BRAGDØYA BLUES

The story.


A few months after the foundation of Christianssand Blues Club in October 1996 the idea of arranging a blues festival came to mind. There was some sceptisism to this idea at first, but we went on to find out more. What about trying to find a cooperator?

At that time we knew that the coastal heritage foundation "Bragdøya Kystlag" had arranged a couple of "Blues nights" in the old restored warehouse at the warf on the island Bragdøya with success. Bragdøya is a small island within fifteen minutes reach by boat from the mainland/Kristiansand harbour. The nature is a mixture of woodland and meadows with good landing facilities for boats and easy in-land access on well prepared footpaths crossing the island.

We contacted BK to see if we could join forces and make something out of this.
This led to an agreement and the leaders at that time of BK and CBC, Evy Hodne and Kjell Mersland appeared in an article in the regional newspaper "Fædrelandsvennen" where the intentions for the very first "Bragdøya Blues" was revealed. The first open-air Bragdøya Blues festival was held at 31. May 1997 in full cooperation with the weather forces.

This year (2003) the seventh Bragdøya Blues will take place on 14. June.

The artists.
1997
HARD LUCK BLUES BAND, Stavanger, Norway
GOOD TIME CHARLIE, Førde, Bergen, Kristiansand, Norway
RITAS LOLITAS, Kristiansand, Norway
BOP TILL U DROP, Denmark
ROCKIN' BLUES TRAIN, Kristiansand, Norway

1998
VIDAR BUSK & HIS TRUE BELIEVERS, Oslo, Norway
RITAS LOLITAS, Kristiansand, Norway
GOOD TIME CHARLIE, Førde, Bergen, Kristiansand, Norway
BLUE CATS, Kristiansand, Norway

1999
LITTLE CHARLIE AND THE NIGHTCATS, USA
RONNIE JACOBSEN, Kristiansand, Norway
JOLLY JUMPER AND BIG MOE, Stjørdal, Norway
CHRISTIANSAND BLUES BAND, Kristiansand, Norway

2000
TIGER CITY JUKES, Oslo, Norway
MIKE & THE BLUE FAMILY, Kristiansand, Norway
VETRHUS BLUES BAND, Odda, Norway
RUBBER BISQUIT, Hovden/Bykle, Norway

2001
MARQUEE BAND, Kristiansand, Norway
NOTODDEN BLUES BAND, Notodden, Norway
BLACK CAT BONE BLUES BAND, Italy
VETRHUS BLUES BAND, Odda, Norway
BOURBON BLUES BAND, Kristiansand, Norway
BRAGDØYA BLUES & BAYER, Kristiansand, Norway

2002
PAUL LAMB AND THE KINGSNAKES, UK
KRISTIN BERGLUND BAND, Norway
WENTUS BLUESBAND, Finland
RITAS LOLITAS, Kristiansand, Norway

2003
OTIS GRAND, UK
BLUES MOB, Tblisi, Georgia
VETRHUS BLUESBAND, Odda, Norway
AMUND MAARUD BLUES BAND, Norway
TBB Blues Band, Kristiansand, Norway
GEIR HOVIG (compère, well known from NRK P1)
 

T.K.