The Blues in Hell festival has been arranged for some twenty years and is still going strong. Situated in a congress hotell close to the Trondheim airport at the place that actually is called Hell, it is a festival that celebrated both the original blues and also newer variation of blue and blues rock. Here are my photos of the artists I saw at Hell this weekend. (Photo above: The Original Blues Brothers Band)

Kent DuChaine – the winner of the blues prize at Hell

The Blues in Hell festival started as a combined club and hotel festival in Hell and Stjørdal, the town that Hell is a part of. Then after some years it changed name to Hell Music Fest and became an outdoor festival with a varied musical menu of pop, hip hop, metal, etc. In 2008 the festival’s economy crashed after too few attendants and an expensive booking, and the festival changed back to being a blues festival the next year, but now situated at Hell train station with a Magic Mirror tent as the main venue. Because of rehabilitation work at the station, the festival went back to the hotel last year.

The presenter at the main stage, Robert Sætervik from NRK P1

This year’s headliners were The Original Blues Brothers Band on Saturday and Grainne Duffy on Friday. Together with them a whole lot of international and Norwegian artists played at the four different stages. Davina and the Vagabonds were back after a couple of years, Lisa Mills gave two amazing concerts, Amund Maarud showed us what an excellent artist he is, Scottie Miler Band gave a solid and impressive concert, and Hungry John and Reidar Larsen played two duo concerts alternating between their respective songs. The Blues in Hell festival is one of my favorite Norwegian festivals, and I will be back next year, as I have been for twenty years!

Friday

Opening and Blues Prize to Ken DuChaine

Politician Ingvil Kjerkol held the opening speech

Kjell Inge Brovoll. the head of the festival

Otis Grand

Lisa Mills

Davina and the Vagabonds

Hungry John and Reidar Larsen

Amund Maarud

Dr. Feelgood

Grainne Duffy

Saturday

Best of Five

Scottie Miller Band

Aaron Keylock

Hans Bollandsås

Lisa Mills

Hungry John

Mike Sanchez

The Original Blues Brothers Band

All photos are © Per Ole Hagen and must not be used without written permission.