2023 has been a particular yr for all of us. The persevering with conflict in Ukraine and the atrocities in Gaza plus the clear indicators of the local weather disaster overshadows a lot of what occurred in the course of the yr. However despite all this, there have been concert events and festivals that made it worthwhile to go to. Listed below are the primary 30 of my favourite images from 2023 – most of them shot for Getty Pictures.
I’ve attended 16 festivals and photographed all collectively 300 + concert events at these festivals and completely different different venues. Pop, rock, metallic, jazz, classical, folks music, Americana – many various genres and likewise completely different environments. Personally I like this variety, in the course of the years it has grow to be increasingly troublesome to say what sort of music I really like essentially the most. I feel the reply should be “good music”! However after I {photograph} concert events, the visible half additionally turns into necessary, generally making me love a live performance even when I’m not specifically keen on the precise music that’s carried out.
Dangerous Gyal is a Spanish pop artist from Catalonia. She carried out at Rockefeller in Oslo throughout Oslo World.Max Cavalera used to play in Sepultura and after that in Soulfly. Right here he performed with brother Iggor within the Cavalera Conspiracy at Rockefeller in Oslo.In December we misplaced our Norwegian singer songwriter par excellense, Ole Paus. The primary time I noticed him play was in 1971, and I used to be fortunate to see his live performance at Månefestivalen in Fredrikstad this summer season, which was certainly one of his final concert events earlier than he died.In August I used to be the photographer for the Queen Sonja Singing Competitors in Oslo. Nice singers and nice music. Right here is without doubt one of the finalists Navasard Hakobyan from Armenia on the finals on the nationwide Opera Home. Each Easter I spend 4 days at Rockefeller in Oslo in the course of the Inferno Metallic pageant. Right here is Abbath doing his flame thrower act throughout his set. Summer time is a busy interval with a number of festivals in June, July and August. Right here is without doubt one of the Anonymous Ghouls of Ghost throughout their concert events at Tons of Rock in Oslo in June.This yr Bruce Springsteen performed two concert events in Oslo, and his guitarist Little Steven took the chance to help the Cocktaail Slippers at Gamla in Oslo the nights earlier than the concert events. Right here he poses backstage with the band.I noticed Halestorm twice this yr – first at Tons of Rock this summer season, after which later within the fall. Right here is Lzzy Haley in motion at Sentrum Scene in Oslo.I at all times attempt to seize among the followers at festivals and concert events. Listed below are followers of Volbeat ready for the live performance to start out on the Tons of Rock pageant.In October I visited the Blues in Cáceres pageant in Spain with the band Cat Squirrel. Unbelievable medieval environment that have been used for a lot of scenes in Sport of Thrones, and the band confirmed the gang that they know what they’re doing.In July I photographed Kiss in Tønsberg for Dagsavisen on their farewell tour. Nice present as typical, however we photographers have been aggravated by two videographers who have been blocking our view on a regular basis. Right here is without doubt one of the few pictures the place they weren’t.The week earlier than the Kiss live performance in Tønsberg, Machine Gun Kelly performed on the Slottsfjell pageant on the identical venue. A magnificient and spectacular present.Machine Gun Kelly’s guitarist Sophie Lloyd – one of many many glorious feminine rock guitarists that I’ve seen this yr and earlier.Oslo World is certainly one of Norway’s most attention-grabbing festivals. This yr’s pageant opening live performance was with Mari Boine and different Saami artists, amongst them Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen. Mari Boine is our foremost Saami artist, and the live performance was one to recollect.One other spotlight from Oslo World was the closing live performance with the Portugese Fado artist Mariza. This was my second time seeing her, the primary being in Bergen 21 years in the past. I’d like to attend one other live performance together with her anytime.Blues in Hell is one other certainly one of my favourite Norwegian festivals that I’ve attended because the late 90’s. This yr I acquired to see the up and coming British guitarist Toby Lee. In January I noticed Apocalyptica at Sentrum Scene in Oslo. At all times wonderful to see and listen to what you are able to do with three cellos on stage!Luke Elliot is an American artist with sturdy ties to Norway. He performs with the wonderful Norwegian band The Salmon People who smoke, and I noticed them at Parkteatret in Might.Ledfoot, or Tim Scott McConnell is one other American artist who has moved to Norway, spreading his music everywhere in the nation. Right here he performed an intense live performance on the acoustic stage on the Notodden Blues Pageant.Bluesheaven is a blues pageant that’s held in Frederikshavn in Denmark in November yearly. I’ve attended the pageant the final three years, and this yr Robert Finley was one of many headliners.Danielle Nicole Schnebelen used to play within the trio Trampled Beneath Foot together with her two brothers. Now she has her personal group, and she or he performed at Bluesheaven with Monster Mike Welch as a visitor.Patti Smith has performed in Norway many occasions, and she or he is at all times welcome again. Right here she performs a live performance at Sentrum Scene in Oslo in June.In Might I noticed a few artists which might be normally exterior of my common musical curiosity, however who however impressed me. One in all these was Macklemore. Ava Max was the opposite “shock” artist for me at Sentrum Scene in Might. Good present, nice dancers and nice visuals.The Norwegian Radio Orcheatra, KORK, are among the best and most versatile orchestras within the western world. They do every kind of concert events with genres rangin from modern music, baroque, jazz, metallic (with Dimmu Borgir) classical music and standard music with completely different soloists. Right here I photographed them at a live performance with Ingebjørg Bratland at an out of doors live performance on prime of Oslo in August.Normally the drummer, and infrequently the keyboardist in bands, are positioned in the back of the stage and are troublesome to see from the picture pit. However generally I get to shoot from the again of the stage, and right here is Lars Christian Narum from Hellbillies in motion in the course of the band’s live performance on the Notodden Blues Pageant in August.Sam Smith is an attention-grabbing artist with a unbelievable voice. I noticed them sing at a live performance at Oslo Spektrum in Might.Rival Sons are one other arduous hitting and tight band that I like to {photograph}. This yr’s present with them have been at Sentrum Scene in Oslo in November.I had heard many good issues about Sari Schorr as an artist and at last acquired to see her at Blues in Hell in September. Nice voice and likewise nice stage presence.
