– There are no challenges with booking artists here. Nobody says no, because everyone wants to play here. People want to experience the light, the place and the audience, says Pål «Moddi» Knutsen. The Crow Castle Festival has been held in the old fish farm at the far end of Senja since 2004. Booking manager Moddi has himself been one of the artists who said yes. He played out here for the first time in 2006, as an 18-year-old. At the time, Moddi only had two or three songs he could play. Still, they invited him back year after year, and eventually he asked to join the event. – This festival has always had the goal of promoting local artists, right from the start. Almost no inhabitants The small place Bøvær has fewer than ten permanent residents. Pål Moddi Knutsen is from the slightly larger village of Medby on the second largest island in Norway. TALENT: Sanne Suh Berger comes from Finnsnes on Senja and is one of the young talents highlighted during the festival. Suh Berger was also one of the finalists during this year’s Virtuos competition on news. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news Now it is Moddi himself who ensures the supply of new talent at the unique festival at the far end of the Nordic Sea. Two years of pandemic delay has not led to the audience forgetting the Crow Castle, nor is this not a place you so easily forget. – There are familiar faces every year, people who come again and again. But others are brand new. We have had volunteers here from Turkey and Israel. I do not quite understand how they hear about us, but there are always some who show up and come driving from far away, says Moddi. Like this year, when a couple came driving from Germany to hear Ketil Bjørnstad. They arrived a day early, and ended up working as volunteers in the cafe. DUGNAD: Pål Moddi Knutsen in conversation with audience members and artists at Kråkeslottet. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news – The kitchen is the heart of the festival. This is where all the artists come and sit around the same table. The first time I was an artist here, it was that mood that captured me, and I remember we sat around the table here and jammed and talked and philosophized until four in the morning. The house has stairs, nooks and crannies and hallways to get lost in. There is sound everywhere, music, humming, talking and laughing. The whole atmosphere of the house is to be delighted. – In theory, it should be impossible to arrange concerts with artists such as Ketil Bjørnstad, Frida Ånnevik and others of their caliber in such a small place with so few spectators, says the booking manager. – Book artists we believe have a message to share Many festivals go puppet, it is difficult to make a living from culture. But the Crow Castle Festival has kept the boil. – The secret is that we all work hard. Even the festival director pays for his ticket. We have support, like most other festivals, but the reason we manage to have a festival out here in the ocean gap is that we have an absolutely fantastic number of volunteers, and people who live and breathe to create this particular festival. WAKING UP TO THE SEA: It is undoubtedly one of the nicer festival camps in the country. Kråkeslottet is located at the end of Senja, with the Norwegian Sea straight out. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news There are no coincidences in the booking for the scenes at the castle. – We want to book artists who have a message in their music. We book across genres, such as this year with reggie, folk music, show, yoik and classical in beautiful union. We spend a lot of time listening to artists, and finding those who hope to play out here. – It also means that the artists are just as relevant year after year. Artists who have a message and a meaning to their music only get better over the years. But whether it is the artists or the place that draws the most is difficult to say. Probably a factor as to why they’re doing so poorly. – We sell all the tickets no matter what we do. People come back year after year. It is a thankful job to be responsible for booking when you feel that people trust that what we book is good, regardless of whether it is young talents or old trotters. The concerts get a good visit, and the artists know it will be unique. It’s amazing stuff. The house has four stages during the festival. One of them takes only 20 spectators. The largest has room for 100. BITTELITEN, IMPORTANT SCENE: Fredrikbua stands on the quay at Kråkeslottet, and houses a total of 22 spectators. The small room serves as a cinema at the art festival which is held in the same place in July. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news – Little “Fredrikbua” is perhaps my favorite part of the whole festival. All bands have incredibly talented musicians who may not all see, but who we pick out and let play there, so you get to experience solo on the small stage. This year, for example, Halldor Røyne from Frida Ånnevik’s band will play tunes after their grandfather there, and Steinar Ofsdal will hold a solo concert on Saturday. Anders Lillebo, who normally plays the accordion in “De Ubrukelige”, also plays a concert alone in the cabin. – I think the intimacy you experience as an artist or audience here – that’s the magic of this place. Kari Bremnes described playing as “getting the audience intravenous”. I recognize myself in that. It’s almost like a conversation with the audience, because you are so close, says Moddi. Looking for «an idiot» LOOKING FOR A NEW IDIOT: Georg Blichfeldt runs the culture house in Bøvær, but fears for the future of the house. Something he tries not to think so much about now during the festival Huset på Bøvær requires a lot of maintenance, and it is not a given that it will be here as a cultural scene for all time to come. Georg Blichfelt took over the house after the founder, and says that he probably did not quite know what he was going for at the time. – I call myself «Fight Manager». It’s a struggle to do this. Lots of joy, but also struggle. He does not really want to go into what it costs to keep life in a place like Kråkeslottet, but is happy to tell about the house’s history. – You know the story in the walls here. It is he who gives the house life. The founder of the cultural scene had a vision to create a place that would create good experiences and togetherness, and you can see that he succeeds. Blichfelt is actually from Trøndelag, but after reading Hamsun and Mykle he found out that he should live further north. He moved to Senja when he was 18 years old. Here he worked at the school, and one day a theater troupe with young people from the outside of Senja appeared. Through them he became acquainted with Kråkeslottet and the man who ran the house and directed the theater, Ulf Willgohs Knudsen. – Ulf was looking for someone to push this forward in his spirit in a way. And this is what I like to do best. It is rich to be allowed to facilitate creative activity. The festival is very small me, there is an association and many volunteer souls who do all this. But being a part of it is a gift. He still fears for the future of the house. – There are so many challenges. Ulf was looking to find a real idiot to load this on, so he found me, says Blichfelt and laughs. – You have not found a new idiot? – I’m SO looking. If there are any really big idiots out there – sign up! Cultural experiences that leave traces for life Stranda next to Kråkeslottet. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news Sverre Abel is one of those who have come out on the island to experience the concerts this festival. Then especially one of the artists. He first heard Ketil Bjørnstad here in 1980. – He is fantastic. The last time I saw him at a concert, we were both young. The concert made a lasting impression, and opened a new world of music for Abel. – The concert was a revelation. I had absolutely no relationship with classical music at the time. He got my ears and eyes open for what this music was. This led me to seek out more releases. Experiencing Bjørnstad out here again became strong. – I experienced it as the soul of the person who started this place, Ulf, was in the room during the concert. That he stood there and experienced it with me. The music illustrated what this kind of experience does to people in such a nice way. NEVER FORGET: The artists really appreciate playing in unique places like this. Here are quotes from Kulturslottet’s website. Photo: https://www.kulturslottet.no/ The concerts out at Kråkeslottet last until the sun … almost go down. Photo: Helene Hillestad / news Watch the broadcasts from Festival Summer on news TV. Read more about Kråkeslottet at Bøvær Read also:
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It will not be more beautiful than the Crow Castle Festival at Senja – news Culture and entertainment
