Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 28 Blues Festival Puts Åmål on the Map U-PORT – Hit music festival built on 100% determination Ordinarily, the City of Åmål and its surrounding municipality are home to around 12,000 people, but for a few days every summer, this number almost doubles when blues lovers from near and far flood the town. In fact, Åmål’s Blues Fest has grown to become the biggest event in the district. “When the first-ever Blues Fest was organised in 1992, the Åmål locals were somewhat wary of the arrival of a sea of ‘blues people’ in their town. There were a lot of motorbikes and black leather around at the time. Still, they soon came to realise that the festival didn’t cause any trouble and it’s continued ever since,” says Tony Berg, Press Officer for Åmål’s Blues Fest. Åmål’s Blues Fest was founded by blues enthusiasts Nils Lundsjö and Christer Nilsson and has been kept alive by like-minded music lovers ever since. In fact, with the exception of one part-time secretary, Åmål’s Blues Fest is kept running entirely through the efforts of unpaid volunteers. Berg estimates that 600-800 people devote their hard-earned leisure time to making the magical summertime evenings happen each year. He has worked in hospitality since he was a teenager and has owned his own restaurant since 2012. The same year that he decided to start a music festival in his home town of Ulricehamn that proved to be an instant hit. When U-PORT founder Sebastian Andersson sets his mind on something, he gives it 100 per cent. “I wanted to show that it was possible to start a music festival in a small town. It was intended to be a relaxed event with a nice atmosphere and to be open to people with varying tastes in music and from different age groups,” Andersson explains. Looking back, one can only concede that Sebastian and his dad, Joakim, who has also been involved with the festival since its launch in 2012, have succeeded in their aim. Among the artists to grace U-PORT’s line-up over the years are Swedish favourites Zara Larsson, Magnus Uggla and Icona Pop. U-PORT has also won a host of awards. Among these, Sebastian has previously been named Ulricehamn’s best tourism operator (Årets Turistföretagare) and in 2018, Swedish music magazine GAFFA’s readers chose U-PORT “Those of us who choose to get involved gain an enormous amount in return. It would be a shame if the blues festival disappeared, so it’s up to everyone to pitch in and help,” says Berg. Thanks to festival organisers, a host of blues greats have performed in northern Dalsland Province over the years. It all began back in 1992 with American harmonica player Mojo Buford – a true veteran whose career included playing in blues icon Muddy Waters’ band. Among other international stars to have graced the stage at Åmål are Brewer Philips, R.L. Burnside and Louisiana Red. Naturally, all of the great Swedish blues artists, led by Roffe Wikström, Peps Persson, Sven Zetterberg and Louise Hoffsten, have also played acclaimed sets at the festival. But just what is it that makes blues so special? Berg believes he has discovered its secret: “I think the greatness of blues lies in the breadth of its variety. A few chords, a voice and a guitar can be enough, which makes for quite simple music. On the other hand, there are also bands that play more complex music and that have evolved over many years, merging into a homogeneous whole,” he explains. as the festival they most looked forward to. All that aside, U-PORT’s best accolade came when it won the award for Sweden’s best event in 2017. “The award is presented by the music industry, so it’s the artists themselves and the booking agencies who decide the winner. It was totally amazing to receive it. The winners in the years prior to us were Sweden Rock in Blekinge County and the Håkan Hellström concert at Ullevi. Absolutely unbelievable, really,” says Andersson. Many years, many artists and many memories later, which is Sebastian’s absolute favourite U-PORT moment so far? “That’s easy. It was the very first year of the festival when I booked Teddybears – one of my absolute favourite bands – for an exclusive performance in Sweden. After we had battled to keep things on track the entire way through the festival, with loads of quick-fix solutions it was absolutely incredible to be able to stand among the sea of people and experience the feeling of success,” he says.