About Oygospel
What is Oygospel?
Oygospel is a Christian music festival. We wish to contribute to a living community for Christian singing and music, to the honor of God, and a positive attitude towards society. We wish to achieve this through proclamation of God's words, prayer, and Christian singing and music in the means of the music festival Oygospel.
The festival is arranged at Flekkeroy, situated about ten kilometers outside Kristiansand. In charge is a seperate festival management pulling the strings, but we would never be able to arrange the Oygospel festival without a huge amount of voluntary effort. Each year, around 100 volunteers help out with work of all sorts. We wish to express a warm "Thank you" to all our helpers, without you, we would never be able to make Oygospel happen.
The history of Oygospel
Flekkeroy Gospel (the official name at that time) was first arranged in 1984. Flekkeroy Youth Choir arranged it, and local choirs provided music. The festivalen in the early summer soon became a tradition, and one of the years highlights. The festival continued growing, and several well-known artists like Sigvart Dagsland, Roland Utbult, Rav, and Res-Q have visited Flekkeroy.
The last time Flekkeroy Gospel was arranged, was in 1996. for several years, there was no festival, until the festival was reborn in 2002, this time with Flekkeroy Youth Club behind the wheel. A seperate festival management was established. At the same time, the festival was renamed into Oygospel, the nickname it had carried ever since the beginning
Oygospel 2002 was a success! True to the tradition, the concerts took place in Flekkeroy Church. Visiting artists was Norwegian Gospel Voices, Connected and lots of local choirs. This happened, not so traditionally, in September. But it was a long awaited comeback.
In 2003 the tradition was re-established, namely the last weekend of May. This resulted in more visitors, better weather, and one extra festival day. Salvation Street contributed to interrest from media. 'Jumping madness in Flekkeroy Church' was to be read in Fedrelandsvennen, the regional newspaper. Gospelkompagniet and Mosaic gave us great concerts, and Wake-Up had their album release. Unfortunately, the Sunday concert with Lisa Borud was cancelled due to disease.
2004 was the first time Oygospel was visited by international artists. The British rock band Steve was the favourite of the public! And finally, the children could enjoy Lisa Borud, who had to cancel the last year. Reflex made a stunning concert on the first day of the festival, and Happiness Choir Project surprised everyone when they demonstrated what can be done by a choir with band!
Oygospel 2005 was also successfull, presenting Norwegian bands and choirs. Pax, Aerobirds, Radiant, Hellida, Revelation and Mads Elias Tonnessen are worth mentioning. The weather was not quite as good as the year before, but it didn't ruin the festival mood. We won't forget the tent complications either...
2005 was also the year when Petra, the world's most well-known Christian rock band, visited Flekkeroy. This was arranged as a seperate concert in late November. Never has a bigger sound system been in place on Flekkeroy, and the Athletic Hall was crowded with approximately 1100 pople inside. Dream Pilots performed as support artist, and the local band Nameless had the performance of their lives. We will never forget this event!
Oygospel 2006 is also to be remembered for a long time. This year we had a few more concerts than usual. And a little fewer traditional meetings, in fact only one on Thursday. Confess, Convoy and Confessing participated here. Maren Flotve Birkeland and Grand Lux performed on Friday, while Funky Baptized and Keith And The Marzipan Soldiers delivered the music on Saturday. The Sunday started with a service, and to the children's great joy there was a concert with Lisa Borud.
In January 2007 it was time for yet another extra concert, with John Schlitt og Bob Hartman from Petra. In addition they also participated in the service the Sunday after. This was a success and a very pleasant reunion!
Oygospel 2007 became a great success! We mention reunion-concert with Hush on Thursday, Gospelsambandet filled the church on Friday, and even more people found their way to see Ungfila LIVE Saturday evening. Sigvart Dagsland rounded off the festival with a great concert Sunday evening. As usual we had meetings, with several choirs participating.
2008 was in total the 20th time Oygospel got arranged. And what a festival! Concerts with Ansgar Gospel Choir, Humming People, Oslo Soul Children and not the least a joyful revisit from Ungfila LIVE contributed to yet another audience record. The meetings and the service also filled the house, where Confess, Convoy, Laidback Society, Salem Dramateam, the Credo Choir, KRIK 91:11 and Sister Act participated with song, music, dancing and drama. Jens Ole Hoiaasen, the Roadservice-team, Kristoffer Svartdahl and Rolf Martin Synnes took care of the speeches and the service. This was also the year when we decided that Flekkeroy Church has become too small, and we announced from the stage that Oygospel 2009 will take place in Flekkeroy Athletic Hall.
Last updated: 13.12.2008
