Hagan Blues Festival, announces that the business will be closed down: Photos, Video

A long-standing and too many welcome live offer at Klevjerhagan in Sande is now history. Hagan Music Festival, formerly known as the Hagan Blues Festival, announces that the business will be closed down.

For 15 years, the enthusiasts of Hagan Bluesklubb together with Nordre Sande Idrettslag have organized the festival which has presented everything from local elements to big international names in rock, blues and pop.

A festival era at Hagan is over
Hagan Blues Festival 2012 with Earl Thomas on stage.

– It is with sadness, but no tears, that we have decided not to organize the Hagan Music Festival in 2020, says the festival management. – Arranging a cultural festival for all the inhabitants of the village in collaboration with Nordre Sande Idrettslag has been an absolutely wonderful experience for all of us who have participated. Everything has its time, and of course it also applies to organizing the festival. After almost 15 years of operation, it is now time that an entire generation has grown older. Several of those who have been organizing have been with us all these years. It is as with collective governments, it is a form of wear and tear, and it is not always easy to get enough new costs to take over.

History says it all started when the first artist agreement was written on a napkin on Svalbard almost 15 years ago. From a somewhat cautious start, the festival grew into a large event on the outdoor scene or in a large festival tent with 100 percent professional execution in all stages. Both artists and visitors can sign that when they came to Hagen, they always received a first class reception and reception.
It started with one concert day in 2007 with five Norwegian bands on stage. Among those who have visited Hagan over the years are Earl Thomas, Gráinne Duffy, Knut Reiersrud, Sven Zetterberg, Jonas Fjeld, Sugar Ray Norcia, Never The Bride, Vamp and Trang Birth.

Above: From the first festival in 2007. Below: Atmosphere in the sunshine in 2008 with JT Lauritsen & Buckshot Hunters on stage. (Photo: Rune Endal).

For the past 3-4 years, the festival has experienced audience failure, although a more “mainstream” profile has also been attempted. A unified board agreed to “give up while the game is good”, as they did not find the motivation needed to continue. The festival emphasizes that they clearly have all financial obligations, so this is only a settlement.

– Hagan Music Festival has always been based on the blues genre. It should only be missing when there is a blues club behind, says the festival spokesman. – It has never been a theme to move so far beyond this. But it goes without saying that the next generation will have a cultural event according to the template we have arranged for. The blues is just one of several genres that are down in a wave valley when it comes to audience interest on larger stages. After all, you see the big key festivals in the country. There are more and more “mainstream” artists who are the mainstays, even at genre-based festivals.

The festival states that they “add a dock” with their heads raised and a great pride to have contributed to a cultural epoch in the village’s history with a solid dose of live music, partying and a scene for many local artists to joke about.

It is part of the story that Hagan Bluesklubb has in no way plans to close down the business, on the contrary, the goal is to do more club events locally and to travel on musical experiences at home and abroad.

– Maybe we can bring out the glow and interest in live music and create a party among the inhabitants of the village again? Now it is up to the rural population to prove that they want a place to meet and to bring live music with them, it says.

The organizers of the Hagan Music Festival wish to thank everyone who has helped make this “journey” possible: sponsors, volunteers, suppliers, media, artists and the public. Everyone helped set a proper footprint for cultural activity and partying in the village!

JBN thanks all the fiery souls for many years of good music offerings at Hagan.

Above: Earl Thomas at Hagan in 2010. (Photo: Nina Hanssen). Below: Vamp in 2012. (Photo: Mona Johansen).

The board of the anniversary festival in 2016, top from v. Bjørn Martin Bamrud, Runi Todok, Christian Grimsrud, Ben Johan Næs and Astrid Engen. Bottom from v. Ove Nørgaard, Terje Bakke and Ragnar Sørensen.

The board of the anniversary festival in 2016, top from v. Bjørn Martin Bamrud, Runi Todok, Christian Grimsrud, Ben Johan Næs and Astrid Engen. Bottom from v. Ove Nørgaard, Terje Bakke and Ragnar Sørensen.