Last Friday I performed my first Ugress solo event (*). Photos. I have done lots of events before, but then always with a band.

I was very nervous and curious how it would turn out - I have always been performing with an assortment of musicians and vocalists, or at the very least with my drummer The Igor. Now The Igor has escaped and emigrated to Africa (really). I realized I want to perform on my own for some time, and adapt the live show into a more flexible and anything-goes modularity, forcing myself to perform better and develop the visual show into a full-blown experience, not just supportive.

This event was a book release for Samlaget/ Bjarte Klakegg's excellent debut book Heliumhjarte (Helium Heart).

I've done some shows on my own, but this event was noteworthy because it was a first test to me, if I could pull things off on my own.

I certainly could. With relief I notice the performance a success, excellent response. By the end, people was dancing everywhere. Afterwards I was very happy, but also surprisingly sad and nostalgic. I have been performing with The Igor for many years, and now that I am moving on, I suddenly realized how much I am, and will be, missing to have him thundering the drums by my side.

The taste of successful progress is sweet, but with a salt hint of reminiscence. 

I had some friends helping out taking pictures, there's a little Flickr set here with a selection of shots.

(* = Events are privately hired concerts, like book releases, product releases, fashion shows, film premieres etc. Usually one or more artists are hired to perform and entertain, and I have usually never announced or discussed them on my website or in my journal as the job is privately hired, and regularly closed to the public. They can  sometimes be very tough work, with a crowd that mostly does not care of who is performing and is just there for the free drinks, yelling loudly through the show. Other times events can be fantastic fun, like this one.)