OH WONDER @ohwonderfanblog - Tumblr Blog

LINCOLN HALL - CHICAGO - 21/1/16

Robert Lipman, age 22, from California

Tell us about your relationship with music! I’m one of the moderators for the electronic music subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/electronicmusic). We have over 130,000 subscribers and cater to fans of all sorts of genres of music. Right now I’m loving the Billie Eilish (Astronomyy Edit) - https://soundcloud.com/astronomyy/ocean-eyes-astronomyy-edit

What motivated you to get involved with Reddit?

Someone played me ‘Strobe’ by Deadmau5. I hadn’t really heard anything quite that beautiful. I started crying and thought it was just a really great song, so I tried to listen to more music and discover new genres and that’s actually how I discovered Oh Wonder.

Do you often cry when you listen then?

Yeah I do actually. I was going through a very rough time with heart surgery recently, and I heard your song ‘White Blood’, which really moved me. I have another surgery in three weeks. My heart has problems beating. I currently have a pacemaker in there but the leads of the pacemaker have extended as I have grown taller. They are pulling on tissue and so I’m having another surgery in a few weeks to take it out and see if it can be replaced.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done?

Well, I didn’t know how long I had left and climbing Mount Everest was something that was always on my bucket list, so I was like “I’m gonna go for it”. I was in Nepal three weeks ago and successfully made it to Everest Base Camp. The trek was physically one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. The scenery and the altitude (where oxygen is half that at sea level) literally took my breath away. Reaching the glacier was one of the happiest moments of my life. Seeing the summit only made me want to get there some day. Two months from today, I’ll hopefully begin that journey. I’ll be in Africa going after one of the Seven Summits: Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’ll take a few more summits, increasing in technical difficulty, but I’ll get there. If all goes well in March, you can count on me being there to see you next time you're in Chicago!

What has all this taught you about life?

It’s taught me to hold on closer to the people that matter. Life is a countdown, so you gotta reach for whatever you can in the time you have left.

WONDER BALLROOM - PORTLAND - 17/1/16

Michael, age 24, from Virginia

What brings you to an Oh Wonder show?

My friend introduced me to ‘Shark’ and ever since then I’ve been listening to everything you guys have put out. I couldn’t make your debut New York and LA shows so I had faith that you’d announce a full US tour and when you guys announced it I bought tickets right away even though they sold out in 2 minutes! I decided to go to San Francisco, Portland and Boston!!

What do you do!

I’m actually a military dentist. Right now I’m based in Virginia as that’s where I’m working with the Navy, so that’s why I’m taking advantage of the time I have off and following you guys on the road! The military paid for my school fees and I love working for them as I get to see a lot of different places.

Best dental hygiene tip?

My best advice as a dentist is to floss! Not many people do, but you could have hidden cavities that crop up in your mid twenties that could do your teeth real harm!

RICKSHAW - SAN FRANCISCO - 15/1/16

Ariel aka The Concert Raptor, age 29, from Los Angeles

What is the Concert Raptor?

It’s about bringing the concert community together. I basically buy loads of tickets for a show and set up scavenger hunts or meet ups to give out tickets for free to people who really want to go to the shows.

How did it start and what’s the reason behind it?

I was going to a lot of shows and I would take friends or go alone, but when I took friends they didn’t know the artist or didn’t appreciate it, and I knew that there were people out there that really wanted tickets who were willing to do something for them. There’s such a disparity here with cost of living; there are a lot of students and younger people that really love bands but can’t afford to go to the shows. So I figured I would find people who wanted to make an effort to win a free ticket. Some people write a story or a poem about why they have a connection to the music. So many people have changed my life. I’ve made so many friends. It’s been growing a lot recently, and it’s kind of an amazing experience.

Did you do one for tonight’s show?

Yes! I ran a scavenger hunt yesterday and put stickers up around the Metreon (a shopping centre in San Francisco). I wrote on the stickers information about Oh Wonder - your names, your songs... and then a bunch of people followed the stickers and I gave away loads of tickets! I had some spare, and there were three people outside the venue tonight who asked me if I had any tickets for the show. I asked them how much they liked Oh Wonder and what their favourite song was. They were like ‘Oh I dunno, I don’t really know any songs’. They seemed like good people so I gave them the tickets. And they asked how much they were, and I was like ‘They’re free’. And then they were like ‘Holy shit, we were faking that we didn’t know Oh Wonder that well so you wouldn’t raise the price on us!’ It was perfect.

www.facebook.com/concertraptor

CASBAH - SAN DIEGO - 12/1/16

Frances, age 21 from Los Angeles, and Josh, age 21, from San Diego

What do you want with your life?

Josh: I’m currently majoring in Economics at SDSU. Eventually I want to own my own gym/tea shop, where you can have different teas to help your workouts. I actually don’t know much about it yet, but I do go to the gym right now! My brother drinks a lot of different types of tea, and he knows which types help soothe your body, and which have the right types of ingredients to help you recover. I want to learn more about the correlation between tea and workouts.

What does success mean to you?

Frances: Success to me means being independent, providing for others and helping out your family. I’m not independent at the moment - I’m a jobless college student studying speech pathology! But it’s my dream to be successful. My cousin is probably the most successful person I know. He’s independent - I like that, it’s very simple. I think independence is all you need.

Josh: Success to me is being able to live life without having any worries, and not having to care about anything financially or emotionally. But I don’t know anyone who has both at the same time. Lots of people have one but are trying to get the other.

KOSMONAVT - ST PETERSBURG - 1/12/15

Daniel, age 18, from Kazakhstan

How are you doing Daniel! So good! The concert was amazing! The band was just so great. I am so happy to be here.

What’s your dream? I’m between two roads, one road is my piano lessons and the other one is singing, and I really don’t know what to choose! Maybe I can do both...

Then we all sang ‘Dazzle’ together, and it was pretty emotional.

VILLAGE UNDERGROUND - LONDON - 23/11/15

Brennan, age 22 and Sarah from Walla Walla, Washington

What are you doing in London?

Sarah: Brennan goes to school in Oxford, and I'm studying in France. We thought we’d meet up to come to the Oh Wonder shot. This is our first time we’ve met up since we both left Walla Walla.

If you could do anything in the world tomorrow, what would you do?

Sarah: I would probably climb something. I’ve climbed Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the US.

What’s the most interesting thing you have ever done? Brennan: I went and lived in Africa and worked as a volunteer for seven months in Malawi. It’s the seventh poorest country in the world. I was a volunteer teacher. The most important thing that I learned is that while you’ll never make a huge difference in the whole world, you can make a bunch of small differences in peoples' lives, that are about the personal relations that change you and change them in very meaningful ways.

KING TUTS - GLASGOW - 21/11/15

Scott, age 34, from New Zealand and Alice, age 29, from Guernsey

What brings you to Glasgow Scott?

I met Alice when she was working as a doctor in New Zealand. She’s my long-term girlfriend but I haven’t seen her for four months. I flew in last night from New Zealand to surprise her at the Oh Wonder gig tonight!

Alice, did you have any idea Scott was in Glasgow?

I had no idea Scott was on his way. I was a little bit embarrassed earlier when there was a spotlight on me when Oh Wonder asked the crowd, ‘Where is Alice?’ and I was like, ‘How do Oh Wonder know who I am?!’ But then when Scott appeared I had a little bit of a cry. We’re heading on a trip round Europe now - I’m so excited to get the train between Paris and Amsterdam, I’ve heard it’s beautiful.

BODEGA - NOTTINGHAM - 19/11/15

Charlie, age 16 and Samuel, age 17, from Nottingham

So how did you guys end up at an Oh Wonder concert?

Charlie: It was Sam’s birthday last month. I told him that I didn’t have much money and bought him a really crappy present, but secretly I had bought tickets for this gig! And then tonight I suggested we go out for dinner, and we were walking past the venue, and I was like, “Oh Wonder are playing tonight!” And he said, “Ah I wish I’d gone to see them!’ And I said ‘Luckily I’ve got tickets then!’

Sam: It didn’t click when she first said that, and then I realised! And I was so excited!

THEKLA - BRISTOL - 18/11/15

Piers Partridge, age 66, from Wraxall

The most magical thing about life is… that we are born with an infinite cycle of appetite. Once you know how to look after that cycle, there is always appetite, delight, desire to look forward to. Friends, food, sport, walks, books. Everything! Any words of wisdom? Don’t ruin your appetite (self-discipline rules). Seek self awareness. The more you know about yourself, the more you can design your life to fit your particular shape. Trying fit your unique self into the wrong shapes is exhausting painful and futile. What are your secret talents? My backhand spin serve which rules Division 5 in the Bristol Table Tennis League. My imitation of a blackbird’s spring undersong. I make the best cappuccino. I can bark better than dogs. I build a mean Strawdio. When were you last really scared? In August, when I had a blow out on the M4, somewhere near Port Talbot, with an ancient Golf estate packed with guitars, banjos, speakers, lights, spring water, tinkleles, wellies, ukuleles, hobnobs, full cream milk, drills, angle grinders and chargers. I managed to get to the hard shoulder but needed to unload most of the gear to get to the spare wheel. In the wind and rain. You have a secret half an hour to yourself. What would you do? Bath, headphones, BBC iPlayer, Storyville.

THE HAUNT - BRIGHTON - 17/11/15

Jimmy, age 23, from East Sussex

What is your most memorable musical experience? The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park.

What are you afraid of? Failure. I’d hate to get to 40 and not have done anything special. I’m in a band at the moment called Propellers, and it would be awesome if that took off.

Favourite drink? Gin and tonic, with cucumber. And also Overhang. It’s a new hangover relief drink my friend has just made with milk thistle, burdock root, raspberry leaf and ginger. It’s being stocked in Holland and Barratt’s next month!

Tell me a joke. I went on a really bad date with simile the other day. I don’t know what I metaphor.

CLUB BAHNHOF EHRENFELD - COLOGNE - 13/11/15

Paula, age 15, from Giesen

What brings you here this evening? This is my first ever gig! I found Oh Wonder on YouTube and it was just amazing so I decided “that will be my first concert!” It was better than I imagined. The crowd was amazing.

What do you want to do with your life? I want to do something with art. I love drawing, especially animals as they are so much easier to draw than humans. My favourite animal to draw is a whale because they’re really easy! But it’s so hard to earn money as an artist, especially if you’re not good enough. So it’s complicated.

PARADISO - AMSTERDAM - 12/11/15

Bezi, age 14, Megan, age 17, and Nouhaila, age 15 from Amsterdam

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Bezi: I’d travel to West Africa! I’ve already been to Gambia and I’d love to go again. The people are so nice.

Megan: I’d go to the Galapagos islands.

Nouhalia: I’d go to New York. Travelling is important because it’s good to know what happens on the other side of the world. Also my two favourite shows Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl are filmed there!

What is life like as a teenager in Amsterdam? Megan: Opportunities in Amsterdam are really good. You can study whatever you want to, and we are very grateful to be living here. It’s small, and everyone is so nice.

Who is the most inspiring person in your life? Nouhaila: Oh Wonder! When I heard you guys a new world opened. Your music is the next level. It gives me strength. When I listen to your music I get a kind of rush. And now I’m here standing next to you guys and wondering how this has happened. Thanks for the most unforgettable night!

KAGELBANAN - STOCKHOLM - 10/11/15

Katinka, age 49 and Michael, age 31, from Stockholm

How did you meet? Katinka: We both write and publish poetry. I read one of Michael’s poems that he’d put up online, and I emailed him to ask him a personal question about his poetry.

Michael: Then we started talking via email…

Katinka: And then they were showing the Morrisey documentary and I asked if he was going. He said he’d come, but he booked a seat five places from me!

Michael: It was the only seat that was left! And then we met and from that day we have been together.

Katinka: I fell in love with his smile.

Michael: And now we have three children, and we write poetry together.

What’s the secret to life? Katinka: Not to be bitter. Whilst you should be sentimental, you should also live for right now and embrace everything. We have both experienced marriage before, so we know what is bad. So now, we cherish each day and take it easy. It’s the small things in life that are good. Also you have to choose each other every day. Every day I see Michael and I think “I want you”.

OSLO - PARKTEATRET - 10/11/15

Sam, age 21 from Kazakhstan, and Ines, age 22, from South France - (they met at the show!)

How are you going to change the world? Sam: I want to create vaccines. I would love to cure cancer. It’s not a virus, but I’ve lost a lot of people to cancer.

Ines: I’m currently studying sustainable development as part of my course in Environmental Systems Engineering at UCL. I would like to bring water to people, because so many don’t have access to water. I’m currently working on a desalination project in South America, where we’re hoping to bring water to 1000 people. I always want to do the same in Africa.

If you could get a tattoo would it be? Sam: I already have my dream tattoo! It’s an ancient Greek word meaning ‘ephemeral’. I studied Ancient Greek for three years, and I heard the word and loved it. It’s kind of sad since the literal translation is ‘something that lasts a day’. But it’s kind of my carpe diem. I’ve always travelled from country to country as my parents work in the embassy, and I have always had to compromise and give up my friends. But this tattoo reminds me that what I have right now is not going to last forever, and that I should enjoy it whilst I have it.

Ines: I want a tattoo but my mother would be so cross! I would like to get a tattoo of the word ‘confidence’ - I like the double meaning, because in French it means ‘trust’. I have issues trusting people because I guess I find it difficult to trust myself sometimes. But it’s so important to trust other people.

OSLO - PARKTEATRET - 10/11/15

Ayaan, age 20, from Oslo

How do you spend your time? I’m currently studying psychology. I’m really interested in the human brain, and how people work.

Are you a good judge of character? I think so. People often come to me for advice so I guess I’m a good listener. I’m like the shrink in my friendship group!

What you would love to achieve? I would love to leave an imprint of my life in another person’s life. For me, the biggest achievement would be to be remembered when I die.

Is there anyone that has left a profound impact on you? My mother. She has been through a lot. She came to Norway as a refugee from Somalia when I was one year-old. I’m so impressed with how she has dealt with everything, and she has taught me to live life to the fullest and do the best with what you have.

COPENHAGEN - VEGA - 7/11/2015 Mette, from Denmark What do you do? I work as a team manager, but in my spare time I love discovering new music! It gives me something, it’s like sugar in my life. I have a group of girls and when one of us finds something cool we share it with each other. My friend Trina invited me to this concert and I loved the album so I said yes! I got goosebumps during the first song Oh Wonder played tonight. It really thrilled me and it felt like such an intimate concert where they were grabbing everyone with their music. What are you most proud of? I’m a mother of two children and have an outstanding love for them. I want them to live their lives and stay true to themselves. I want them to be tolerant of people and appreciate differences. How has being a mother changed your outlook on life? You only live once. Live it.

BERLIN - GRETCHEN - 6/11/2015 Anna Kayser, age 36 and Julyus Kayser, age 35, from Berlin Where did you discover Oh Wonder? We discovered them on a Spotify playlist when we heard ‘Technicolour Beat’. We sing it with our 6 year-old son Anton in the kitchen! Are you guys musical in any way? Anna: Yes, I’m a singer and I have made music for myself for a long time. But two days ago I felt confident enough to share my music, and joined a band! I found two people on the internet who were looking to start a band, and I sent them two songs of mine and met up with them! There’s a guy who plays the guitar and a girl who has a really nice voice. We don’t have a name yet. But Oh Wonder are inspiring me with their music.

Listen to Anna’s beautiful music here! https://soundcloud.com/aurelia-aurita-2

What is the most important thing that you wish for your children? Julyus: That they are able to express themselves. Anna: And be their own people. Julyus: And live up to their own personalities.

And your name is like Julius Caesar! Julyus: Yes! I married Anna to get her name!

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