About Per Ole Hagen

Avid concert photographer and music journalist. Works with Music IP management at the Norwegian Brodcasting System (NRK).

Karin Park – Songwriter, Singer, Actor, Model

Karin Park © Per Ole HagenKarin Park is a Swedish singer songwriter who moved to Norway ten years ago and has more or less stayed here. I have seen her on stage off and on since 2003, and this year she co-wrote the winner song for Norway for the Eurosong contest, I Feed You My Love, that Margaret Berger sung to nr. 4 in the international finals. Last Thursday I saw Karin Park at the Usig festival at Garage in Bergen.

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The Last Blues Night In Hell

Ronni Le Tekroe © Per Ole HagenBlues in Hell 2013 is over and I am already looking forward to next year’s festival. The music, the people, and also the weather have been excellent this year, making the festival one to remember. The organizational side of the event is also very professional and smooth, making it a pleasure to be there. (Picture above: Ronni Le Tekrø)

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A Good Start For Blues In Hell 2013

Candye Kane © Per Ole HagenOne of my favorite festivals started yesterday. Or rather, they started on Thursday, but yesterday was the official opening. with a full blues night on two stages. When one of the stages is a Magic Mirror tent, you can’t complain about the venue. There is also nothing to complain about with the artists, on the contrary. And for the nimble-minded, Hell is a place in Norway, and it means a cave in the mountain side, not a hot place somewhere else! (Picture above. Candye Kane)

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Blues In Hell 2013 Is Coming Up

Carolyn Wonderland Notodden © Per Ole HagenThe weekend September 6-7 is the yearly blues weekend in Hell. In Norway, Hell isn’t a place with eternal fire and damnation, it is actually a place outside of Trondheim. And there is nothing hellish about the place. You can get there by train – round trip or one way ticket, but the easy way to get there is by plane, since Hell is located in spitting distance from the Trondheim airport. The festival is one of my favorites during the year, and here are some of the highlights from last year, while we are waiting. (Picture above: Carolyn Wonderland at the Notodden Blues Festival 2012)

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Saturday In Pstereo

Motorpsycho © Per Ole HagenThe last day of Pstereo was a good festival day. Many different artists, but the same quality booking with different styles, some well known bands, and many new, at least for me. The big headliner Saturday was Motorpsycho, who played their 1997 album Blissard. But before them we got 6 hours of non stop music from three stages. And while Friday night had a few light rain showers, the weather was also good on Saturday. With two sold out days, it looks very promising for Pstereo next year.

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Friday Night In Pstereo

The xx © Per Ole HagenThe Pstereo festival in Trondheim has established itself as one of the most interesting festivals in Norway with a booking that only Oya surpasses. For a two day festival with three stages plus a talent stage, they have an unusually eclectic variety in their booking. The other good thing is that the fans like it, this year, for the first year, Friday night was sold out. (Picture above: Oliver Sim from The xx)

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