venue was that it’s a bit claustrophobic because of its very low ceiling in the back. Good set-up though as it’s an amphitheater, but if you get there too late and stand in the back, the stage is not visible at all. As tall as I am, I had taller people in front of me so I snuck a bit lower to be able to at least see the guys in turns. I learnt my lesson for the second evening.

Marbles. Lovely album, one of their most appreciated. There are many songs on that album that I like and listen to on a regular basis. Strangely, the opening track, The Invisible Man, is not one of them. Live the song is amazing and h’s theatrical interpretation makes it feel like a punch in the stomach. If seeing Marbles so many times taught me something is that The Damage is super fun live and that I can never get tired of You’re Gone and Neverland. First evening surprise when comparing with Paris and Padova: Man of a Thousand Faces was played for the encore. The show was flawless until Mark’s toys collapse for the Neverland intro. Probably one of the most beautiful intros to a song ever written, the pass between Marbles IV and Neverland gives me goosebumps and the first notes themselves are just a prelude to the blissfulness of, if you ask me, a perfect song. 

The first evening of the weekend is always easy to leave behind, because we all know another one is coming. And after stopping by the merch stand, I made it back to the hotel on a clear and bright Scandinavian evening in the city of Oslo.

The second day was marked by finally finding good coffee (bitter, flavored but not sour or over-brewed) and by getting attacked by a crow at Akershus Fortress. And by more walking. Oslo has dodgy parts that are easy to stumble into but it also has a supermarket full of Romanian and Polish products. Yay for me for finding my favorite snacks: pufuleți (corn puffs).

I made it to the concert earlier and found a spot on the left hand-side of the stage, middle of the hall. I finally interacted with other concert-attendees and promised I wouldn’t block their view. Overall the people around me the second evening were more mindful. The 1st night they were more beer and fun-oriented, though I have to say they sung their souls out on Sugar Mice (we all did). On the second night though I think we all joined in on the singing like never before. I have to give credit to the Norwegian audience: they were loud, they were active, they were engaged. Might have also helped that I was in the standing area, compared to Paris and Padova where I had seats. But the second evening we started singing from the first verse. And didn’t stop till the last.

The guys were in very good form and h was very chatty and joked a lot. Made me miss his solo shows but also wonder how the other guys put up with his shenanigans. The interaction between the band members on stage was fun to watch: mostly Pete and h, with the first trying to tamper our chatty lead and get him back to singing, but also h and Steve R. and occasionally Mark or, rarely, Steve R. and Ian. Also fun to get to see the crew sing in between running back-and-forth on stage with guitars. 

The biggest surprise of the second evening was to hear Seasons End (replacing Holloway Girl from the previous gigs and getting the band to do a little oopsy quickly covered up by h’s cheeky comments). Fascinating how the end part of the song got all 5 members playing different instruments in perfect harmony under an amazingly synced light show. Goosebumps! Beautiful was simply beautiful and The Great Escape sounded flawless. The encore meant another journey with The New Kings, a suite perfectly encompassing the political reality, now as as well as when it was released nearly 10 years ago. The band ended the gig with The Crow and the Nightingale and Care (IV) Angels on Earth. And that’s when it hit me, that feeling of emptiness in my stomach that replaces the fluttering of excited butterflies. The excitement started before Paris but after that came Padova and after Padova came Oslo. And now came the time to be a leaver and head back home, waiting patiently for the next chance to see them live. The walk to the hotel was a mix of joy and melancholy: the chance to travel and listen to live music, but also losing an anchor in time and schedule after each event ends. 

The last day in Oslo meant a quick goodbye to a beautiful city and a walk to the train station. The sunny skies of the first days was replaced by gray clouds, and when it was time to board the train the rain started pouring. The train ride back home was smooth and gave me the chance to look out the window and be amazed about how orderly Norway is. And that marked the end of my first attempt at following the band around at more than one event happening on the same leg of a tour. Sort of. It was fun!