Kvelertak Singer Erlend Hjelvik Quits

Kvelertak 18072013-11Kvelertak has been Norway’s leading hardcore band for many years. The band has won prices, they have played support for bands like Metallica and Ghost, and headlined several festivals. Through the years they have been hailed for their unstoppable energy and their singer Erlend Hjelvik’s stage presence. Today he announced that he quits the band. (Photo above: Singer Erlend Hjelvik with Kvelertak at Slottsfjell 2013)

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Bylarm 2016 – Norwegian Showcase Festival

Kvelertak © Per Ole HagenBylarm is Norway’s answer to SXSW, and this year’s festival was number 19. The first years the festivals was arranged in different cities in Norway, Trondheim, Bergen, Tromsø and Kristiansand. In 2008 the festival was moved to Oslo, where it has been arranged at venues around Youngstorget since then. (Photo above: Kvelertak)

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UncleP And The Distant Relatives, Team Me and Kvelertak

Kvelertak © Per Ole HagenSaturday night in Oslo this weekend was filled with live music of all sorts. The Hollies played at Sentrum Scene, Folkelarm with lots of folk musicians was held at the National stage for folk music, Team Me played at Rockefeller, Krokofant at Victoria, and at Youngstorget the bar/club Bonanza celebrated their 5 year anniversary in a big tent with live acts from Thursday through Saturday. I saw two of the bands there and saw Team Me in between. (Picture above: Erlend Hjelvik from Kvelertak)

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Pstereo 2014 – Photo Highlights

HIghasakite © Per Ole HagenThe Pstereo festival 2014 is over, the sound has died and all the people in front of, on, and behind the stages have left. I have attended the festival every year since 2009, and this year was the overall best. Not necessarily the best artists, but the whole atmosphere, the setup and the attitude. Here are my best shots of the bands I saw at the festival. (Picture above: Ingrid Helene Håvik from Highasakite.)

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Tons of Rock 2014 Revisited

Tons of Rock © Per Ole HagenTons 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.

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Spellemannprisen – the Winners

Ole Paus. Photo: Bamble kommune under a CC licenseThe Norwegian award show for the best music releases from 2013, Spellemannprisen, was broadcast on Norwegian TV, NRK1, yesterday night. More than 80 artists composers, bands and orchestras were nominated in 23 different categories, some of them with more than one nominations. Here are pictures of some of the winners. Picture above: (Ole Paus who won the award for Spellemann of the year. Photo: Bamble kommune under a CC license.)

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Kvelertak – Norwegian Hardcore Band With Success

Kvelertak © Per Ole HagenKvelertak is one of the most promising bands from Norway the last years. They come from the city of Stavanger on the south-west coast of Norway. The band started up in  2007, but got their break through in 2009. Kvelertak is headlining the second stage at the Oya festival’s first day, and here are some pictures of them for the last four years.

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The Slottsfjell Festival, A Summer Festival In Historic Surroundings

Kvelertak © Per Ole HagenThe Slottsfjell Festival is one of many music festivals in Norway in the summer. Since we have just a short period with a chance of some sun and warmth, the months of June, July and August are packed with outdoor festivals. This year the weather has been very good so far in the eastern part of Norway, and lucky Slottsfjell, the first day was beautiful, and the next two days will also have lovely weather. Here is a report from the first day. (Picture above: Erlend Hjelvik from Kvelertak.)

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