Oslo Americana Festival For the First Time

Knut Reiersrud © Per Ole HagenNorway have had an active Americana culture for years, with many excellent musicians and artists performing their own music in what loosely can be called Americana. In Oslo there are Americana sessions at the Buckley club, and this Saturday the  Oslo Americana Festival was held at the Grefsenkollen restaurant for the first time. The venue has one of Oslo’s best views over the whole city of Oslo, which matches the festivals wide definition of the Americana style perfectly. (Photo above: Knut Reiersrud)

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The Norwegian Spellemann Winners 2014

Nico & Vinz © Kim Erlandsen, NRK P3Tonight Spellemannprisen – the Norwegian Grammy – was held in Stavanger, and broadcast on NRK1. Here are photos and videos of the winners. A big congratulation to all of them.

(Picture above: Spellemann of the Year, Nico & Vinz. Photo: Kim Erlandsen, NRK P3)

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My best concerts in 2014 Part 1

Bryan Ferry audience © Per Ole HagenThis year I have seen all together a little more than 250 different concerts, and I have enjoyed most of them. Therefore the task of picking my best concerts of the year has been a hard one. I ended up with choosing 34 concerts, since it was too hard to cut down the list from there. And, anyway, this list is not a scientific project, just a list of what I enjoyed the most. Here are the concerts from #34 to #18. (Picture above: The audience to Bryan Ferry’s concert at Oya)

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Trondheim:Play – A New Festival With Success

TNT © Per Ole HagenTrondheim has got a new festival this year, Trondheim:Play. The first version of the festival was held on Saturday, both as an independent festival , but also as an opening celebratiuon of the new Scandic Lerkendal Hotel. The line-up was local bands from the region that have got nationwide success, plus two bands who have had international success. (Picture above: Tony Harnell from TNT)

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Claudia Scott – Norway’s Americana Queen

Claudia Scott © Per Ole HagenClaudia Scott is born in Newcastle, but moved to Norway with her family when she was a child. Her father, Clive Scott, started Norway’s first country band, The Skywegians in the late 60’s, and Claudia performed with the band from when she was 10 years old. Yesterday she played a release concert for her newest CD, Follow The Lines, and she has come a long way musically since her recording debut in 1970.

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Norwegian Americana in Oslo

Tore Andersen and Roger Midtsian, Oslo Opry. © Per Ole HagenThe headline looks like a contradicion in terms, but americana music is well rooted in Norway. Now the organisation Norsk Americana Forum is established, and their goal is to promote americana music in Norway and to make more people aware of this music.

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