Rosario – A Spanish Diva on Stage

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Sometimes I wonder why we know everything about American and English artist in Norway and almost nothing about artists from outside these countries. One thing is tradition, another is the language. I have also been ignorant to the great musical culture in many of these countries. But after having spent more time in Spain I have opened my ears to their music, and last night I saw one of the best representants of modern Spanish song tradition, Rosario Flores.

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Camela – Spanish Electro Pop At Its best

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Camela was my second concert during the Feria in Nerja, Spain. The band is a duo, formerly a trio, consisting of María Ángeles Muñoz Dueñas on vocals, and singer songwriter Dionisio Martin Lobato. Their style is defined as electro pop, techno pop, or techno rumba, and they have strong influences from gitano and flamenco.

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Juan Magán – Spanish Top DJ On Stage In Nerja

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

October means feria and a big 5 days party in Nerja in Andalucia, Spain. Lots of people in the streets, a big and noisy tivoli and different stages with all kinds of music. In the main tent at the Plaza de España, there is a concert with a big name at midnight every night for five days. Last night was DJ night with Juan Magán as the star.

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Chipahua – Still Rocking After Thirty Six Years

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

In 1979 Chipahua was formed with members coming from the Institute of Musicology at the University in Oslo, together with some of the best singers and jazz rock musicians in Norway. They played around at clubs, and soon became the house band at legendary Oslo club, Club 7. During the years they had some personnel changes, but the nucleus of the band is still the same as in 1979.

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Vidar Busk – The Norwegian King of Blues

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Vidar Busk has played blues professionally for almost two thirds of his life since he was sixteen years old. It has been a roller coaster with ups and downs during these thirty years. Musically he has always been sharp, and he has moved in and out of styles, from rockabilly and jump blues through New Orleans style music to soul, but the blues has always been there. These days he is back with his old band, His True Believers, and yesterday night they played at Rockefeller in Oslo.

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Seigmen – The last Oslo Gig of the Enola Tour

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Seigmen was one of Norway’s best rock bands in the 90’s with their unique style and CD and live successes all over the country. In 1999, ten years after they started, they broke up. Then they reunited in 2005, and have been coming back with irregular frequency the last ten years. Last night they held their last gig in Oslo on their Enola tour, closing it in Bergen tonight.

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The Black Sorrows in Trondheim

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Last week, on the day before the Pstereo festival, The Black Sorrows played in Trondheim. There aren’t many Australian bands that play regularly in Norway, the last one I saw was Tame Impala, and then AC/DC played here this summer. The Black Sorrows are maybe not as ell known as these two, but their super hit, The Chosen Ones, is better known than the band itself. (Picture above: Joe Camilleri)

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Florence + The Machine – Spectacular Show at Oya

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

The headliner on the second day of the Oya festival was Florence + The Machine. This was the third time she played at the festival, and so far her most successful. With a full band with harp, horns, harmony signers and guitar, bass, keys and drums, she used the whole stage for running and jumping around. She also had a sparkling backdrop and used the lights to it’s full. Visually it was spectacular.

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The Notodden Blues Festival – Saturday with Amund Maarud, Beth Hart, Hanne Boel and more

Posted on August 2, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Saturday was my last day at the festival this year, and Saturday is also usually the day with the highest attendance. Traditionally the festival have had a triple daytime concert at an outdoor area by the lake, but this year this concert was held inside the big tent. The question was wether the fans would still come for the concerts there, with George Thorogood as the daytime headliner. There was no reason to worry, the tent was packed during Thorogood’s concert, and also during Beth Hart’s concert later at night. (Photo above: Amund Maarud)

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The Notodden Blues Festival – Friday With Robert Plant, Shemekia Copeland and BB King Tribute

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Per Ole Hagen

Friday at The Notodden Blues Festival is always more busy than Thursday. The music starts before breakfast is over, and sound checks started even earlier. The traditional blues cruises at the lake started Friday, and the semifinals for the Union Blues Cup was held at the Book and Blues House that was new last year. Friday’s headliner (photo above) was Robert Plant, and everyone were looking forward to it.