Neofolk Tide II: Of the Wand and the Moon + Die Weisse Rose in Zagreb

Kim Larsen

Artists: :Of the Wand and the Moon:, Die Weisse Rose, Allerseelen

Venue:  Vip Club, Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 9, Zagreb

Time: January 26, 2013 - 10.00 pm

Entrance fee:  90 kn/110 kn

Let me shortly present the second part of the neofolk tide sweeping over Zagreb in the last few months. As a reminder, here's a link to my post about the first neofolk event, the concert of Death in June that I attended last November.

Now, as we've set the atmosphere, let's move onto this Saturday's show. As far as I know, Vip Club is not known for organizing events such as this one. Nevertheless, they truly did a great job; everything was quite satisfactory, making the fans feel at home. Die Weisse Rose, with John Murphy (worked with Death In June and Kim Larsen as well) as their special guest, opened the night at around 10 pm. The (female) fans especially loved the white roses that they had on the stage and later on threw in the audience. The guys prepared yet another surprise for the fans: Allerseelen, which was in fact an improvised performance with the help from John Murphy and Thomas Bøjden. They played songs such as Kastanienlied and Wir rufen Deine Wölfe. Later on, Kim Larsen joined for a few songs before proceeding onto his own part of the evening as the main act: Of the Wand and the Moon.

Die Weisse Rose

This was not my first time seeing Kim Larsen perform. I've been to his concert in 2011 in Budapest (didn't have a proper camera back then) as well, when we also did an interview. My opinion is that the two shows differed greatly, not only because the band was more numerous in Zagreb, but also because Croatian audience is nothing like the Hungarian ones. I feel that Hungarians are a much calmer, respectfull type of audience, but also not as outgoing as the people I've come across on concerts in Zagreb.

All of that, however, is quite irrelevant now, because Kim Larsen can turn an evening into magic anytime and anyplace he performs. Even though the set was much shorter than I'd expected, it was a good one. We got to hear the most popular songs, as well as older work and songs released on the latest album, The Lone Descent.

Setlist: Lucifer, Lost in Emptiness, Wonderful Wonderful Sun, A Pyre of Black Sunflowers, Hold My Hand, Nighttime in Sonnenheim, Immer Vorwärts, Summer Solstice, We Are Dust (No Yule This Year, My Love), Shine Black Algiz, Watch the Skyline Catch Fire, Raven Chant // I Crave For You.

Of the Wand and the Moon

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Of the Wand and the Moon - Watch the Skyline Catch Fire (live)

Interview with Kentin Jivek

As a parting gift from 2012, I got an opportunity to do an interview with Kentin Jivek, French musician, quite versatile, known for his moving music in what might, in a simplest way, be called ambient folk. If you haven't listened to his work yet, do it now. If you have, now's your chance to hear about it in Kentin's own, inspiring words. Here's a snippet, and a link to the whole thing can be reached right below it.

Kentin Jivek

Hi Kentin! First off, I’d like to thank you for doing this interview; it is a pleasure, even though it’s only by e-mail. So, here goes.
Could you start by introducing yourself? What can you tell us about your music? What does ‘Kentin Jivek’, as a music project, entail?

I’m mainly writing, composing, and producing the albums that you can hear. Before the release of the first album “La Maigreur Elégante, i’ve spent a long time on the road as a performer in theatre plays and as a musician. Then, it was time to shape all the experience through a real studio album.



The genre that you create is most often described as ‘ambient folk’. In what sense would you say that’s true? And in which ways is your music different, it varies from everything else?

Ambient Folk is a musical genre that deals with the Indian and minimalistic musical expression. You’ve just one note and then you build something around with acoustic instruments (guitar and violin). If you see closer, every song has a single note in common, even if you have maybe five different chords. That’s the main thing. It has a repercussion on the words/lyrics and what you can spread during the performances.
It’s different, because i don’t listen to music, I just enjoy vibrations in all forms, so i’m not influenced by “the big machine”.

Read the whole interview here, at KronosMortus.com 

(there's also a Hungarian translation, so scroll down if you prefer it in English).

Kentin Jivek - Stig Dagerman

Neofolk Tide: Death in June + Miro Snejdr in Zagreb

Death in June

Artists: Death in June, Miro Snejdr/Lounge Corps
Venue: Jabuka Club, Jabukovac 28, Zagreb
Time: November 17, 2012 - 9.00 pm
Entrance fee:  110 kn/125 kn

It's October in 1992. It's Death in June's first show in Croatia. To play such a show here at that time was something barely imaginable. Honestly, when I first heard about this some time ago, I couldn't believe it. This had been the wartime. Neofolk - the genre plus all that goes along with it - something unheard of. And yet, the band did an amazing set, which was also recorded and released as one of the first live recordings (Something Is Coming).

Two decades later, the band returns to the same country, same city, same place. True, they've been here in the meantime, but I don't think any of those occasions had the impact as this one had. This was a celebration of much more than just a band playing yet another show.
Naturally, this was felt in the club, not only through the band, but through the audience as well.

Miro Snejdr

With a setlist of no more than 34 numbers, changing the clothes, and collaborating with Miro Snejdr, an amazing musician (also known for his project with Kentin Jivek: Dois EP), Douglas Pearce pierced our hearts. The music he makes comprises of background instrumentals, percussion, and an acoustic guitar.

Death in June

His communication with the audience was impeccable, which could also be seen in his attempts at speaking Croatian and incorporating it into the lyrics of his music, just as Miro Snejdr opened the evening with the Croatian anthem.

Death in June

Setlist: Till the Living Flesh is Burned, Death of a Man, Bring in the Night, Ku Ku Ku, Takeyya, Cathedral of Tears, Peaceful Snow, Life Under Siege, Hail! The White Grain, Wolf Rose, The Maverick Chamber, Good Mourning Sun, Hullo Angel, Symbols of the Sun, The Honour of Silence, All Pigs Must Die, Giddy Giddy Carousel, Fields of Rape, To Drown a Rose, The Golden Wedding of Sorrow, Leper Lord, Hollows of Devotion, Tick Tock, Fall Apart, Kameradschaft, Leopard Flowers, Runes and Men, We Said Destroy, Little Black Angel, But What Ends When the Symbols Shatter?, Rose Clouds of Holocaust // Heaven Street, C'est un Rêve // 13 Years of Carrion.




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Death in June - Tick Tock (live in Zagreb)

Review: Dalriada's Napisten Hava (2012)

Artist: Dalriada

Album: Napisten Hava

Release date: September 29, 2012 through Hammer Music / Nail Records

Written by: Dajana Lerić
for BalkanRock.com (originally in Croatian)
Rating: 4/5 

Dalriada is a Hungarian folk metal band which may not be the most familiar to a wider audience, but nevertheless has a tremendous discography and a successful career. Their latest album „Napisten Hava“, is the 7th studio album which continues an interesting tradition. Namely, six of seven album titles have ancient names for months (“Fergeteg” is the name for January, “Jégbontó” for February, “Kikelet” for March, “Szelek” for April, while “Ígéret” stands for May). Likewise, “Napisten” is the name for June, and the name of the album means “The Month of the Sungod”.



The first song on the album is what is probably the most famous Hungarian national dance, “czardas”, followed by the song “A Dudás”, which depicts a bagpipe player. The song is about a Hungarian myth which says that bagpipe players had to go all the way to hell to learn how to play this ancient instrument. The song, of course, starts with the sound of bagpipe, but we can also hear an interesting combination of guitar and violin. It's not a novelty that Dalriada uses wide range of instruments in their songs, so here we can hear contrabass, flute, viola, even lute.

Dalriada at Samhainfest 2012

The next song is a patriotic song with a slower rhythm called “Tündérkert” or “The Fairy Garden”. The idea for such a beautiful and picturesque title comes from the Romanian province Transylvania where a great number of Hungarians live. Since the lyrics often speak of Hungarian history, it is clear why the province was so inspiring. Namely, there have always existed tensions between Romanians and Hungarians. Also, many famous Hungarians were born there, for example Mátyás Corvin, one of the greatest Hungarian-Croatian kings. His father, János Hunyadi, is also shown as the hero of the song “Hunyadi és Kapisztrán Nándorfehérvári Diadaláról (Saltarello)”. The song is about the battle of Belgrade which took place in the middle of the 15th century, when Hunyadi and Saint John of Capistrano defeated a strong Ottoman army. The beginning of the song has a slow tempo and the listener can easily imagine a picture of a slow-marching army, while later the song speeds up and conjures up assault and fight. Similarly, two other songs, “Julianus Útja” and “Puszta Föld” also have the historical background. In all three songs male vocals complement the female voice.

Dalriada at Rockmaraton 2012

The song “Napom, Fényes Napom” has a beautiful intro melody where we can hear the virtuosity of the violin player and how wonderfully a violin can sound.


The title song “Napisten Hava” talks about the origin of the world. The story is based on a Hungarian traditional story, while “A Juhászlegény Balladája” has its origin in a Moldavian-Hungarian horror story.

“Borivók Éneke” is a typical call for a drink. However, the drink of this song is not the traditional Hungarian pálinka, nor beer, but wine. The song has a very fast rhythm and a melody from a Hungarian traditional song. Besides “A Dudás”, this song will definitely become a hit for the concerts!

The album has a perfect composition, with the first song as an instrumental as well as the last song on the album, this time a slow dance from a place called Gyimes.

Dalriada - A Dudás (official video)

The Wondrous World of the Beast

Lori Lewis (Therion)

Artist: Antalgia (ES), Elyose (FR), Therion (S)

Venue: Club 202, Fehérvári út 202,  Budapest

Time: October 17, 2012 - 7.00 pm

Entrance fee: 6500 HUF

Therion is one of those bands to whose existence I owe thanks and much more. Knowing their music helped me make some of the most important steps, especially when it comes to music being such a huge part of my life. Had it not been for them, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be here right now, writing this or doing anything else related to it for that matter.

I've already done a short report on this concert, which should be published sometime over the weekend at KronosMortus.com (in English and Hungarian), so I will only post a few highlights here, plus the photos, of course. So, stay tuned. :)

~there are links to the gallery at the end of the post~

Elyose

Antalgia

I have to say that I prefered Therion's opening bands from the last few tours. They were more suited to my liking, especially Leprous and Sabaton, at the time quite unknown. This year, however, they decided to go with something more symphonic. Antalgia and Elyose stepped in. They are two quite young bands from Spain and France, respectively, fronted by lovely ladies of metal. They were quite good on the stage, and it was obvious that they were enjoying themselves, just as their fans were.








Therion, on the other hand, completely stunned the whole audience; those that have seen them live before, as well as those new to their music. They played a set of 21 song, never ceasing to amaze us. Although they did have much stage setting, their show was more than just playing music. It was a dramatic performance. You cannot describe a Therion experience, so I'll let the photos give you an idea. Here are a few, for more check out the galleries - links below.

Thomas Vikström (Therion)

Setlist: O Fortuna; Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son; Son of the Sun; Via Nocturna; The Flight of the Lord of Flies; J'ai le Mal de Toi; Abraxas; Vanaheim; Lemuria; Gothic Kabbalah; The Siren of the Woods; Ginnungagap; Land of Canaan; Wine of Aluqah; The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah; The Khlysti Evangelist; Une Fleur Dans le Coeur; Son of the Staves of Time // The Wondrous World of Punt; The Blood of Kingu // To Mega Therion.

Christofer Johnsson (Therion)

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