1349 is one of Norway’s leading black metal bands. They were formed in 1997, and they are named after the year the Black death came to Norway, killing more than half of the Norwegian population and somewhere between 50 and 80 million people in Europe. This year it is 666 years since the Black death, and last night 1349 presented their album Hellfire from 2005 at the Vulkan Arena in Oslo, celebrating, or maybe rather commemorating those 666 years.
Norway have quite a few world class jazz musicians, among them Terje Rypdal, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, Karin Krogh, Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter Molvær and Eivind Aarseth. But there is liitle dispute that Jan Garbarek is in a special class, and has been since the mid 70s. He started playing in the 60’s, but his career got up to full speed with the collaboration with Keith Jarrett on the LP Belonging in 1974, and he has kept up since then. Last night and tonight he plays two sold out houses at Bærum Kulturhus, awith his band, nd I was there yesterday.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
Artist Pictures Blog 