Wardruna in Helsinki: Pure magic
Two premieres on Thursday – my first ‘real’ Wardruna concert (not just a stream or a recording) and my first time in the auditorium of the legendary Finlandia Talo (Finlandia Hall), which I’d previously visited for exhibitions only.
The fact that I wasn’t the only one who’d come to love Wardruna, at the very latest through the Vikings TV series, was made clear by the huge turnout – the venue was practically sold out. After all, this was the penultimate gig of a two-year world tour; the band went to play their final show in Tallinn the following day.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to take photos right in front of the stage, and the reasons became clear once I was there. Firstly, there wasn’t enough space, and secondly, it would have been a significantly disruption for audience, band and the overall atmosphere alike. Despite the distance, you should still sense the intensity of this performance.
At this point, the truly fantastic acoustics deserve a mention – it was never too loud or too quiet; you could hear both the vocals and the traditional instruments clearly with every note, in a perfect balance. The intimate solo moments sounded perfectly while the entire audience seemed to hold their breath in eager attention – you could have heard a pin drop. In short, the venue and the band were in perfect harmony for a magical performance that went beyond the dimensions of a regular concert. An all-encompassing experience that transcends the musical realm, a sacred ritual – more controlled and formal than, for example, at a Heilung show – in which the band and the audience merge, and which therefore requires no interval or announcements. Lights rendered most of the additional effects and background projections were used sparingly.
It was the music that transmitted the mystical magic: a ‘best-of’ set featuring a mix of tracks from the current album *Birna* and a series of classics that certainly cannot be missed in any set list (e.g. *Kvitravn*, *Solringen*, *Lyfjaberg*, *Rotlaust Tre Fell*, *Hertan*). More than just music – your heart is torn out, patched back together, put back in place to shine in different shades of beauty; you don’t necessarily need to understand the lyrics… Singer Lindy-Fay Hella also impressed with dance interludes, and the intimate solo ‘Voluspá’ (Skaldic version) surely triggered goosebumps in the entire hall.
After the set and after several standing ovations, singer and mastermind Einar Selvik offered his heartfelt words of thanks, then the first of the two encores – my absolute favourite, ‘Helvegen’. Whether it was the first live experience, Einar’s explanation of this song’s nature, its haunting quality or the first anniversary of my mom’s passing – in any case, I burst into tears (I may not have been the only one who needed a handkerchief during the course of this performance, though.)
The second encore, ‘Snake Pit Poetry – Skaldic Mode’, brought an absolutely breathtaking concert to a close, and I can only urge you to add this band to your must-see gig calendar.
As Einar explained at the end, however, you’d have to wait for a while for the next tour, as the band now wants to take a break. Until then, take Einar’s message to heart: “Go home and fucking sing”, because, as he explained, singing – and even better, singing together – is medicine and the most powerful language of all.
By the way, to stay up to date with the latest news, Wardruna offer their own app; here’s the link.
