The walls of the Kronbar shook on the night of the Europavox Campus regional final with the performance of Norwegian band Astroturf, the new pop-rock phenomenon from Bergen. They were then selected to represent their university Western Norway University of Applied Sciences at the European final of Europavox Campus taking place in Clermont-Ferrand on 26 April. A mix of strong energies, catchy melodies, let yourself be conquered by the frenzied guitar solos. To wait until then, they have put together a selection of things to do, eat, read and watch in Bergen.
< Get your tickets for the finale ! >
The library
Which book could you read a hundred times?
The whole Harry Potter series.
Is there a book that you discovered during your studies and had an impact on your life?
‘Eg snakkar om det heile tida’ which translates to ‘I talk about it all the time’ by Camara Lundestad Joof is a book about everyday racism and was on the curriculum for teacher education and it made quite the impact.
The canteen
What is your all-time favourite dish?
We’re all big lovers of anything italian. Lasagna and pizza are frequent favorites. Lasagna is the favorite dish of Alvin and Susanne in the band. While Amina’s favorite is Pizza!
Could you present a traditional dish from your country?
Fårikål is a traditional Norwegian dish made with lamb, cabbage, and potatoes. The ingredients are seasoned with salt, pepper, and whole black peppercorns and cooked slowly until the meat is tender. Fårikål is often served with flatbread or potatoes and is considered Norway’s national dish.
Do you have a go-to cheap and easy recipe to recommend to students?
Vegetable fried rice is a nice dish as it is easy to make vegetarian. You can use whatever you have left over in the fridge as long as you have the essentials of rice, eggs and a frying pan.
The movie theatre
What’s your favourite international movie of all time?
‘This is Spinal Tap’ is the obvious choice as it goes to 11 and so do we.
Which movie from your country should we absolutely discover?
Some of the band’s suggestions were: Trolljegeren, and Kunsten å tenke negativt. Trolljegeren is made by a Norwegian comedian. In the movie they hunt trolls to get them on camera like it’s a real and serious thing.
Which movie best represents the student years?
Flåklypa Grand Prix, because as students we live simple lives. We’re sponsored by Lånekassen; in the movie this would be: Sheik Ben Redic Fy Fazan, and you barely get through it alive. Flåklypa Grand Prix is a Norwegian animated movie that our generation grew up with, either as the movie or the computer game.
< Discover the 3 other finalists >
Around the campus
Tell us about your favorite restaurant or bar in Bergen?
Our favourite bar in Bergen is of course Kronbar, as it is the birthplace of Astroturf. Kronbar is the student bar of Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and we all volunteered and met there.
What is your favorite cultural site to visit in your city?
If you’re looking for a tourist attraction our favourite is Fløyen. But if you’re looking for a great venue, then Hulen is the place to go.
How would you describe your city?
Rainy.
And your university?
It’s a mix of new and old buildings integrated into one another. It’s also a great place for meeting like-minded people and growing in whichever field you’ve chosen.
