Tons of Rock was held June 19-21., but I have been too busy afterwards to manage to post anything from the festival. This was the first time the festival was held, but it is an easy bet that we will get a new festival next year. Everyone there enjoyed themselves, and the line up was very good with Slayer, Anthrax, Sepulture, TNT, Volbeat, Turbonegro and many others filling three stages for three days.
The second day of the Steinkjer Festival had Timbuktu & Damn as headliner on the big stage, and Highasakite and Black Debbath at the tent stage. But before them many good artists and band played. I had special pleasure hearing Maria Mena, Skambankt, The South and Highasakite again. (Picture above: Timbuktu)
One of my routines every summer, is to start my short summer vacation at the Steinkjer Festival. It is a local festival in Steinkjer which is a town in the middle of Norway. The festival is run by Svein Bjoerge, the same man who is behind the new Norwegian heavy rock festival Tons of Rock, which was a big success last weekend. The Steinkjer festival has grown to be a semi-big festival, with lots of good bands and a very nice atmosphere. Here are pictures of some of the bands from Friday. (Picture above: Oslo Ess)
Two years ago I held an exhibition at the Galleri MAP in Oslo called Norwegian Metal in Concert. Last year the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs bought the rights to offer the exhibition to Norwegian embassies, and yesterday the embassy in Warsaw, Poland hosted the first exhibition together with a concert with the Norwegian black metal band Order. (Picture above: Billy Messiah from Order)
Sunday started just as beautiful as Saturday, except for some more wind and a few scattered clouds. The festival schedule started later than the day before, with fewer bands and artists, and the schedule was also more condensed, with less time in between. That was the good news. The better news is that there were many good concerts by Monica Heldal, Tom Odell, James Vincent McMorrow and Bow To Each Other, with John Mayer as the musical climax. (Picture above: John Mayer)
Saturday at Bergen Fest had the best weather so far. Sunny, warm, and no wind. The music was equally good, Highasakite, Billy Bragg, Graham Parker & The Rumours, Lars Vaular, Lana Del Rey and many more. (Picture above: Lana Del Rey poses for the iPhones of the girls in the front row)
Even if yesterday was Friday the 13th, the rain had stopped, and Bergen was sunny, as it should be with so many great artists in town. The day started with Kylesa and ended with Simple Minds. Not the worst way to spend a day, specially with all those great acts in between. (Picture above: The Dillinger Escape Plan) Continue reading
Bergen Fest has risen to be one of the most exciting festivals in Norway. For a festival with a quite grown up audience, they have a varied lineup which spans from Blondie and ZZ Top to Joe Henry Lana Del Rey, John Mayer and The Dillinger Escape Plan. In between there are many well known and less known band in different genres. Here are some highlights from Thursday. (Picture above: Blondie)
Everyone talks about when Led Zeppelin will come together again. Jimmy Page wants to do it, John Paul Jones is maybe willing, but Robert Plants has been quoted as dragging his feet. I think he should continue to do that, after seeing him at Bergen Fest last night, I don’t think we need a reunion of Led Zeppelin.
Anita Skorgan started her career as a child prodigy on piano, and won a talent show in Swedish television already as a 13 year old. When she was 19 she sang the Norwegian winning song in the European Song Contest (ESC). The last years she has gone back to a more personal style, with meaningful lyrics and low key melodies. Last night she visited Olsen at Bryn in Oslo, and I feel lucky to be there.
Artist Pictures Blog 