The Paladins at Nidaros Blues Festival

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

The Paladins were formed in 1980, when rockabilly was a novelty, due to among others, the Stray Cats. The Paladins mixed rockabilly, country and a touch of punk in their music, and they soon became a hit in their hometown of San Diego. They also got a reputation as a hard working live band, with tours all over USA and in Europe and Australia. In 2004 the band went on a hiatus, but a couple of years ago they started playing an touring again. I am glad they did!

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Stage Diving with Bigbang at Oslo Spektrum

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

If you have never seen Bigbang live before, you have definitely missed out on one of Norway’s best live bands. Last night they played at Oslo Spektrum to an audience of almost 5000. They delivered a performance with all the ingredients you expect, plus some more – great songs, great playing, interesting guests, high jumps and a stage dive with guitar.

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The Kinkster Live in Oslo

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

Kinky Friedman is an artist, writer, politician, but first of all Texan, even if he is born in Chicago. His songs and one-liners are witty, very politically incorrect, and sometimes quite provocative – specially to people of the republican persuasion. Yesterday night he played live at Café Mono in Oslo to an audience who knew their Kinkster history.

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James Hunter – People Gonna Talk At SXSW

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

One of the good things about festivals like SXSW is that you both get to see artists you have never heard of, and also that you get too see artists you have heard on CD, but never seen live. James Hunter is one of these, with some critically acclaimed CDs, plus one of the best songs after 2000, People Gonna Talk. I saw him at the Americana Association night at Antone’s.

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Lucky Lips at the Continental Club in Austin

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

You have to be short-sighted and with bad hearing to say that Norway have a broad bluegrass tradition. There are a few bluegrass bands and there is actually one bluegrass festival in Norway. But one band have made waves, and that is Lucky Lips. Last night they played at the Continental Club in Austin with their good friends the Carper Family and Brennan Leigh.

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Richard Thompson – Songwriter and Guitar Hero at SXSW

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

Richard Thompson has been named one of the best guitarists in the music world, and also the one with the most characteristic sound. It is not that he plays everything very fast or loud, but more that his style is so personally unique and with influences from an eclectic range of sources.

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Carolyn Wonderland Rocked The Continental Club During SXSW

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

I have written about Carolyn Wonderland before, and will probably do it again. During SXSW she played two official gigs, and I saw one of them, the closing act on the Continental Club Friday March 15th. Carolyn is playing the Blues in Hell festival in Norway in September, and for my Norwegian readers who are going there, look forward to it and be prepared for an even better show than the last time.

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Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale at the SXSW

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

A musician’s musician is someone who every other musician and artists wants to play with, but who isn’t always known to the general audience. Buddy Miller is a musician’s musician, but fortunately he has been acknowledged and gained more popularity during the years. Jim Lauderdale is a great singer songwriter who has written songs for artists like Vince Gill, Patty Loveless and other artists, but who also has got more and more recognition for his own work the later years. Now the two have released a CD together, and they played Antone’s during SXSW.

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Another Great Barn Dance at Leeann’s in Austin

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

Every year I have been in Austin for SXSW, I have attended Leeann Atherton’s Barn Dance the day after SXSW is finished. This year the weather was perfect with sun an temperatures in the 80’s, there were more people than I have ever seen there, and everyone were friendly and seemed to have a great time. (Picture above: Leeann with Karpe Diem.)

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JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Soul Explosion at SXSW

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Per Ole Hagen

Sometimes I see bands that I have never heard about, and because of that, my expectations are usually quite low. And often the expectations equals the experience. But not in the case of JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound. Their concert at the Continental Club during SXSW was far above my expectations.