So. Today we played the Biathlon arena in Östersund during the World Championships before 25000 people.
Mission: -To perform two songs from Kingens new album playback, surviving the freezing cold weather.
Let me set the stage for you:
-We were placed on a platform in the middle of the gigantic arena, with no walls, no nothing. just a platform surrounded by TV-cameras and ski-tracks. The cameracrew was there for capturing our performance onto two huuuuge Jumbo-Screens (so the audience could see your nosehair on closeups.) Therefore, we knew we had to look happy, cool and inspired no matter what.
Now for the temperature:
-Minus 10 degrees celsius and a fresh wind that chilled you to the bone even with warm winderclothes on.
Since we had to look “cool” for the cameras and audience, we played in suits only. You know, stylish, fifty-styling. We had to stand there and act, pretending to play (it was playback) like it was the warmest summer day. Smiling, rocking, lipsyncing.
Now you understand. We had to bring out every last bit of professionality and routine to make it work. I couldn´t feel my hands after the first song, they just felt like two deadfrozen lumps (keep smiling), trying to get a grip on the plectrum and guitar neck. The saxplayer was in an even worse situation, holding a freezing cold piece of metal in his two unprotected bare hands.
We had small earpieces with wireless transmitters in our ears, to hear the backtrack that we played to and they kept falling out. LOL
It was a challenge. There was five of us on stage. Kingen, me, a drummer, saxplayer and a bassplayer.
Still, it was a GREAT experience. Seeing the 25 000 people on the bleechers wave their flags and clap their hands, enjoying the songs, buying it all, accepting it all. It was a high.
Afterwards, i thought i had to go to the hospital when the pain from warm blood returning to my stiff, blue fingers forced me to scream in pain.
Thankfully the audience never noticed our struggles and pain.
They just saw five guys rocking, smiling, singing, dancing around with the instruments, “completly at ease” (yea, right) and carefree in cool looking stage outfits.
Mission accomplished! 😀
So we got what we wanted from it.
-A great opportunity to promote “Kingens” album to a LOT of people at the same time, surrounded by Television companies. A perfect score, that made us forget the painful experience as soon as we sat down getting warmed up by a cup of coffee backstage later on.
A fun day!!!
/S
