SETTING THE LINE: Ole Ivars. Behind, from left: Arne Willy Foss, Morten Nyhus and Ole Andreas Ødegård. Front, from left: Espen Hagen Olsen, William Kristoffersen and Bjørn Elvestad. Photo: Roy Arne Bjørtomt
The ending was a little longer than planned. But now one of the country’s longest-living bands promises that a concert in the capital’s grand hall will be the very last.
Tuesday 5 March at 14:52
Just over a year and a half has passed since the dance band institution Ole Ivars declared that they were going to close. The plan then was to tour until autumn 2023.
Now they have decided to hold on until the band turns 60 – and declare to VG that the end will take place in Oslo Spektrum on 19 October this year.
According to band manager William Kristoffersen (72), the Broadcasting Orchestra, KORK, will play together with Ole Ivars this evening.
– We are terribly looking forward to this, he says to VG.
– I get a little heart palpitations just talking about it!
Photo: Pinakkel Studio // Vegard Breie
Kristoffersen has already been highly visible in 2024, as a participant in “Hver gang vi møtes” on TV 2.
And as in the TV programme, he suspects that it may become melancholy when the last concert is over.
– When the last note rings out in Spektrum, it will probably be a very strange feeling. I’m not going to say there won’t be any tears either. After all, I was one of those who cried in “Every time we meet”. Me too!
Honored by the king
Ole Ivars was started in 1964. They have released 37 studio albums and won eight Spellemann awards.
William Kristoffersen, as the band’s songwriter, has received the King’s Medal of Merit for his production of songs for the group from Hamar.
Among their most famous songs are “Jag trode änglarna fanns”, “No, so fat you have become” and “Kongen av campingplassen”.
Since the band’s inception in 1964, there have been some changes in the Ole Ivars line-up.
In 2018, vocalist Tore Halvorsen left the dance band, and Espen Hagen Olsen moved behind the microphone.
Of the original members, keyboardist Ole Ødegård is still involved, while Arne Willy Foss has played various woodwind instruments since 1965.
In 2017, the band’s longtime drummer Arild Engh passed away. Morten Nyhus came in as the new drummer.