Notodden Blues Festival

About

The Notodden Blues Festival is Norway's largest blues festival and Europe's best blues experience. The festival, which has been running since 1988, has been a gathering point for blues enthusiasts and musicians since its inception. The Notodden Blues Festival attracts 30,000 to 40,000 audience members to Notodden each year.

In the charming surroundings of the city center, the Notodden Blues Festival offers everything from small intimate club concerts with local artists to blues cruises on the picturesque Heddalsvannet, church concerts, band seminars for youth, and children and family events to large concerts with the biggest global stars. The Notodden Blues Festival was designated as Norway's Knutepunktfestival for blues in 2007, and in 2010, the festival was honored with the "Keeping The Blues Alive Award" for the best international blues festival. The award is presented by the international organization Blues Foundation in Memphis and is considered the genre's equivalent of the Oscar.

The list of blues, soul, and rock stars who have performed at Notodden is almost endless, including artists such as B.B. King, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Robert Plant, Uriah Heep, Ry Cooder, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Johnny Winter, Gary Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Koko Taylor, The Black Keys, Solomon Burke, Otis Rush, Robert Cray, and many more.

Notodden has a vibrant blues scene throughout the year. Every year at the festival, you can experience Notodden artists such as Kåre Virud Band, Rita Engedalen, Notodden Blues Band, Spoonful of Blues, Lady J & Her Bada Bing Band, Norske Menn i Hus og Hytte, Terry Lehns, and others.