Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Festival Special
New music meets old beats Alluring tunes flow across the famous Bryggen in Bergen. The music swirls across the historic wooden houses and disappears into the early summer night. The spectacular music festival Bergenfest brings a lively atmosphere to Bergen’s medieval fortress, attracting everyone from small, up-and-coming bands to big international stars. By Stine Lise Wannebo | Photos: Jarle H. Moe/Bergenfest
June is always an exciting month for Bergenserne, the residents of Bergen. There are plenty of reasons to visit the charming city in the summer months, be it to stroll along the historic wharf, admire the sparkling blue fjord or taste the excellent seafood that is delivered fresh to the fish market every morning. Nothing symbolises the striking contrast between Bergen’s thousand-year-long history and the modern metropolis it has become, better than the medieval fortress. The fortress was once a royal castle and is conveniently placed at the heart of the city, surrounded by many other magnificent and historical buildings. While Håkonshallen dates back 750 years, Rosenkranztårnet has adorned 50 | Issue 84 | January 2016
Bergen’s skyline ever since the 16th century. It is in the midst of this majestic scenery that Bergenfest takes place. Last year, big Norwegian names such as Susanne Sundfør, Röyksopp and KYGO took to the stage at Bergenfest, and international stars such as John Mayer, First Aid Kit and Lana Del Rey have also performed on the luscious green grounds of Bergenhus fortress. Bergenfest is quickly becoming one of Norway’s most popular outdoor music festivals and has in recent years had more than 50 visiting artists in the course of just four summer days. “We have a fantastic mix of famous and less well-known artists across a broad
range of genres,” Frank Nes explains. He is the festival director and at the head of the immense production that is Bergenfest. “The variety means that there is something for everyone, and it also gives a perfect opportunity to discover something new.” While Bergenfest has only existed as an outdoor festival for the past five years, the name has been used for local music events for nearly 23 years. This year, Bergenfest is set to take place from Wednesday 15 June to Saturday 18 June, and the line-up is already beginning to take shape. “It’s not only audiences that are astonished by these incredible grounds; the artists also appreciate the truly unique surroundings,” Frank Nes says proudly.
For more information, please visit: www.bergenfest.no