Heilung headlined the 3 Arena on Thursday night, and they performed to a crowded venue. I arrived at approximately 6:15pm and there was a line that surrounded the venue. As I sat in the coffee shop across from the 3 Arena, I observed all ages and personalities eagerly waiting for the doors to open. There were also a good number of people dressed in fur, kilts and face paint, really adding to the vibe of the gig, yet majority were dressed in boho esc clothing. I waited until the line slowly disappeared around the corner until I made my way
inside.
Eivør kicked off the night, performing her song “Salt”, which she shared with the crowd that this song was inspired by the place she grew up. Instantly, people were dancing and moving whilst she performed. The energy Eivør had and her chemistry with her band on stage was fascinating to watch. She expresses to the audience how happy she is to be back in Dublin which of course was responded to with a huge cheer. I thought that her commentary between songs was endearing and at times comical as she says, “I broke a drum stick, and
that was only the third song…this is gonna get crazy”. Her fourth song was incredibly haunting, and she really committed as her performance was theatrical and impressive. She also performed one of her songs from the series, The Last Kingdom, which excited the crowd. Her set lasted just over half an hour.
Eivør photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Jarðartrá
Hugsi bert um teg
Salt
Í Tokuni
Hymn 49
Trøllabundin
Enn
Upp Úr Øskuni
In between the Eivør and the main act Heilung, they did not play music like what is typically done in the 3 Arena, but they played calming ocean noises and sounds of birds chirping. This really kept the vibe and spirit for the night, as Heilung aims to provide their listeners with a soothing and immersive experience through their music.
Heilung first set of photos:
They pulled the curtain back and instantly they were met with a cheer. Two members of the band, from what I could tell, cleansed the stage as they slowly covered the stage with incense whilst reciting a piece of spoken word. Kai Uwe Faust and Christopher Juul both wore antler headdresses, which is to symbolise spiritual connection. Some of the members also had visible tattoos, which included sacred symbols and white war paint and darkened eyes which enhanced the ritualistic vibe. Their style references Northern European tribes
Germanic, Norse, and Celtic with a shamanic twist. As the rest of the members flooded onto the stage, they joined in a circle and all chanted “Remember we are all brothers, all people, and beast and trees, and stones and wind, we all descend from one great being, that was always there before people lived and claimed it, before the first seed sprout”. Instantly the audience was immersed in the performance. This show did not have any interactions with the crowd, apart from one moment where Kai encouraged the audience to scream by pointing the mic towards us, and then spilled liquid from the horn he was holding. The lights and set design were impressive and truly added to the experience. There was roughly 15 people on stage, yet they were all perfectly on time with one another, from the instruments to the dancers. The experience of this concert is unmatched to anything I have ever seen
before.
Heilung second set of photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Opening Ceremony
In Maidjan
Norupo
Alfadhirhaiti
Asja
Svanrand
Urbani
Tenet
Othan
Anoana
Nikkal
Seidh
Hamrer Hippyer
Closing Ceremony
Photos – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic
Reviewer – Katie Monks @K4tie7