“Tonight is allowed to be horeeeeeeeee”. The phrase from Tix’s Russian classic “The Sheik” is repeated in a packed Oslo Spektrum. It is the second time he has filled the capital’s “big room” this Saturday. Ambitious? Yes, but not a rare event from a Norwegian artist. More big events Chris Holsten, Stig Brenner, Vazelina Bilopphøggers, Ballinciaga, Sondre Justad and Karpe are some of those who have filled the country’s most famous concert venue since the government reopened the country. Some of them did it up to several times in a row. Sondre Justad sold out Spektrum two days in a row. Photo: Morten Skogly / news P3 To “fill the spectrum” was something very few Norwegian artists were able to achieve in the past. – We now see that large events are becoming more and more common, says Espen Ytreberg, professor of media studies at the University of Oslo. – The competition for people’s time is tougher, so something extra is needed to give people a feeling of something they don’t want to miss, explains associate professor of media studies, Arnt Maasø. Social media and the like – This is also about algorithms online and in social media. What many people are interested in is lifted up – and gets more space and attention, says Maasø. Haukeland thinks it’s sad that smaller events sell worse. – That’s how I started, he says. Photo: Christian Breidlid, news Tix is also concerned with the importance of social media. – The younger generation is overexposed to culture via, among other things, TikTok. People will always compare with what they experience and see there, says the artist. The big ones are at the expense of the small ones All figures and trends indicate that large events and cultural experiences sell well, while smaller and medium-sized ones struggle more. – We are experiencing good sales of tickets overall after the pandemic, but there is a greater difference between the sales of the smaller and the larger events, says Kristian Seljeset, general manager of Ticketmaster, Norway’s largest website for the sale of tickets. – People are also waiting more to buy tickets, he says. Nina Hodneland heads the umbrella organization for several cultural and concert venues in Norway. Photo: Ida Yasin Andersen / news – Poor cultural life The organization Norske kulturhus – which represents 130 concert and cultural centers around the country – sees the same tendency. They are also experiencing a general decline in ticket sales. 10 percent fewer tickets were sold this autumn, compared to the same time before the pandemic. A full 30 per cent fewer tickets have been sold for spring shows and concerts. It shows figures they themselves have collected from their members. – In the long run, this can lead to a poorer cultural life. And greater differences in where in the country culture can be experienced because it is more risky to go out on tour due to uncertain ticket sales, says Nina Hodneland, general manager of Norske Kulturhus. – But the big and well-known ones sell. And the very local performances, she adds.
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People demand great concert experiences – Tix thinks TikTok is to blame – news Culture and entertainment
