The last time they had a year this special was 2004.
This year, SPAN have decided to end their career on a high with 11 final career spanning farewell shows. The only one in the UK being in London at the O2 Academy Islington on the 23rd of September.
SPAN’s final tour is set to be a legendary one, as the band are set on delivering a massive, energetic tour which will without a doubt become a celebration of their more than celebrated career.
Following the announcement of their farewell tour, Soundsphere had the chance to speak to SPAN members Fridtjof Nilsen and Kim Nordbæk.
“It’s better to do it properly for a short while than make something weak in the end. With power, and we do it short and sweet,” says Nilsen when reflecting on whether there is any temptation to continue on after these final shows. “I think now the energy we’ve still got, it sounds actually better than ever because we’re five people, so we can do more onstage. I want to give people something tight and really well something. Finishing on a high note is an important thing.” Continuing on the fact that the band are determined to leave their fans on a high, and that they are tempted to give their supporters the final show they deserve.
The definition of success varies from person to person, but upon getting asked about his definition of success, Bassist Kim Nordbæk claims that success is about expanding your limits. “Ambition always grows. When you start to near yourself to one goal, another one. Looking back at it, I think we achieved more than we could ever hope for before achieving stuff. Success now is for us to play well and to have fun.” As a band, to reach the point of feeling successful just by having fun is the pinnacle, and one which proves how hard-working SPAN are.
The band now have an opportunity to do, as well as improve on things they never had to do since their breakup in 2005. “We get to do these shows with more production than we’ve ever brought anywhere, and we are fulfilling the dreams that we didn’t get to fulfil back then” says Nilsen upon being asked about SPAN’s legacy as a band.
“Legacy is such a big word, and when you think of all the people that have been to our shows, that’s my idea of legacy” adds Nordbæk, proving that although being different, legacy to this band seems to be about bringing people together.
Talking about bringing people together, sometimes touring can be less than ideal. “I have a lot of memories sleeping in the back of a van, and not having the fondest memories of that car ride, you know?” According to Nilsen, this shows the sacrifices that musicians must endure for their fans. “I think we make the most of it. I think I enjoy it more now because I know that it’s for a limited time.“ Nordbæk adds to the conversation. The fans know that this tour is for a limited time as well, and for a band like SPAN, their fanbase is as dedicated as it can get.
Reflecting on the period when their fame peaked before they broke up, Nilsen talks about how the band started, and their devoted fanbase in the UK. “We’re from Norway, there was no band from Norway that ever made it outside of their village. That was not something that was available to dream of even. When we toured in England, and we started getting a following, and people travelled with us from little shitty pubs to little shitty pubs and it’s just I have memories I wouldn’t change for anything in the world. It was a dream come true.” This is a band who clearly worked extremely hard to earn the success they received. Nordbæk continues this discussion by saying “In 2004 we did 160 shows in seven months. I could not do that this age. We’d need a yoga instructor for that.” 160 shows is intense. It is a touring cycle which is reserved for the most acclaimed bands. The fact that SPAN managed to remain relevant even though they have been absent for a couple of decades is a testament to their fame and popularity.
Arguably, no fame can come without a little bit of wisdom. “Music comes alive when it’s with people. If it’s one person who comes up to you and tells you “I quite like that” or if it’s two people, don’t disregard that show, play the best because you never know what that person or for that matter the person who ran the bar that booked you who’s going to do it next time and next time” Nilsen says. “Treat everything like it’s the chance of a lifetime, and then people will treat you differently, they’ll help” he continues. People tend to forget how difficult the music industry can be. Working as hard as possible is key, if it was not for their hard work, SPAN would not be in the position that they are in now. This quote proves it. Had this band not played the same venues over and over again, this farewell tour would most definitely have looked vastly different.
Upon being asked about their favourite moments from the early 2000s era of the band, Nordbæk confesses that his favourite moment was that of a music video shoot in the English capital. “We had a shoot for like 12 hours in London, all the people that we’ve seen when we’ve travelled around the UK, they’ve come by train for hours and hours to be there, and we were with them the entire day.” This statement proves yet again what happens when a band plays the same venue in the same cities over and over again. This type of fan dedication does not come overnight, and this is something that the band notices.
“We can’t wait, because we lived in London. The UK was our home for a while, and the fanbase there was the most dedicated we’ve ever had. So it’ll be a shame if we hadn’t come back. We’re going to deliver the best fucking show we ever had.” Nilsen promises the fans to return the love that they have shown to him and his band. His bandmate, Nordbæk adds “We have a lot of good memories from London that are 20 years old. Let’s make some new ones that will last another 20 or 40 years.”
SPAN invite you to their farewell tour, and to their very last show in the city of Trøndheim, in Norway on the 11th of October.
