Nes Blues club celebrated 20 years: Photos, Video

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[toggle title=”Toggle title”][/toggle]Saturday, the blues club at Årnes celebrated its 20th anniversary. The club’s leader, Henrik Stefansen, also had a birthday the same day, so it was double the reason to hit the big drum. The day was celebrated with a big concert at the Pakkhuset, the club’s fantastic clubhouse and concert venue, which has been refurbished on a voluntary basis.

As is known, the club took over a lot about and but the old parcel house at the railway station in Årnes. The building was in poor condition, but the club started undisturbed with a large-scale volunteer work to build a separate clubhouse. After more than 10,000 volunteer hours and a couple of million kroner, Pakkhuset finally opened in December 2012 with a large concert. And the room they have got must be the best blues club in the country. The whole house is run by the club itself. Both artists and visitors are thrilled with the facilities.

The anniversary celebration started with jam in the house’s cafe part during the day, with full house and great atmosphere, both on and in front of the stage. The evening concert was sold out in advance, and when the doors opened at 19:00 the queue was long outside the door. Happy guests took the Package House and filled the whole house. Leader Henrik Stefansen and booking manager and deputy chairman Jon Troli were able to welcome the celebration a little before the clock, and they told a little about the history of the club.

When the new club’s first club concert was to be held, the board was excited. Tiger City Jukes was hired in, and the board members brought their savings in their pocket to pay the band. They didn’t think there would be many, but they were wrong, because people flocked to it! During the first few years, the concerts were held at the venue Valhall, and from 2002 held the club at Årne’s Old School. 10 years later they were in place at the Pakkhuset.

Of course, when a blues club celebrates itself, it will be a concert. This evening with three bands, as well as some guests on stage. Only Norwegian bands were hired in, and we have fantastic artists here on the rock!

First band out, was Amund Maarud and Lucky Lips (picture above). Amund is as well known from Skogbygda, not far away, and he and brother Henrik played as Maarudkara for the club already in 1999. Many practice hours have been completed since then, and both Amund and Henrik are today among our most innovative and skilled practitioners.

Mayor of Nes Municipality, Grete Sjøli, took the stage to celebrate the anniversary. She emphasized the value of all the volunteer work that has been put into the club and which is still being put into operation. Nes Blues Club is based on diligence and stew, said Sjøli.

Jon Troli (left) and Henrik Stefansen were handed flowers from Trond Johnsen to the board of the Norwegian Blues Union. (Photo: Nina Hanssen).

Trond Johnsen came from the Norwegian Blues Union to congratulate the anniversary as well as handing flowers to the club, represented by Jon Troli and Henrik Stefansen.

Next band out was Daniel Eriksen, who this time brought with him Henrik Maarud on percussion and Swedish Stefan Seger on harmonica. With Daniel’s infectious boogie and hot New Orleans rhythms, the legs were speeding up in front of the stage, and people were eagerly swinging. Daniel and co. got a visit from the young guitarist Marius Lien on stage. Marius is from Nes and has played for the club earlier.

Last band out for the evening was Joakim Tinderholt & His Band, who brought with him a series of blows in the occasion. When Jochim started the hall, the hall boiled and people turned. The audience lasted until the last moment, just this evening no one wanted to go home early.