We got the blues
POSTED IN Travels 29.06.2008
—in Ólafsfjörður. This weekend the people of Ólafsfjörður got the chance to celebrate the blues in all it’s forms with the annual Blues Festival.
We headed out there on a cold and rainy saturdaymorning with views of white in the mountains, the night had brought sleet, which brough snow on higher ground.
Even though it didnt feel like the last weekend of the month of June, we were looking forward to the day’s job. So many awesome musicians were to perform from early on and all the way through the night.
We made the first stop at Tjarnarborg, Ólafsfjörður’s “félagsheimili”; a hall that once was built for meetings, arts, theatre and dancing like in most small places around Iceland. This saturday afternoon it housed a market where you could buy beautiful handmade things, herbal creams, smoked lumpfish, woodcuts, knitted goods, sweets etc etc. The candy floss stand in the entrance hall attracted a lot of attention for the youngsters while the man selling hung sharkmeat just outside the door (because of the aromas from the meat) attracted just as much attention and business.
As the sellers at the marked packed up their things we decided to head outside and have a look around town.
By the mainstreet there is a pool full of all kinds of birds, but at this time of year the small ducklings swim around in big yellow fluffy formations. Some of them were practicing base jumping from the edge of a wall and into the water, some were practicing their diving skills, others were just doing what ducklings do; acting all cute and fluffy. This guy decided to check us out.
Ólafsfjörður’s church was built in 1915 and served as a wonderful place for the afternoon’s concert.
The singer and siren Ellen Kristjánsdóttir and her husband, the pianist Eyþór Gunnarsson, performed beautiful psalms, blues songs, folk songs and more to an enchanted crowd. Beautiful music that brought a little light into everyone’s soul.
While we waited for the evening’s big concert to start we took a little drive up to Kvíabekkur church, where Helga’s great grandfather is buried. It is one of those tiny old countryside churches that never lock the doors, where you can go inside, have a look and a think, enjoy the silence -and write in the guestbook.
As we stepped out of the car, armed with cameras and all ready to photograph, the weathergods decided to send us a lot of rain, all at once by the way it sounded and felt. -oh, and yes, we did sign the guestbook.
The old Kvíabekkur church was built in 1892 and served as the main church for Ólafsfjörður until Ólafsfjörður’s church was built (see above).
The churchbuilding is considered the oldest building in Ólafsfjörður and was renovated in 1974. The bright colors of the interior are considered to be close to the original interior decoration.
Very bright and lively. While this day, the outside was all grey apart from the common snipe trying to sing us away as he circled the tower.
The festival’s big concert had a great line up:
- Johnny and the rest
- Gæðablóð
- Margrét Guðrúnar og bandið hans pabba
- KK band
We had a great time photographing the bands, the musicians, the atmosphere and listening to the music.
It is interesting to find out that you like Blues music. I do the sound mix for many of the blues bands in Pensacola FL. USA I wish that I could see those beautiful old churches . And yes shark steaks are wonderful
Beautiful photos as always.
Ups..so we missed you again
And you were in Olaf )…good so we were. .. Johnny and the rest got all out of them…do you have more pictures from that evening somewhere?
If you organize some more photo trips here in North Iceland please drop a line…HaHo would be interested, thanx.