Insomnia Festival
Encyclopedia
The Insomnia Festival is an annual electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 festival which takes place during autumn in Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...

, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. The first festival was held in 2002. Alongside the Numusic
Numusic
Numusic is Norway's largest festival dedicated to the advancement of Electronic music and Art. The festival features record label showcases, club/dj events, live concerts, workshops, discussions, installations, exhibitions and artistic showcases.The festival is an annual event established in 2000...

 festival in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...

 and Ekkofestival
Ekkofestival
The Ekkofestival, Ekkofest or Ekko -Bergen Electronic Music and Art Festival, is a music festival which takes place in Bergen, Norway in the fall every year. The festival mainly focus on presenting electronic music and contemporary art, where the musical expressions encompasses a multitude of...

 in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....

, it is the largest and most important festival for electronic music in Norway.

The name

The name is taken from the sleeping disorder insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...

. The polar night
Polar night
The polar night occurs when the night lasts for more than 24 hours. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, the polar day, or midnight sun, occurs when the sun stays above the horizon for more than 24 hours.-Description:...

 and the midnight sun
Midnight sun
The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous...

 makes Tromsø a city were some people struggle to sleep normally, made famous in the Norwegian movie Insomnia
Insomnia (1997 film)
Insomnia is a 1997 Norwegian thriller film about a police detective investigating a murder in a town located above the Arctic Circle. The investigation goes horribly wrong when he mistakenly shoots his partner and subsequently attempts to cover up his bungle...

 by Tromsø director Erik Skjoldbjærg
Erik Skjoldbjærg
Erik Skjoldbjærg is a Norwegian director and writer best known for co-writing and directing the film Insomnia and directing Prozac Nation-External links:...

. The movie later got an American re-make, also named Insomnia
Insomnia (2002 film)
Insomnia is an American psychological thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. The film, released on 24 May 2002, is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name.-Plot:...

, starring Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...

 and Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...

.

Being a festival targeting clubbers, the name suggests that instead of sleeping you can go clubbing.

Profile

The festival had a Norwegian profile in the early years. Many of the famous Norwegian acts have therefore visited the festival more than once. Having grown in popularity year after year, far more international acts have been booked to the festival lately. The booking of Public Enemy in 2006 was somehow a turning point for the festival and their ambition.

During the last years the festival has extended to contain also seminars, workshops and exhibitions. All under the umbrella name Techno Culture
Technoculture
- Definition :Technoculture is a neologism, not currently in standard dictionaries, popularized by editors Constance Penley and Andrew Ross in a book of essays bearing that title.. It refers to the interactions between, and politics of, technology and culture....

.

History

Ugress
Ugress
Ugress is an electronica project from Bergen, Norway, the main project of prolific electronic musician Gisle Martens Meyer . Among Meyer's other projects are Nebular Spool, Shadow of the Beat and Ninja9000 as well as scoring soundtracks for moving pictures and several TV-shows. Ugress means weed in...

, Biosphere, Kim Hiorthøy
Kim Hiorthøy
Kim Hiorthøy is a Norwegian electronic musician, graphic designer, illustrator, filmmaker and writer.-Biography:Hiorthøy was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway, and studied at the Trondheim Academy of Fine Art as well as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen...

, Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band is a Norwegian electronica group.-Career:The band was formed in 1997 when Erlend Sellevold asked for people to play percussion with him during a party in Bergen. Thomas Lønnheim and Tarjei Strøm showed up through a combination of mutual contacts and high-school...

, Flunk
Flunk
Flunk is a Norwegian electronic band consisting of producer Ulf Nygaard, guitarist Jo Bakke, drummer Erik Ruud, and vocalist Anja Oyen Vister.-Biography:...

 and Sternklang performed at the first festival in 2002.

The 2003 edition presented acts such as Datarock
Datarock
Datarock, derived from the Norwegian word for computer – datamaskin and the word rock , is a Norwegian electro rock band. The band formed in 2000 as Fredrik Saroea, Ketil Mosnes and Kevin O'Brien and soon hired Tom Mæland. O'Brien and Mæland later left the band, but the duo of Saroea and Mosnes...

, Xploding Plastix
Xploding Plastix
Xploding Plastix is a Norwegian two-man band playing Electrofunk/Big beat music with elements of jazz. Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard Wennersberg Hagen formed the group in early 1999, and submitted their first demotape in 2000...

, Bjørn Torske
Bjørn Torske
Bjørn Torske is a house music producer. Born in 1971 in Tromsø, Norway, Torske became involved with producing music and local radio before moving to Bergen, Norway. He has collaborated on many occasions with Röyksopp.-Disco Members:...

, Frost
Frost (Norwegian band)
Frost is a Norwegian electronic duo consisting of Aggie Peterson and Per Martinsen. The group formed in 1997 in Tromsø, Norway with original line-up composed of Aggie Peterson and DJ Rune Lindbæk. They released their debut album "Bedsit Theories" in 1998....

, DJ Mikal Tellé and Equicez.

In 2004 Biosphere, Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...

, Bugge Wesseltoft
Bugge Wesseltoft
Jens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft is a Norwegian jazz musician, pianist, composer and producer. He has his own label named Jazzland Records. In the 1990s, Bugge has made a transition from Nordic jazz traditions exemplified by the ECM record label to a style sometimes referred to as "future jazz" or...

 and Kolar Goi
Gaute Barlindhaug
Gaute Barlindhaug is an electronic musician from Tromsø, Norway. He is currently known under the artist name Kolar Goi.As a member of the quartet Aedena Cycle, together with Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge from Röyksopp, and Kolbjørn Lyslo, he was a part of the second generation of the Tromsø...

 headlined the festival.

The 2005 version presented many famous Norwegian acts, such as Datarock
Datarock
Datarock, derived from the Norwegian word for computer – datamaskin and the word rock , is a Norwegian electro rock band. The band formed in 2000 as Fredrik Saroea, Ketil Mosnes and Kevin O'Brien and soon hired Tom Mæland. O'Brien and Mæland later left the band, but the duo of Saroea and Mosnes...

, Torbjørn Brundtland
Torbjørn Brundtland
Torbjørn Brundtland makes up half of the duo Röyksopp. He was born in Tromsø, Norway.-Musical career:* Between 1994-1995 Brundtland was a member of Aedena Cycle with Gaute Barlindhaug and Kolbjørn Lyslo . Release: Traveller's Dream 12" released on R&S* In 1995 Brundtland was producer for Volcano...

 of Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....

 (DJ set), Bertine Zetlitz
Bertine Zetlitz
Bertine Zetlitz is a Norwegian pop singer. She is one of Norway's most popular performers.-Biography:Bertine Axeliane Robberstad Zetlitz began her musical journey at a young age, penning her first numbers aged just 12. After gaining a background in classical music, Zetlitz began to experiment...

, Mental Overdrive
Mental Overdrive
Mental Overdrive is Per Martinsen , an electronic music artist from Tromsø, Norway. He is often mentioned as one of the most influential electronic musicians in Norway...

, Tommy Tee
Tommy Tee
Tommy Flaaten , best known by his stage name Tommy Tee, is a Norwegian record producer, rapper, broadcaster, record executive, concert promoter and magazine publisher. He is known as the godfather of Norwegian hip hop. Tee owns the label Tee Productions, which is located in Oslo, Norway and is...

, Jaga Jazzist
Jaga Jazzist
Jaga Jazzist is an experimental jazz band from Norway that rose to prominence when the BBC named their first album, A Livingroom Hush , the best jazz album of 2002. The core of the band are brothers and main songwriters Lars and Martin Horntveth...

 and Nils Petter Molvær
Nils Petter Molvær
Nils Petter Molvær also known as NPM is a Norwegian jazz trumpeter, composer, and producer. Molvær is considered a pioneer in fusing jazz and electronic music, showcased on his best-selling album Khmer, released by the German record label ECM in October 1997 in Europe and early 1998 in North...

.

In 2006 Public Enemy, 120 Days
120 Days
120 Days is a Norwegian band. The group consists of Jonas Dahl, Arne Kvalvik, Kjetil Ovesen, and Ådne Meisfjord, and was formed in 2001 under the name 'The Beautiful People'. Originally based in their hometown of Kristiansund, they moved to Oslo in 2002. After two EPs on the Public Demand label,...

, Bel Canto
Bel Canto (band)
Bel Canto is a Norwegian music duo, originally a trio, fronted by Anneli Drecker, and signed originally to Crammed Discs.-Biography:Their first two records were licensed to Nettwerk Records in Canada and its second album was licensed to IRS/MCA Records...

, Alog
Alog
-Musical duo:The musical duo Alog was formed in Tromsoe in Troms county, Norway in 1997. Alog has been among Norway's performers of experimental electronic music....

, Aavikko
Aavikko
Aavikko is a Finnish synth music band, formed in Siilinjärvi in 1995. Their hallmarks include a campy, decidedly "East European" style and plastic-sounding synthesizer themes...

, Nicolette, Snook
Snook (band)
Snook is a Swedish rap group from Stockholm. The group consists of Oskar "Kihlen" Linnros and Daniel "Danne" Adams-Ray. The group often makes fun of traditional rap and tries to renew it. They have released two full length albums and several singles....

, Frost
Frost (Norwegian band)
Frost is a Norwegian electronic duo consisting of Aggie Peterson and Per Martinsen. The group formed in 1997 in Tromsø, Norway with original line-up composed of Aggie Peterson and DJ Rune Lindbæk. They released their debut album "Bedsit Theories" in 1998....

 and Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band is a Norwegian electronica group.-Career:The band was formed in 1997 when Erlend Sellevold asked for people to play percussion with him during a party in Bergen. Thomas Lønnheim and Tarjei Strøm showed up through a combination of mutual contacts and high-school...

 were among the most notable acts to perform at the festival.

In 2007 120 Days
120 Days
120 Days is a Norwegian band. The group consists of Jonas Dahl, Arne Kvalvik, Kjetil Ovesen, and Ådne Meisfjord, and was formed in 2001 under the name 'The Beautiful People'. Originally based in their hometown of Kristiansund, they moved to Oslo in 2002. After two EPs on the Public Demand label,...

 returned, performing alongside artists such as Apparat
Apparat (musician)
Apparat is a German electronic musician living in Berlin and was previously a co-owner of Shitkatapult records. Starting out with dance floor-oriented techno, he later started to create ambient music and more recently became "more interested in designing sounds than beats".In 2004, he appeared at...

, Jan Jelinek
Jan Jelinek
Jan Jelinek is a German electronic musician who also operates under the names of Farben, Gramm and The Exposures. His music is usually categorized as minimal techno, glitch or microhouse, and is characterized by deep basslines, extensive use of samples from earlier jazz and rock recordings, and...

, Notic Nastic, Bjørn Torske
Bjørn Torske
Bjørn Torske is a house music producer. Born in 1971 in Tromsø, Norway, Torske became involved with producing music and local radio before moving to Bergen, Norway. He has collaborated on many occasions with Röyksopp.-Disco Members:...

, Sir Alice, Joakim & The Ectoplasmic Band, Fear Falls Burning, Andy Moor
Andy Moor (The Ex)
Andy Moor is an experimental musician, best known as the guitarist of the UK band Dog Faced Hermans and the Dutch punk collective The Ex. He was also a founding member of Kletka Red and along with Isabelle Vigier and Yannis Kyriakides created the experimental music label Unsounds.Moor was born in...

 & Yannis Kyriakides
Yannis Kyriakides
Yannis Kyriakides is a composer of contemporary classical music, and sound art. His music explores new forms and hybrids of media, synthesizing disparate sound sources and highlighting the sensorial space of music...

, Vinny Villbass & Diskjokke and Daniel Meteo. The presentation of the electronic instrument Reactable
Reactable
The Reactable is an electronic musical instrument with a tabletop Tangible User Interface that has been developed within the at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain by Sergi Jordà, Marcos Alonso, Martin Kaltenbrunner and Günter Geiger....

 is also worth mentioning from the 2007 edition of Insomnia. The 2007 festival has been mentioned as the most successful, both in ticket sales and artist performances. The Apparat
Apparat
Apparat can mean:* Apparatchik, a functionary in the Soviet Union* Apparat , Sascha Ring, a German electronic musician* Apparat Organ Quartet, an Icelandic band* Apparat Singles Group, a fictional comic book publisher...

 concert was rated as one of the best gigs
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...

 in Tromsø in 2007 by local newspaper Nordlys
Nordlys
Nordlys is a Norwegian newspaper published in Tromsø, covering the region of Troms, and the largest newspaper in Northern Norway. Chief editor is Anders Opdahl. Nordlys was founded in 1902 by Alfred Eriksen, who also was its first editor-in-chief. Among the later editors are Ivan Kristoffersen, who...

.

In 2008 The Legendary Pink Dots
The Legendary Pink Dots
The Legendary Pink Dots are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. Although far outside the mainstream , LPD have released more than 40 albums, have a devoted worldwide following, and tour frequently.-Overview:The Legendary Pink Dots formed in August 1980 in London...

, FM Belfast
FM Belfast
FM Belfast is an electro/electronica band from Reykjavík, Iceland.Its members include Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir, Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson, Árni Vilhjálmsson and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason....

, Ismael Pinkler, Mimetic, SCSI-9, Djuma Soundsystem, Xploding Plastix
Xploding Plastix
Xploding Plastix is a Norwegian two-man band playing Electrofunk/Big beat music with elements of jazz. Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard Wennersberg Hagen formed the group in early 1999, and submitted their first demotape in 2000...

 and Ost & Kjex
Ost & Kjex
Ost & Kjex is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Oslo. The duo consists of Tore ”Jazztobakk” Gjedrem og Petter ”Hi-Fi” Haavik.In 2007 their track "Milano Mugolian " was chosen among Pitchfork's top 100 tracks of the year, placing 100th.- External links :* on Myspace...

 were booked to the festival.

The 2009 edition had a remarkable kick-off, featuring none other than Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....

, in what was their first concert back in their hometown since the breakthrough with Melody A.M.
Melody A.M.
Melody A.M. is the debut album by Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp, released on 8 October 2001 by Wall of Sound. Songs from this album have been used in television adverts and computer games; "Remind Me" was formally featured in an advertisement for GEICO Insurance in one of their popular Caveman...

 in 2001. The event sold out in only a few hours. Röyksopp's members Svein Berge
Svein Berge
Svein Berge makes up half of the duo Röyksopp. Berge was born in Tromsø, Norway.-Musical career:* In 1999 debut as Röyksopp on Tellé with "So Easy" 7" and "Your Hands" on the Beatservice compilation "Arctic Circles 2"....

 and Torbjørn Brundtland
Torbjørn Brundtland
Torbjørn Brundtland makes up half of the duo Röyksopp. He was born in Tromsø, Norway.-Musical career:* Between 1994-1995 Brundtland was a member of Aedena Cycle with Gaute Barlindhaug and Kolbjørn Lyslo . Release: Traveller's Dream 12" released on R&S* In 1995 Brundtland was producer for Volcano...

 are childhood friends with board member Gaute Barlindhaug
Gaute Barlindhaug
Gaute Barlindhaug is an electronic musician from Tromsø, Norway. He is currently known under the artist name Kolar Goi.As a member of the quartet Aedena Cycle, together with Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge from Röyksopp, and Kolbjørn Lyslo, he was a part of the second generation of the Tromsø...

 of the Insomnia Festival, and the superstars decided to do the gig for free to help save the further existence of the electronic music festival in their hometown. The profit from the sold out event helped save the troubled economy of the festival.

Among other artists visiting the 2009 festival, was British The Emperor Machine, Andrew Meecham of Bizarre Inc's solo project. Another British appearance was Wave Machines
Wave Machines
Wave Machines is an alternative rock band formed in Liverpool in 2007. The band released singles The Greatest Escape We Ever Made and I Go I Go I Go on Chess Club Records before signing with Neapolitan Music Limited in 2008...

. Matias Aguayo, Loccomotion, Deadbots, Khan of Finland, Glitterbug, Thomas Fehlmann
Thomas Fehlmann
Thomas Fehlmann , is a Swiss-born composer/producer who currently lives in Berlin, and has been active in electronic music as far back as the 1980s. He is currently active on the Kompakt record label based in Germany...

, Tycho, Mike Huckaby and Menelaos completed the international part of the line-up. Lindstrøm was a national headliner, following his growing success in the later years. Also worth mentioning from the line-up, are the acclaimed local acts F.A.C.E, Femme Digital and Kohib, whom all had their debut gigs at the festival. Skatebård
Skatebård
Skatebård is the pseudonym of the Norwegian DJ and producer Bård Aasen Lødemel. Skatebård was born in 1976 in Harstad, grew up in Hovdebygda, but has since relocated to Bergen...

, Alexander Rishaug and Captain Credible were other Norwegian acts to visit.

In 2010 Bill Drummond
Bill Drummond
William Ernest Drummond is a Scottish artist, musician, writer and record producer. He was the co-founder of late 1980s avant-garde pop group The KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with which he burned a million pounds in 1994...

, Tesla Boy
Tesla Boy
Tesla Boy is a Russian synthpop / new wave band formed by Anton Sevidov, Dima Midborn and Poko Cox in late 2008.-History:The band's name is taken from the title of a song written by Anton and Dima during the beginning of their collaboration about a boy who could conduct electricity but could not...

, Kyle Hall, Alexander Robotnick
Alexander Robotnick
Alexander Robotnick is an Italian electronic musician. He made his debut on the Italian music scene as the founding member of Avida, a dance-cabaret band featuring Daniele Trambusti and Stefano Fuochi....

, Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wildbirds & Peacedrums is an experimental band from Sweden consisting of two members, Mariam Wallentin and her husband Andreas Werliin.-Background:...

, Brandt Brauer Frick, Captain Fufanu and Diskjokke Band were among the most notable artists whom visited the festival.

External links

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