The heavy metal band of Norway, TNT. TNT! In the Oslo Opera!

Years ago, they played a corporate party for a company I worked for, but I couldn't attend. I finally saw them at Tons of Rock 2023, and now—this. A night at the Opera.

I have the best seat in the parterre, dead center, the most perfect spot in the entire theater. The stage setup is pure power: four Marshall heads and cabs stacked on the right, four Ampeg cabs to the left of the drum kit. As the audience trickles in, the line check is underway. The Marshalls are cranked. The Opera’s acoustics let you hear everything straight from the cabs—crystal clear.

It's the Opera House, so some in the audience are dressed for the occasion. Others? Battle vests—just to make sure there’ll be no kids as a result of this night.

The intro is finally on, Gustav Holt's piece Mars, The Bringer of War. I instinctively get goosebumps, since it is also used and played by Nile in Ramses, Bringer of War.

The lineup: Tarjei Strøm on drums (filling in), kit dead center. Keys in the back, stage left. Øystein “Sid” Ringsby on bass, to the left. Two backing vocalists beside him far left. Ronni Le Tekrø on the right, Tony Harnell everywhere. And it's Sid’s birthday—what better way to celebrate than on the Opera stage?
Opera is catering with its great acoustics, and the sound is perfect - gorgeous bass and the drums sound just beautiful. There is something so dynamic about the overheads - how they cut through during the powerful moments when Tarjei hits them hard. At one moment Tarjei loses a drumstick, but it looks so elegant, like if it was rehearsed - not a hit lost in a moment.

Palm mutes are really pushing, especially when Ronni delivers his signature solos with extra fast muted tremolos. TNT delivers loads of hits and ballads with beautiful clean sound. 

As Far As the Eye Can See, She Needs Me, Angels Ride, Tonight I'm Falling, Downhill Racer, Klassisk Romance, Forever Shine On, Northern Lights with extended guitar solo, My Religion, Intuition, 10,000 Lovers in One (of course, how would they skip this one?), then a short break and more, - Invisible Noise, Out From Under the Black Cloud, Without Your Love, Eddie, Knights of the Thunder, Seven Seas. 

The gig is over, lights are on and Edvard Grie’s Peer Gynt - Morning Mood sees off the audience. Beautiful gig. You may not be their fan, but it was a must-have experience.