ida haukland  triosphere
Photos by: Triosphere / AFM
Content: AFM / Mike Exley
THE ESSENTIAL FEMALE TOURING KIT
by Ida Haukland - bassist and vocalist
So, you know them, right? The female fronted bands of the new generation? Whether it be Within Temptation, Lahannya, Theatre of Tragedy, Lacuna Coil, Epica – the names just keep coming; but, when you're 'The Only Hen In The "Cock-Pit", just where are you supposed to put your toothbrush and all those little girlie things you treasure; where do they go on that tour bus full of male testosterone and beer filled parties with 'groupies' to match?
OK, so we're getting a bit carried away, but you'd have to have been living on Mars (or under a rock!!) not to notice the ever increasing amount of female dominated or fronted bands currently doing the rounds, so we asked a band who's just about to appear in the UK, AFM Norwegian recording artists Triosphere, just how do you cope?
Vocalist and bassist Ida Haukland was there at the beginning, so she's more than assured when it comes to the male v female debate….
"Since I started playing in a band, as a 16-year old," says the singer, "I've more or less always been the only girl amongst the boys. What's it like? Well, the same as being in a band in general, I guess? You've got to compromise, but you get that real sense of family; you're all in it 'together', and you make the most of it. Maybe I'm not the "typical" girl either? I've always been more occupied with finding the right kind of strings for the bass, than the right purse to fit the shoes; ha! ha! I think you have to be realistic! You can't always get that shower or wash your hair perfectly; you make the most of it like the boys have to do."
"And I've never felt that the guys in my own band treat me any different because I'm a girl; why should they? All of us have been close friends for years and also share the same sense of humor; Ørjan Jorgensen (drums in Triosphere) and I are from the far north of Norway while Marius Bergesen and T.O. (the guitarists) are from the middle, so we probably have a slightly more strange and vulgar humour at times, but that's OK. No one gets offended! We started in 2004, so we should know each other by know, and we tour a lot, so you have to give each other space; ha! ha!"
"I really can't think of anything that makes playing in a band with a girl that different from an all-male band. It goes without saying, that one shares a pretty pervasive passion when you're in a band, and working towards the top motivates you to find ways around most things….. It really doesn't matter what gender you are in that context. And, there is never any "diva-shit" going on, like demanding my own wardrobe, bathroom, etc.. I think everyone's different, but if you're up-front about it, it can be done. Actually, the few times promoters have reserved a single room for me and put the guys together in a different room, I feel very "separated from my pack"? It's just not the same!!"
So, what are the essentials in a female touring-kit then?
"If I'm honest, I seriously have no idea what other girls do or need on a tour-bus particularly; and in general, all in the band needs the same; enough sets of new strings, cables, tuner, batteries for the wireless system, sufficient numbers of changes of clothes (both off and on stage), toilet-kit, means of entertainment (e.g. books and laptop with games and movies) and stuff like that. You've got to believe in each other and trust each other, but you've got to have a good sense of humour and be yourself…."
"After a good and long think, I reckon the 'Essential Female Touring-Kit' has to have:
1. Yep; a mirror! That's really the first thing on the list and all follows from there!!
2. Pyjamas!! I'm sorry, but sleeping in your underwear on a tour bus works fine when you're a guy, but for obvious reasons, it could be a little awkward to do the same if you're the only girl, right?
3. Facial, and general wet wipes! Essential because you never know when the heating works, doesn't work or where you're going to be from one day to the next; Ha! Ha!
4. Ummmm… Chocolate? To kick off crankiness!!
5. A really good book!! Mine's Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy". It's maybe not the typical female reading, but nevertheless it's 'guaranteed' to entertain me through even the longest journey; those long hours on the bus, on traveling days, between cities!!"
6. Stage make-up. Very important and why we girls take just a bit longer!!
 "On my own behalf though," continues the bassist / vocalist, "I'm currently studying, and have been whilst this band has been touring – pretty much ever since we started actually, so there's always a lot going on at school whenever we are out on the road; a laptop, books, a pen and paper and all that stuff have been almost as essential for me as the 'most essential' stuff I always bring for myself…."
Triosphere start their tour with Sonata Arctica tomorrow in Wolverhampton and finish up in London, at the 02 Academy, Islingotn, on 25 March. Here's the full tour schedule;
18 March Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
19 March Sheffield, Corporation
20 March Glasgow, Garage
22 March Manchester, Academy 2
23 March Cardiff, Millennium Music Hall
24 March Reading, Sub 89
25 March London, 02 Islington Academy.
The band's latest album A Road Less Travelled is available through AFM / Plastic Head right now.
|
