Mikael Lundgren arranges Skråmträsk Countryfestival July 14-15, 2023.
The festival organiser Mikael Lundgren welcomes Norran at his farm in Skråmträsk. Here, near the chapel and the surrounding fields, he has built his fort with a fully equipped saloon. In actual fact it is an old barn on Mikael’s property. But it has been very lovingly refurbished and is now reminiscent of a watering hole for thirsty cowboys in the wild west rather than a former farm in the coastland of northern Västerbotten.
This weekend, the place will be filled with hundreds of people if things go Mikael’s way. Because since 2017 Mikael has each summer (with a pandemic intermission) arranged a country music festival here. First as a one-day event, now split into two days. All for the love of country music.
– I like music that wants to tell a story and by tradition that’s what country music does. It’s often somewhat depressing kitchen sink realism about broken hearts and excessive alcohol intake but I like it and am still moved when I hear ”He Stopped Loving Her Today”, Mikael says, referencing George Jones’ overly sentimental song from 1980 about a man who swears his everlasting love to a woman who leaves him shortly thereafter. Only decades later on the day he dies, he stops loving her. It is unclear whether anyone thanks him.
– But country music also has a lot of humour, Mikael adds and mentions Brad Paisley.
Mikael’s ultimate dream is actually to one day book Brad Paisley for a gig in a field in Skråmträsk when the midnight sun shines.
– I saw him at Gröna Lund in Stockholm a couple of years ago and he talked about the magnificent midnight sun. You know nothing, I thought, Mikael says and laughs.
Ags Connolly returns. The British musician played in Skråmträsk as late as last October.
We will have to see about that one. One thing we do know is that this year’s edition of the festival will have to do without the American country music legend. On the other hand, Ags Connolly, lauded for album of the year at the 2020 UK Country Music Awards, will turn up. It will be the second time in less than a year that the British musician returns to Skråmträsk.
– He plays traditional country music and gave an incredible performance here in October. His lyrics are a bit depressing and he said he apologised if anyone became suicidal but people were enjoying it, Mikael says.
Lova Norlund and her band mates in Native Sons starts the festival off on Friday.
He is happy with the lineup this year which also includes the artists and bands John Henry from Piteå, Ellinor Springstrike & Gareth Nugent, originally from Ireland and NCB – Norrtälje Countrybrudar. The latter are said to be incredibly energetic.
The local country bands Native Sons (who woke up from a long slumber and rocks out like never before), Tennessee Road (which is a bit of a house band at this point), Reverend Revolver (who released the sublime debut single ”Until I Found You” earlier this summer) and the audience favourites Ben Carbine & the 18 Wheelers are playing.
– Ben Carbine & the 18 Wheelers will also be a nice reappearance. They are always praised for doing such festive performances and for being such good entertainers. They are but people seem to forget that they’re also fantastic musicians and songwriters, Mikael says.
Audience favourites Ben Carbine & the 18 Wheelers concludes the country festival on Saturday night.
Speaking of people – who is the typical visitor to Skråmträsk Countryfestival?
– There are two main categories: country music lovers who really go for it and show up in cowboy hat and boots, and curious villagers. But everyone’s welcome, says Mikael who has some advice:
– It might be wise to bring a camping chair.