Shining Won an $180,000 Grant From a Norwegian Oil Company, Vow To Tour the U.S.

Three years ago the Blackjazz-pedaling Norwegians in Shining won a grant from the band A-Ha for 1 million Kroner (then worth $150,000 USD) that they intended to use for touring the U.S. Not only have the Shining won a grant for 1 million Kroner once again — this time from the partially-state owned Norwegian oil giant Statoil — but that same 1 million Kroner is now worth $180,000 thanks to the miracle of currency inflation.

According to a decent Google Translate translation of this article on P3.no, Shining beat out nine other bands to win the grant and they intend to use it to tour the U.S.:

We had to make a choice, and it was in Europe, because it is cheaper to do something there and shorter and cheaper journey. But even though we have chosen Europe, we also noted some interest from the U.S. and it will be addressed now. It’s damn expensive to get anywhere there, and millions are of course welcome.

Shining had intended to use the money from the A-ha grant to tour the U.S., although a full tour never materialized. Presumably they decided to spend the money in other ways, although they did make it to SXSW last year for an absolutely riveting performance, so maybe that was the A-ha money at work. Hopefully this time they’ll follow through with a full, proper tour.

The award is not without controversy: several past nominees have withdrawn from the contest due to the oil company’s environmental practices. Shining mainman Jørgen Munkeby doesn’t seem to have any such objections. And you thought that a car company endorsement here in the U.S. was bad.

Kvelertak won the same award in 2011 and used the money to fund a U.S. tour that included a break-out performance at the MetalSucks “South by South Death” SXSW showcase and a fall run later that year with Skeletonwitch.

Thanks: Asbjørn S.