Hugh Laurie Is In Da House

Hugh Laurie © Per Ole HagenHugh Laurie should be a well known name for many who watch TV, and who doesn’t? He is Dr. House, one of the best paid actors in the TV world. But many of us remember him from the Black Adder series, where he played the airhead who was manipulated by the evil Rowan Atkinson, aka The Black Adder. What many didn’t know, is that Hugh Laurie is an accomplished blues musician and singer, and on Friday he played at Brygga, the outdoor venue at the Notodden Blues Festival.

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Ian Moore Rocked The Last Night At SXSW

Ian Moore © Per Ole HagenThe first time I saw Ian Moore was in 2005, and then some years later at the Continental Club. I remember his playing and his extrovert show as something special. This year he played at the Continental Club again during SXSW, at 1 AM the last day of the festival. And it was the perfect artist to close SXSW for me.

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Guy Forsyth Back To The Roots

Guy Forsyth @ Per Ole HagenGuy Forsyth is one of my all time favorite Austin musicians. I have written about him on this blog before, and Friday night I saw him at another pre SXSW late night show at the Saxon Pub. I can’t count all the different settings I have seen and heard him in, everything from solo, with a tuba, with the Asylum Street Spankers to a pop band setting some 10 years go. This time he was reunited with his old compadre George Rarey, and he played one of the best sets I have ever heard from him.

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John Mayall – The Grandfather Of British Blues

John Mayall © Per Ole HagenJohn Mayall is 80 years on November 29th. During 50 of these years he has been one of the driving forces in British Blues, and altogether he is one of the most important figures in modern blues. His main importance lies in the way he has found and developed new talents, mainly guitarists. (Picture above: John Mayall at Notodden in 2004).

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Delbert McClinton – The Smooth Voice Of Blues And Country

Delbert McClinton © Per Ole HagenIn 1992 Delbert McClinton recorded Tell Me About It with Tanya Tucker and reached number 4 on the American country charts. That’s his highest chart position for a single, while he has had four number one albums on the blues charts. He was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. November 4th Delbert McClinton is 73 years old.

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Notodden Blues Festival – The Third and Fourth Day

Dana Fuchs © Per Ole HagenThe twenty sixth Notodden festival is over, and it has been a great festival with lots of happy blues fans, great artists who truly enjoyed being at Notodden, and some remarkable and memorable concerts. The festival closed Sunday with a free concert at noon. Saturday was packed with music, from the morning until late night. Here is a report from the last two days. (Picture above: Dana Fuchs)

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Notodden Blues Festival – The Second Day

Van Morrison © Per Ole HagenFriday’s biggest headliner at the Notodden Blues Festival was Van Morrison. He played the biggest outdoor venue at the festival, Brygga, with 8000 enthusiastic fans. Before Van Morrison, James Hunter played the same venue, and later at night Little Andrew, Beth Hart and the Royal Southern Brotherhood played the big tent. Summarized, a great day with one big positive surprise for me.

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Notodden Blues Festival – The First Day

Good TIme Charlie © Per Ole HagenThe Notodden Blues Festival is the biggest blues festival in Norway, and it is also wll known internationally, as being a part of the Mississippi Blues Trail. This years festival is number 26, and 2013 is also the city Notodden’s 100 year anniversary. I have visited the festival every year singe 1994, and it is one of my festival highlights every year. So far, this year will be no exception. (Picture above: Good Time Charlie)

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Notodden Blues Festival 2013 Is Coming Up

Eric Burdon © Per Ole HagenNext Thursday, August 1st the twenty sixth Notodden Blues Festival starts. A program topped with Van Morrison, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Royal Southern Brotherhood and John Mayall is ready for blues fans from all over Norway. Notodden is the meeting place for the Norwegian blues family, and this year’s festival looks very good.

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