Their story stretches back 15 years, to when Øystein was living in Los Angeles. Lissie was a rising star, and Bigbang was experiencing challenges internationally due to a Korean band of the same name. At the home of Øystein and his then partner Maria Orietta, the radio was often tuned to KCRW. It was Maria who first noticed Lissie's song "When I'm Alone".
When Lissie was announced for the Slottsfjell Festival in 2010, Øystein quickly got himself a guest pass. Lissie's record company asked if he would do a couple of songs with her as a surprise for the audience. Øystein agreed, and together they performed "When I'm Alone" and "Something Special" acoustically for a small, lucky group. This was the start of a friendship and artistic collaboration that has lasted ever since.
They have performed together both in California and Norway, written the song "No One" (from Bigbang's Epic Scrap Metal), and Lissie sings on Bigbang's "The Oslo Bowl".
- She has one of the best voices I've ever heard - a power, mystery and vulnerability that is rare in today's music landscape," says Øystein about Lissie.
He's not alone in being impressed. The late film director David Lynch was a fan, and was both in the audience and backstage when Lissie played with Øystein as a guest guitarist at the El Rey in Los Angeles. Later, Lynch also included Lissie and her music in an episode of Twin Peaks.
The last time they performed together in Norway was at Over Oslo in 2019 - not on stage, but on the roof above the sound mixer, in the middle of the audience. There, they performed a poignant version of "Shallow" that rivaled Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's iconic performance in A Star is Born. Perhaps it was then that the seed was sown for a more extensive collaboration.
Now, 15 years after their first meeting, it's finally time for Alvarado Moon - their first tour together. Here, they delve deeper into each other's songs and explore the Fleetwood Mac-like vocal potential they first found in the chorus of "No One".
This is a rare occasion. Øystein Greni and Lissie are both known for giving their all on stage, and there's every reason to believe that this will be a very special evening. They're also busy artists, so who knows when - or if - this will happen again.
Organizer: All Things Live Norway, Stageway & Bureau Storm
