Go ahead... you know you want to!

If you find yourself in NYC this Sunday...

TWO WEEKS FROM THIS COMING MONDAY!

LADIES and GENTLEMEN... The Fabulous REINE LAKEN!

Gry and Hilde

I've not long completed a mission that involved heading south east from Moss Rock City to Risør, a picturesque town “doon oan the watter”. Like Anstruther on steroids. The event was Fyrjam 2016 where Reine Laken (Clean Sheets) were playing after a 5 year hiatus. 

Given my advancing years, I didn’t want to take the chance of not being mobile the next time they might deign to play.

Line

Protestations of not being technically proficient fell on (these) deaf ears. There was a genuine buzz when they arrived on the island - Stangholmen - where the show was taking place. These lassies have a presence and it’s a swell spot. While the means of getting to and from the island might be problematic to a landlubber like me, it’s a skoosh for the locals. And talking about locals, the way that they support this venture could be a lesson to us here in the ‘K. We ain’t united anymore (Toto).

4 gals, 7 songs (all covers). There’s no record to sell but there were some natty t-shirts. They do this for fun and to (seemingly) shred their nerves. Four lifelong friends with genuine chemistry that bonds to make an honest, joyous racket that I will forever take over utter dross like The St*ne R*ses that I genuinely believe couldn’t hold a tune with all the hard drive action in the world.

Ingri

Reine Laken (alphabetically) is Gry Hartvigsen - drums, Hilde Lokander – guitar/vocals, Ingri Østerholt - bass and Line Schibstad – vocals. Hilde’s son Lars joined them for a romp through Green Day’s “Basket Case”. The Laken include two of the most beautiful souls (Gry and Hilde) that it has ever been my pleasure to become acquainted with. When I met the other two girls on Saturday then “I got it”. The fact that they're all old enough to know better makes it even cooler.

There was a story going around that this and the show at Solbakken Fuzzfestival in Arendal this coming weekend (6^th) might be their last but I hope that doesn't turn out to be true because they’re absolutely playing for all the right reasons. Not giving the danger a thought at all, just thinking of the fun.

It takes a lot of bottle to do what they did. And talking about glass vessels, there was also a nifty wee pub called The Peterhead Bar involved. An after-party there led to your reporter being able to overcome a 20 year old phobia.

And he’d do it all again in a heartbeat with quality company such as this.

Stangholmen Saturday Night! - Line, Gry, Hilde and Ingri