In the summer of 2022, the NH crew experienced an incomparable evening - The Nordic Night At Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen. A night to remember. Literally (live report here). Back then, WARDRUNA celebrated a belated 10th anniversary of their debut Runaljod - gap var Ginnunga (due to the fucking C) and the release of the band's most successful album to date: Kvitravn.

Two years later, WARDRUNA embark on an extensive world tour, largely sold-out already, in support of their now sixth and equally wonderful album Birna. They started with a brief visit to the United States and are now crossing Europe, just for a handful of shows too. I would bet that there will be more dates announced next year.
And here we are, on the last European tour day. Of course, the :: Tonhalle :: in Düsseldorf is also completely sold out.

It's my first time in this concert hall. It's a fascinating domed building, both architecturally and historically, inside and out. I just loved the meeting area under the main hall, like an open circus with several seating tiers. Here, people really meet, sit down and talk to each other than just stand around or buy food at the bar like in the usual foyers. I've never seen anything like that in a concert hall before. The Tonhalle also has a green vault, but that was a VIP and/or backstage area? Anyway, you weren't allowed in. I would have liked to take more photos, but it was rainy, cold and dark outside and you still weren't allowed into the main hall. We, the photographers, had also to wait for instructions and to get lead into the pit, what the dude almost forgot, while chatting with someone else…
Getting to Düsseldorf was rather... well, highways to Düsseldorf during the rush hours... But parking was easy. Since I occasionally hang out around the corner at the exhibitions of the NRW-Forum and the Kunstpalast, I knew where I could leave my car close by ;)

Just like two years ago, the audience was a colorful mix: from Vikings and fans dressed in medieval garb to standard metal fans and the average person (regarding clothes), everything could be seen. In terms of age, the audience was rather above average.
The merchandise was steeply priced: a t-shirt 40 euros, a longsleeve 50 euros. I didn't even look at the price of the Nordic sweaters, hoodies etc.
An elder lady, a cloakroom attendant, was very cute when she approached me and asked if there was an event nearby where all the Vikings were coming from. On the one hand, she was scared about the many “wild” guys, but also deeply touched by how nice, polite and courteous all these strangely dressed people were ;) The Tonhalle usually hosts symphony or classical concerts or “upscale” art.

:: pics :: WARDRUNA ::

The lights went out exactly at 8pm and :: WARDRUNA :: took to the stage to open the evening with Kvitravn. Immediately goose bumps appeared and did not disappear in the following 2 hours. The sound was fantastic, the lighting and stage set-up rather puristic, but very effective. Nothing should distract from the music. After my job (3snf, sadly from only one position), I sat in my seat with my eyes closed and literally soaked up the music. When listening to WARDRUNA, you quickly enter a meditative state and are magically drawn into the music. Once again, I was blown away in no time at all.

Einar Selvik's voice was a bit scratchy, but that's not really surprising at this time of year (and being on tour, singing every night for almost two hours). It didn't affect his singing or the show at all. And he now has a couple days off to rest and recuperate.

Very old and historical instruments such as moraharpa, talharpa (old-style violins) and kraviklyra (a kind of harp) as well as wind instruments such as lurs and goat horns dominated the sound, discreetly amplified electronically. Amplified history, so to speak. Literally. The ensemble seemed to have been teleported to the Tonhalle from a distant time or to have sprung from the silver screen in Vikings.
The musicians on stage were dressed in black throughout, some barefoot. Individual musicians were often hidden deep in the shadows, but every single one gave their all, whether in the dark or in the spotlight, at least when the instrument and performance gave them free moving space.

There were no announcements, just a short speech before Helvegen, the first encore, during which Einar Selvik turned out to be a comedian and provided several laughs, despite the bitterly serious topics he spoke about (togetherness, traditions, cultures, the healing effect of singing etc.) There was also a short introduction to the song Helvegen itself, “a song about death, dying and remembering those who have passed. It is about crossing over and letting go, as well as about searching for lost songs and old traditions”. A song that always moves me to tears...
Musically, the journey was a good mix of almost all albums - only the debut was left out. A very harmonious set. And yet, I personally would have liked more new material from Birna.
Of course, the 90-minute set was over far, far too quickly. You wish for a 2 or 3 hour show and even that would probably still be considered too short ;) I felt ripped out when the big lights came on and the audience streamed out.

WARDRUNA were celebrated frenetically. Standing ovations after Fehu, the last song in the regular set, and so it happened after Helvegen and also after the Ragnarr Loðbrók Death Song. In return, the band thanked the audience most sincerely, bowed deeply and could hardly believe the applause.
WARDRUNA are (again and again) magical, unique and very inspiring. What a great evening!

Band: Einar „Kvitrafn“ Selvik, Lindy Fay Hella, Arne Sandvol, Eilif Gundersen, HC Dalgaard, John Stenersen,

Setlist: Kvitravn, Hertan, Skugge, Solringen, Kvit hjort, Runaljod, Lyfjaberg, Voluspá (Skaldic Version), Tyr, Isa, Grá, Himinndotter, Rotlaust tre fell, Fehu // Helvegen // Snake Pit Poetry (Skaldic Version)