Alternative Saturday: Record fair, talks, conversations, and music

About the event

An afternoon featuring a record fair, DJ sets, and perspectives on subcultures and how scenes are kept alive.

Oslo World’s Saturday at Trekanten focuses on the independent music scene—on what grows in the fringes and subcultures, and on the interplay between audiences, musician communities, and the people who create the scenes and release new music.

From 2:00 PM until the evening program begins, we are hosting an open-house event featuring a record fair, mini-lectures, and discussions.

At the record fair, you can check out releases from labels such as Supertraditional, Sonic Transmissions, Sauajazz, Sheep Chase, Motvind, and Diger Distro—the latter representing a range of different small labels (the list is subject to updates).

In addition, in collaboration with the Department of Musicology at the University of Oslo and Terje Ekrene Vik, we have curated a program offering perspectives on who is actually creating the music and culture of today. We are presenting conversations and lectures based on the concept of "musicking" (which we explain further down in this text), alongside discussions with independent record labels and promoters about how—and why—they work with music right now.

In the intervals between sessions, Amira from the Nara Sounds collective will be dj-ing.

Program:

14:00: Record fair opens

Talk: Renata Flores – Language, identity, and resistance in modern pop music

14:30: Break and music

14:50: Musicking in 2026

A brief introduction to the concept of "musicking" by Anja Nylund Hagen.

Perspectives from Alexander Refsum Jensenius and Nanette Nielsen.

Panel discussion with Terje Ekrene Vik, Tejaswinee Kelkar, Hans Weisethaunet, and Alejandra Gómez.

16:00: Break and music

16:20: New underground collectives

A meeting with Nora Pagu (Rust Radio and Nara Sounds) and Suie Lee (Suiverse), who in recent years have created a new scene for music, art, and other forms of human expression in Oslo.

16:50: Break and music

17:15: Supertraditional and Motvind

The Swedish label Supertraditional and the Norwegian label Motvind have both, in their own ways, shaped the zeitgeist of new music over the past decade—not least by presenting new music rooted in Norwegian and Swedish traditions. We discuss their work with Andreas Røysum (Motvind) and Anna Möller (Supertraditional); moderated by Filip Roshauw.

17:45–18:30: Music

Mainstream culture can be a rather depressing place these days. Cultural monopolists and tech oligarchs have tightened their grip on major commercial platforms and channels. It can seem as though fewer unexpected, interesting impulses manage to cut through the noise. We may often feel that we are not expected to act as engaged cultural participants, but rather as passive—perhaps even depressed—consumers. If there is ever a moment to turn to the alternative cultural scene—to everything growing along the roadside, to those choosing different ways of doing things, and where you, too, as a listener, record buyer, or concertgoer, can feel part of a meaningful community—then that moment is now.

In the book Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening (1998), New Zealand musicologist Christopher Small introduced the verb "musicking"—emphasizing that music is something we do, rather than an object. According to Small, the meaning of the musical act is found in the relationships between people. These relationships involve performers, audience members, ticket sellers, sound technicians, people putting up posters, those sweeping the stage floors, people singing together, and so on.

"Musicking" may not have entered everyday language, but Small’s perspectives remain highly relevant—especially at a time when the diversity of music culture is under threat from multiple directions. Through the concept of musicking, we can recognize the value being created out there: how small venues and communities still create something enduring—something that matters.