Notodden Blues Festival 2017 – Trip down memory lane
With a one-year delay, I will describe the memory that keeps coming back. It does so, because this summer the winds took me North once again. However, this season Norway has planned a completely different scenario for me and allows me to draw from its charms not only by offering me its natural beauty but also a certain level of comfort coming both from work environment as well as from human interactions. Therefore, this time I don’t feel as drained and energy deficient and I’m able enjoy my free time. This season I am full of energy and easily find time for yoga, meditation, socializing, reading, listening to music and, above all, writing. In a nutshell, my spirit is getting a fair share of self-fulfillment and isn’t overwhelmed by systemic commitments.
Those who read the article about the three music museums, will realize that I was positively surprised by the presence of a large B.B King’s poster hanging on the wall in a certain city I was passing by. I’ve been on the bus, bored out of my mind and it was the last thing I expected to see after miles and miles of mountain views and fjords. Upon arriving in Norway, I was certain that the only purpose of my visit will be to work and earn money, but it turned out that metal music and Abba are not the only Scandinavian musical symbols.
It all started in Notodden.
Over the centuries the town didn’t differ from most of the other Norwegian towns. The isolated character of the place surrounded by spectacular landscapes did not make it stand out from the rest of the Norwegian cities. Great changes took place at the beginning of the 20th century when world’s first factories powered by hydroelectricity were built in Notodden and Rjukon, generating thousands of jobs and dramatically changing the town’s future. From day to day, Notodden changed its status from obscure to becoming a symbol of industrial revolution and initiated a new era in the history of the surrounding area and the local community. New jobs pulled in workers from all over the country transforming Notodden into a real melting pot. With improved local economy, the populace turned to feeding their artistic souls. Notodden started to gain a second identity that contrasted with the ongoing industrial development.
Rock’n’roll revolution reached Notodden.
After the Second World War, trade routes linked Scandinavia with American continent. The influence of Western culture on European culture was inevitable. The first longplays from the west started arriving in Norway, and the local musicians were now exposed to American blues artists and by what was later called rock and roll. Willy Strandi & Kare Virud are the first blues artists from Notodden. They started their regular gigs in the 1960s. By the end of the 1980s, about 20 blues bands were already performing in the city.
Like phoenix from the ashes.
The year 1987 is a tragic date in the town’s history. In 1987, all factories were closed down and many lost their jobs. The source of smog and pollution was gone, however for the local community there was little hope for a better tomorrow. However, it was from the ashes of industrial tragedy that the beautiful idea of starting off a blues festival was born. A group of 10 people teamed up and came up with the idea how to benefit from artistic legacy of its inhabitants and find a way to save Notodden and the remaining citizens. This was the beginning of the Notodden Blues Festival, which today 30 years later is at the forefront of the best blues festivals around the world.
Blues town Notodden and how art replaced industry.
The shutting down of the factories and start of a blues festival marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the town. A place previously plagued by the pollution now turned into a cultural center. The festival was just the beginning and it was followed by other changes that led to the formation of one of the most important blues center in Europe. First, the organization Europas Blues Senter was founded, to provide year-round activities related to Blues in Notodden. After years of successful activity, a museum and music library were built in town. Since then, Europas Blues Senter has accumulated a great number of documents, literature, video materials, audio files, instruments, music equipment, clothes and other memorabilia. Moreover, there is a Juke Joint studio and Little Steven’s blues school that help young aspiring artist enter the world of professional music. The city of Notodden is also an honorary point on the Mississippi Blues Trial Map putting it among other notable historical sites related to the birth, growth, and influence of the blues beyond the state of Mississippi. The sister city of Notodden is Clarksdale. So far the local festival hosted the likes of: BB King, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Robert Plant, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Johnny Winter, Gary Moore, John Mayall, Van Morrison, Koko Taylor, The Black Keys, Dr. John, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Robert Cray, Otis Rush, etc.
My experience with Notodden Blues Festival.
The city of Notodden, saved by the blues music, has now become its place of worship and annual blues celebration to the delight of its fans. The annual festival invites greatest artists from around the world, but also promotes those less known. The whole town takes on the blues and not only stages are propped up around the town, but also the music venues are utilized for the needs of the festival and believe me they are plenty. If you add the fact that half the shops sell CDs, vinyls and musical instruments one can get the impression that it’s easier to buy vinyl than bread. Small talk with strangers starts with exchange of information about the new record releases rather than about the weather. During the festival Blues Senter hosts a series of talks and lectures and all are blues related but they are also artists invited for interviews. If you find some spare time in between of all these activities, you can enjoy all what blues library has to offer or to make a mandatory visit to Blues Museum. One of my festival highlights were concerts as part of the Union Bluescup competition and a concert by Little Steven school students. Those were free and sometimes gave me more shivers than paid events. While visiting don’t forget to pop into the legendary Juke Joint studio as well and take a short walk down the Hall of Fame.
The down side of the festival is definitely the price. While spending around two thousand crowns for a ticket pass and a tent space can be ok for the locals, it can certainly be a barrier for tourists. Add expenses on food and others and Notodden Blues will be even more expensive than Polish Open Air Festival. But as we all know, those that live music are often prepared to spend lots of their hard earned cash to see their idols live.
When I arrived in Norway last year with empty wallet and lots of doubts, I never thought I would discover such an important piece of history here. It was an incredible surprise when I realized that in the middle of the summer, one of the most important blues festivals in the world, featuring Buddy Guy, Joss Stone, Beth Hart, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Quinn Sullivan, will take place near my new place of residence. My aim was to fill my pockets with cash but quite unexpectedly I made some great memories of Notodden- one of the greatest blues spots in this part of the world.
God bless the blues. God bless Notodden. Thank you for being the best part of my last year’s Norwegian adventure.
