Every year, Norwegian Culture Organizers (NKA) awards organizer awards to highlight and honor the effort behind unforgettable cultural experiences.
This year, the young Tromsø photographer Johannes Brøndbo (18) is nominated after he captured an iconic rock’n roll moment at a concert at Blårock last year.
It was only afterwards that he realized that the picture was a real flash.
– Heh heh, I didn’t think “My God, this is such a good picture”. I thought what on earth is he doing to the guy up on the roof, says Brøndbo and laughs.
On the verge of euphoric: – It took a notch longer
Because that is exactly what happens in Brøndbo’s image. In the picture, we see an audience member being lifted up during a concert with the rock band LÜT. He is lifted from the shoulders, upside down, by the audience during a concert at Blårock in 2023. In other words, a real “kodak moment”.
– He is standing on the roof. He was supposed to do a “stage dive”, but took it a notch longer and decided to hang from the ceiling beams, says Brøndbo.
The mood among the audience was bordering on euphoric, he adds.
– People were eager and in a good mood. The mood was close to euphoric. The audience had a “mosh pit” several times and both fell and went up on stage to the band, says Brøndbo.
WALTZ: Photographer Johannes Brøndbo dances the waltz with the vocalist of Yesterdays during the warm-up for the concert with LÜT.
Photo: Stig Brøndbo
Had to dance the waltz: – Typical blue rock
Brøndbo believes that it is precisely situations like this that make concert experiences at Blårock unique.
– It is typical Blårock and certainly not the first time it has happened that someone hangs from the ceiling, says Brøndbo, who has heard of many similar stories from concerts at the iconic rock venue from both the 90s and 2000s.
– The funny thing about Blårock is that anything can happen, he adds.
One of the more memorable experiences Brøndbo has had as a concert photographer happened during the same concert. Then he was invited to dance.
– Yesterdays warmed up for LÜT. They are quite a rock band. Then suddenly in the concert they toned it down a lot and encouraged the audience to dance the waltz. Then the vocalist came out into the audience and grabbed me to dance the waltz, says Brøndbo and laughs.
Turned pro at 16
Brøndbo has been taking pictures all his life. His father, who is also a photographer, “exposed” him to the art of photography at an early age. He was allowed to join his father at work early on.
– Actually, I have been taking pictures all my life. But when I was 15 I started more seriously.
As a 16-year-old, Brøndbo was allowed to take pictures at Blårock concerts.
– Despite the fact that I was only 16 years old, I was allowed to photograph at Blårock, says Brøndbo, who today is also a freelance photographer for iTromsø.
He is grateful that Blårock then gave him the confidence to photograph at their concerts.
PHOTO: Johannes Brøndbo has been taking pictures all his life. Now he has been nominated for the Gjev Bilde award.
Photo: Private
Want to capture an atmosphere
Brøndbo’s passion for photography runs deep. When he takes pictures, he always tries to capture the atmosphere there and then.
– What I like about photography is being allowed to tell a story. I try to give an impression of what it was like to be there. In post-production, I can edit to bring out the right mood. I always try to show how I perceive the situation, says Brøndbo.
Brøndbo is proud to now be nominated for NKA’s award. He sends a special thank you to both Blårock and Tromsø’s cultural life in general.
– I think it is very nice to be nominated. I feel a great sense of gratitude towards Blårock, where the photo was taken.
Several Tromsø actors nominated
NKA issues several organizer awards. And this year, several Tromsø actors have been nominated. While Brøndbo is nominated with its photo in the moment of the year category, Buktafestivalen is nominated for festival of the year and Rabalderfestivalen as newcomer of the year.
– Tromsø has a very rich cultural life with a number of concerts and festivals. The fact that several people from Tromsø are nominated in other categories is good. It is great that Tromsø is getting the recognition it deserves and is being put on the map, says Brøndbo.
Voting is open until 7 May. You can vote for the year’s most unforgettable moment and the other NKA awards here.
