Heidra
Pumpehuset, Copenhagen - 2019
Text: Tobias Nilsson Photo: Lunah Lauridsen
I usually write these reviews in chronological order, so it feels a bit odd to start this concert off with the second band playing, but that’s the nature of the beast in this particular case. Headlining band Huldre played one set, then supporting act Heidra played, after which Huldre came back and played again.
Or, as vocalist Morten Bryld so eloquently put it:
“We are the ham in your Huldre sandwich!”
- Morten Bryld (vocals)
Even in being the second band on the stage, Heidra’s concert started out unannounced, resulting in a lot of the audience still hanging out on the floor below with the DJ when the band took the stage, and only a few being present upstairs in the concert hall.
Still, the band seemed ready to raise hell even in the unpopulated room meeting them, and went straight at it with Lady Of The Shade, off their latest album, The Blackening Tide.
In honour of this special event, the entire band wore Huldre shirts, and between a few of their songs, they themselves instigated crowd chants of “Huldre, Huldre, Huldre”, something that was met with a loud and enthusiastic reply, and earning them a few extra respect points in my book.
“Huldre played their first show in 2010, supporting me in Svartsot. Then they just grew and grew. They played Wacken. They played Copenhell twice. And I’m fucking honoured to support them now at their final show!”
- James Atkin (bass)
The band didn’t spend too much time talking in between songs, time well divided between Bryld and his body-double, Atkin (yeah, they do look a bit similar, don’t they? A fact they’re well aware of, and making them post a helpful who’s who guide back when Atkin joined the band), but when they did, it was mostly spent praising the main event of the night, and only a bit in promoting their own music.
When they played however, they were most certainly their own, and more so than I remember ever seeing them before. What I mean is, they had turned their performance dial all the way to the top - Dennis Stockmarr stood up while playing at times, Carlos García Robles was eminently directing the crowd to partake in the fun, and they were all rocking out so the sweat ran from their faces. And when they reached the final song of the evening, Wolfborn, Laura Emilie beck from Huldre joined the band on stage, and the whole thing got an extra twist of energy. Her humorous stage presence added a smile on the faces of the band and audience alike, and the members of Heidra seemed more than willing and capable of following the funny antics of the violin player.
“Thank you Pumpehuset! Goddamnit, what a party!”
- Atkin (bass)
It’s been three long years since we last saw Heidra, and in the past I’ve commented that the band was gaining momentum as performers. Well, I’d say they’ve arrived pretty damn near their sweet spot in the intervening years. They made a strong performance, and as the audience grew in time with people noticing them playing, the response grew as well, showing that Heidra was as popular as ever, if not more, with the Copenhagen crowd.
Setlist:
Lady Of The Shade
The Price In Blood
Rain Of Embers
The Blackening Tide
The Eyes Of Giants
Wolfborn (feat. Laura Emilie Beck)
Or, as vocalist Morten Bryld so eloquently put it:
“We are the ham in your Huldre sandwich!”
- Morten Bryld (vocals)
Even in being the second band on the stage, Heidra’s concert started out unannounced, resulting in a lot of the audience still hanging out on the floor below with the DJ when the band took the stage, and only a few being present upstairs in the concert hall.
Still, the band seemed ready to raise hell even in the unpopulated room meeting them, and went straight at it with Lady Of The Shade, off their latest album, The Blackening Tide.
In honour of this special event, the entire band wore Huldre shirts, and between a few of their songs, they themselves instigated crowd chants of “Huldre, Huldre, Huldre”, something that was met with a loud and enthusiastic reply, and earning them a few extra respect points in my book.
“Huldre played their first show in 2010, supporting me in Svartsot. Then they just grew and grew. They played Wacken. They played Copenhell twice. And I’m fucking honoured to support them now at their final show!”
- James Atkin (bass)
The band didn’t spend too much time talking in between songs, time well divided between Bryld and his body-double, Atkin (yeah, they do look a bit similar, don’t they? A fact they’re well aware of, and making them post a helpful who’s who guide back when Atkin joined the band), but when they did, it was mostly spent praising the main event of the night, and only a bit in promoting their own music.
When they played however, they were most certainly their own, and more so than I remember ever seeing them before. What I mean is, they had turned their performance dial all the way to the top - Dennis Stockmarr stood up while playing at times, Carlos García Robles was eminently directing the crowd to partake in the fun, and they were all rocking out so the sweat ran from their faces. And when they reached the final song of the evening, Wolfborn, Laura Emilie beck from Huldre joined the band on stage, and the whole thing got an extra twist of energy. Her humorous stage presence added a smile on the faces of the band and audience alike, and the members of Heidra seemed more than willing and capable of following the funny antics of the violin player.
“Thank you Pumpehuset! Goddamnit, what a party!”
- Atkin (bass)
It’s been three long years since we last saw Heidra, and in the past I’ve commented that the band was gaining momentum as performers. Well, I’d say they’ve arrived pretty damn near their sweet spot in the intervening years. They made a strong performance, and as the audience grew in time with people noticing them playing, the response grew as well, showing that Heidra was as popular as ever, if not more, with the Copenhagen crowd.
Setlist:
Lady Of The Shade
The Price In Blood
Rain Of Embers
The Blackening Tide
The Eyes Of Giants
Wolfborn (feat. Laura Emilie Beck)
Heidra
