Baroness is a band that I like a lot, both their albums and live. Their music is melodic metal – heavy, alternative, progressive – you decide for yourself. Personally I like their energy coupled with some really good melodies, as can be heard on their newest album, Purple. On Wednesday March 30 they played at Rockefeller in Oslo.
Saturday was the last day of this year’s SXSW, and it was a good end to ten days of Interactive and Music for my part. I have attended seminars at both festivals with themes like transparency in the music business, data ethics, the right to be forgotten, Copyright in EU vs. the US, etc., and seen a lot of concerts every night. I also got to see and photograph President Obama and Michelle Obama. The last day of the festival I started at the Yard Dog with Churchwood and Jon Langford, and continued at the Continental Club with six other acts, among them Patricia Vonne, Jon Dee Graham, Tameca Jones and Linda Gail Lewis. (Picture above: Patricia Vonne)
One of the good things about SXSW is the mix of all kinds of styles. There is a misconception among some of my fellow Norwegians that in Texas, everything is about country music. They can’t be more wrong, and specially during SXSW. I’d rather say there could be a little more country at the festival. On Wednesday I managed to see two metal bands – one sludge metal, the other doom metal – two country/Americana acts, a psychedelic pop act, one old time rock hero, a pop and rock singer songwriter and a modern pop artist. (Picture above: Aurora)
This year’s Full Moon Barn Dance at Leeann Atherton’s house is my 18th since she invited me the first time in 1997. It has been one tradition I have really enjoyed, and this year as much as always. The music, the food, all the good people of South Austin and from around the world, plus the special South Austin atmosphere is a winning combination. (Picture above: Leeann Atherton and Torgeir Waldemar)
Thursday night at SXSW I went for country music and Americana. Loretta Lynn played at Stubb’s, so I started there. Then I went over to The Gatsby and saw Sam Outlaw, Wynonna Judd, Hayes Carll, Asleep At The Wheel and Jack Ingram. That was not the worst way to spend a night in Austin.
Ray Benson’s birthday is March 16, and every year he celebrates it the Tuesday before the Music festival at SXSW starts, if that be the right date, or not. This year the 65 year party, a combination of a concert with prominent guests and a fundraiser for HAAM was celebrated at the GSD&M building in Austin. (Photo above: Ray Benson and Carolyn Wonderland)
SXSW is on, and the first part of the Film festival plus Interactive have started. This year, as earlier years, I attend Interactive and Music, so these are busy ten days with seminars during the day and clubs and concerts at night. Saturday consisted of an afternoon concert with my big favorite guitarist Redd Volkaert, a concert with another Austin favorite, Guy Forsyth, then the Peterson Brothers and closing it all with a perfect set from Chuck Prophet. Photo above: Guy Forsyth)
Bylarm is Norway’s answer to SXSW, and this year’s festival was number 19. The first years the festivals was arranged in different cities in Norway, Trondheim, Bergen, Tromsø and Kristiansand. In 2008 the festival was moved to Oslo, where it has been arranged at venues around Youngstorget since then. (Photo above: Kvelertak)
Enslaved is one of the most long lived metal bands in Norway. This year they celebrate 25 years together as a band with concert dates in Norway and Europe. The band was formed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson from Haugesund, and they are still with the band. So far Enslaved have won four Spellemann awards (Norwegian Grammy), with three more nominations. Last night they celebrated their first 25 years at Rockefeller in Oslo.
The last day at Blastfest 2016 had an equally impressive line up as the other days. All Norwegian bands, and with a good variety in styles. Personally I wasn’t as active as the other days, but I covered the three last bands on the big stage, Red Harvest, Green Carnation and the one I had been looking most forward to, Abbath (picture above).
Artist Pictures Blog 