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Monica Heldal
Since Monica Heldal in 2006 15 years old opened for Norwegian singer/songwriter Claudia Scott in her hometown Bergen Norway, she has worked hard to become a skilled guitar player, singer and songwriter. The concert led to an invitation to play in a yearly Roots and Country festival in Bergen where she has played several times since.
She has now at 20 done many concerts in Norway and abroad. Her brilliant guitar technique and beautiful voice has impressed audiences in many venues.
Her liking of American traditional acoustic Country Blues, and the late Irish guitarplayer and artist Rory Gallagher led to an invitation to play 2 concerts at last year’s ”Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival” http://www.goingtomyhometown.com/ in Gallagher’s town of birth, Ballyshannon Ireland, also supporting guitar player and Rory enthusiast Bernie Marsden. This year she was invited back to play not less than 6 concerts all together.
The Irish performances have not gone unnoticed but have led to a number of invitations to several arrangements, including Rory tributes in Oslo, Notodden and The Netherlands. Monica was also invited to play 2 acoustic sets in the French music festival ”Guitare En Scene” in Saint Julienne France last summer, supporting guitar greats like Al Di Meola and Gilberto Giil. http://www.guitare-en-scene.com/dimanche-1er-aout-2010.html
Monica has in the recent years done minitours around the club scenes of London. During 3 periods, each up a week, she has thrilled the audience in clubs like The Luminaire, 12 Bar Club, Kings Cross Social Club, The Heavenly Social, The Enterprice and many others. She also did a small tour in Ireland, playing gigs in Cork and Dublin, also supporting the popular Irish artist Mundy.
She has also during the last years played several concerts and other events in her hometown Bergen, and also had her own evening in the club Garage last autumn.
She was also invited to play in a few summer festivals this year; Øya Festival and the Rammerock Festival, both in Oslo.
Monica’s music evolves from related genres like traditional ragtime and country blues, country and folk music. Her material is a fine mixture of her own and cover songs from various artists she treasures. Among these are in addition to Rory Gallagher, Bonnie Raitt, Nick Drake, Chet Atkins Jackson Browne, Neil Young and others.