Warm Welcome for Norwegian Trash Pop-band Surferosa Launches U.S. Tour
By Fred C. Gjestad, 10.22.04
The trash pop-band Surferosa is huge in Norway and have had their share of the Japanese and British market. Now they’re ready for the “Big Apple,” and they have used all their savings to launch their first U.S. tour.
“We have dreamed about an U.S. tour for a long time,” the lead singer of Surferosa, Mariann Thomassen said enthusiastic. “It has been almost an unreal dream, just like every European band dreams about getting their share of the Big Apple.”
Mariann and the rest of Surferosa are the opening act for “The Killers”a Los Angeles band. The Standard Report recently interviewed the rock, punk, and 70s glam group before their entrance on The NorVa Theatre stage in Norfolk, VA.
Before the show, band members Mariann, Khetil, Ziggy, and JR wonder how the US-audience will welcome them. They hadn’t felt this many butterflies since they started their Japan tour earlier this year.
During Surferosa’s performance in Norfolk, about 1,000 people attended with the hall three-quarters full. A polite audience applauded the band as they make their entrance. Hardly one soul in the audience knew the band, except for several girls upfront singing along.
But performing on foreign soil didn’t slow down Suferosa. Wearing a yellow tights-like suit and with high energy, Thomassen quickly drew the audience into their songs, and halfway into their hit, “Lucky Lipstick,” the audience was warmed up. The rest of the concert was like a play. The crowd began partying and dancing along with the band.
Post-Concert Bliss
Freelance music journalist Will Harris is among those believing in Surferosa’s future in the U.S..
“Surferosa fits into the retro style from the 80s, just like many other bands these days, he said “And if energy means anything, Surferosa has a future here.”
After the concert Thomassen was satisfied too.
“The next is world domination,” she said with self-confidence, still high on adrenaline after their half-hour performance.
Humble Beginnings
Surferosa’s band members united in 2000. Initially, the UK-audience was sceptical of the band. But, once they saw Mariann’s energetic performance and spectacular stage outfits, Surferosa became popular in Norway. Today, hardly any midsize to large Norwegian music festival are run without having Surferosa on their artist-list.
Surferosa gambled all their savings to tour in the U.S. and Canada. They were invited to perform as opening act for “The Killers” after they toured together in U.K. earlier this year. But unlike big bands, Surferosa has to pay the party themselves. It costs them more than $30,000 in everything from travel expenses to equipment rental, to show themselves to the American audience.
Future Goals
Their hope is that the tour will result in a record contract. Their debut CD is two years old, and the band is ready for a new CD- this time for a worldwide audience.
Surferosa’s website: www.surferosa.no
