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20
Samiuke
Saami National Day’s Joyful Celebration
Ly o n e L Pe r a b o (t e x t a n d P h o t o)
L i o n eL .d@h o t m a iL .f r
Artist: VIOLET ROAD
Venue: Rådhuset
Date: 6 th of February
Closing this year’s Saami week celebration,
VIOLET ROAD's mini concert
cheered babies and grown-ups alike.
For the 2012 edition of the Saami
week celebrations, we, Tromsøites
were rather spoiled. Concerts,
films, lectures, reindeer
race and reindeer stew were all present
and brought with them a renewed festive
feeling for anyone involved. As the
week neared its end, everyone’s attention
was drawn toward its last chapter
namely the VIOLET ROAD mini-concert
at Rådhuset.
Violet Road, featuring a Puppet Bird
Set to start at half past five, the concert
drew a considerable crowd that dispatched
itself all over the house’s three levels
and numerous staircases. In front
of the tiny stage, young children dressed
in blazingly bright-colored Gáktis were
mesmerized as the band entered the
stage and began presenting themselves.
The mesmerizing feeling only grew
stronger among the audience as a puppet
bird (apparently a crow), present on
the side of the stage started talking with
Halvard (mandolin) and even sung some
lines together with the bands.
“Young children dressed in blazing Gáktis
were mesmerized as the band entered
the stage and began presenting
themselves”
Despite this rather unexpected bird feature,
the band performed their set without
problems, showcasing four songs
all from their last album. As the children
almost outnumbered the grown-ups, the
band obviously focused on the more farreaching
songs of their repertoire. As a
result the audience could enjoy “The
Burden and his Long Lost Friend”; “Can
You Hear the Morning Singing” “Take my
Hand” and “Rules of the Ocean”.
Teasing the audience
While it was a bit frustrating to only be
able to enjoy one of Norway’s best popular
bands for less than twenty minutes
it was a good reminder that, regardless
of the settings, the Kåfjord Five are always
able to bring delight to all. With
the band’s next date scheduled to be the
huge Døgnvill Vinter fest at the end of
next month, the Rådhuset concert felt in
fact more like a treat/teaser delivered in
order to help us cope with this untenable
waiting. Thanks for that boys (but
you still could have played more…)
Beer, and Adjagas!
Artist: ADJAGAS
Venue: Ølhallen
Date: 3 rd of February
16. - 29. f e b r u a r 2012
a ra r e Si g h t: adJagaS a S a q u a r t e t w i t h, o n t h e f a r r i g h t, Ju h a n i Si v oL a f e n d i n g
o f f h iS f a m o u S Ja g u a r g u i t a r.
Cozy celebration in unusual settings
Ly o n e L Pe r a b o
L i o n eL .d@h o t m a iL .f r
Ph o t o : Li n n e a no r d S t r ö m
Being one of Norway’s most
sought-after Saami bands,
it was only logical to have
ADJAGAS playing during
Tromsø’s Saami week. Still, few would
have guessed that they would give a
concert inside the legendary Ølhallen,
Mack brewery‘s famed pub. Indeed,
despite not being one of the city’s busiest
concert halls, Ølhallen is at times
taken over for the odd concert like at
the occasion of last year’s Beer Festival.
A Welcoming atmosphere
With its doors opening at half past
seven, the concert didn’t start until
way past nine, there was therefore largely
enough time to take it easy and
sample some of Mack’s finest beers.
Luckily, upon arriving, Utropia’s crew
discovered a brand new brew, a jubilee
beer called “1877” set to celebrate
the brewery’s 135th birthday. Light yet
fruitful, the beverage drinks easily; in
all senses of the word, a good appetizer
before the concert.
“As ADJAGAS’s fan know, it would take
more than a bit of experimentation to
frighten the band”
As the pub filled with a motley audience,
the band was finally allowed to
go on stage. As the band mates set-up
their respective instruments, one immediately
noticed the absence of Petter
Gundersen, the banjo/Trumpet player.
Likewise, the guitar was surprisingly
handled by Juhani Sivola who played
on the band’s first record. With this
unexpected setting, the band’s music
was due to be somewhat altered but as
every ADJAGAS’s fan knows, it would
take more than a bit of experimentation
to frighten them.
Successful reinterpretation
Logically endowed tonight with a more
Rock/Pop sound, the band nevertheless
managed to keep the spiritual core
of their music intact throughout the
hour-long concert. The fear some could
have had regarding the interpretation
of the band’s last album were all wiped
off as Juhani took very good care of
both rhythm and lead melodies. Closing
the show with a frantic rendition
of “Mun ja Mun”, the band respectfully
bowed to the public before triumphantly
leaving the tiny stage.