Grace Jones played at Bergenfest last Thursday, it was a fine concert and she impressed us with her visual sense and theatrical show. Not bad for a 67-year-old artist. She is sure in her craft and has a commanding presence. It was not the best concert musically but it was the most exciting photographic event.
All pictures taken by me (Hallgeir) feel free to share, and if you use any of the pics, please post credits and a link back to alldylan.com.
The Levellers are an English rock band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton, England. They infuse their punk-like music with folksy elements.
Levellers was the most fun on the third day at Bergenfest. We were recommended this concert by some friends that are devoted Levellers fans, and have seen them several times. They told us that this would be a party. We hit the booze and enjoyed a roller-coaster ride of a rock’n roll show. People sang, drank, laughed and danced (well, Mark Chadwick told us to jump up and down). It was great fun! We got the impression that this was a good but not top show from The Levellers (from our experienced friends). But I will most certainly go and see them again if I get the chance.
The dark poet & brilliant musician Patti Smith returned to Bergenfest after 3 years. Last concert on June 23, 2012 – was wonderful. Strong and vivid memories can sometimes be your enemy when trying to be present and open minded. Stakes were high, my mind was boiling.. I knew the setlist would be the “Horses” (album) songs, a couple of old greats and “My Generation” (last on “Horses”) last. But how would she perform the “Horses” material, some of the songs rarely performed live ? Excited & nervous.. and a bit juiced up on smooth bourbon (mandatory).
We had read the “Cinderella story” about singer/songwriter Doug Seegers. How he was discovered, or should I say re-discovered. He was homeless and living on the street. Musician Aaron Espe filmed him singing and put it on the web, then after a couple of years some people in Sweden took notice, and they had Seeger on a TV-show and had a number one iTunes hit. Yeah, it is pretty amazing!
There are many more interesting aspects of his story and it has been brilliantly told in the Tennessean. A tale mirroring a country song.
I will not say that we were sceptic, but could he really be as good as the story says?
Yes, he could. He was the best act at Bergenfest on the 5th day.
He mixed classic country cover songs with his own compositions, and they were equally good! Hank Wiliams, Dan Penn/Gram Parsons, Hal Ketchum and Doug Seegers. The highlight for me was a lovely and sad ballad about the outsiders, the geeks and misfits (and all getting perfect wings in heaven), I don’t know if it was his own song or a cover (it is not on his new album), but it had a profound impact on everybody in the audience. If anybody know what the song is called, please tell us in the commentaries. Thanks to Vibeke Sjøvold for telling us which song it was, Mark Wills’s Don’t laugh at me.
Jerry Miller was playing electric guitar with Seegers and he was brilliant.
A heart warming story, a fine singer and a great songwriter.
