SPAN was widely known for their energetic live performances and catchy rock anthems. They were one of the most popular rock bands in Norway from the early 2000s, and dominated live venues and festivals both at home and abroad. SPAN recently made a comeback with two concerts at Rockefeller in Oslo, both of which sold out instantly. On Monday 23 September, they will play their first and final show in the UK in 20 years at O2 Islington Academy, London.
The early 2000s was a golden age in Norwegian rock. SPAN had spent 10 years on the road both in Norway and the UK, when they released their debut album Mass Distraction in 2004. The album went gold in Norway and was well received by both fans and critics.
SPAN was hailed as a Norwegian success story with an international appeal. This was confirmed by record deals with Island Records in the UK and Interscope in the US. Mass Distraction was produced by Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton and mixed by Kevin Shirley, who has produced everything from Aerosmith to Iron Maiden.
SPAN spent way too many hours in the rehearsal room to become the tightest rock band on the scene. And even though the Norwegian cred-police had their reservations with the band’s lack of tattoos and their stellar work ethic, hundreds of sold out shows with screaming fans spoke for itself. Everyone had their own opinions about the band, and they got a lot of press coverage, both home and abroad, in magazines like NME, Rolling Stone and Kerrang.
After 15 years of sweaty backstages, thousands of miles in the van and too many signed boobs, the band split up in 2005. Now they are doing a reunion through 2024 - and doing their very last round in the ring, ending for good in Trondheim, Norway in October.