Kalandra, w/ Lili Refrain – LIVE
Kalandra, w/ Lili Refrain – LIVE
Gorilla, Manchester
20/09/2024
Review by Oli Gonzalez
Atonement. The word on my mind for this night’s show in Manchester. See, I had my eye on Kalandra earlier in the year and had wanted to check them out at this year’s Arctangent festival but I didn’t get the chance. This was due to an act of god; the heavens opened up and everybody in attendance took refuge in the nearest tent, meaning making my way into the one occupied by Kalandra’s performance near enough impossible. Though I’m sure the Norwegian act would have filled that tent in any case, given their hugely unique sound that blends modern Post-Rock, Progressive music and traditional Folk elements into one wonderful package! Nonetheless, I had another chance to see the band, this time only 3 miles from my home here in Manchester. I later learned that this was Kalandra’s first headline tour in their 13 year history, and coincided nicely with the release of their latest release “A Frame Of Mind”. In support was an act I honestly had no idea existed until I saw the name printed on the walls of the venue, Lili Refrain. Though this would be one that I wouldn’t easily forget…
Lili Refrain
Unrivalled bravery and off-the-charts creativity. An accurate and succinct way to describe this solo act. It takes guts to get on stage as it is. Imagine doing it all by yourself like she did this evening?! Now how to describe her sound? There was certainly a Heilung influence there, in particular with the spine chilling ethereal vocals and throat singing, as well as the cavernous drum passages that would awaken your Scandinavian ancestors, such was the primitive emotional depth! Throw in some modern electric guitar solos too for good measure to complete the package. How is a solo act doing all this once you may ask? Backing tracks? Nope, all of this was achieved through the remarkably intelligent deployment of a feedback loop, one which Lili had immense fun demonstrating to us midway through her set! A wonderful blend of ancient primitive melodies and modern technology, this was one of the most unexpected yet pleasant surprises to date. That magic of discovering a band live in the flesh right there and then is hard to top, and I’m glad I had this experience tonight.
https://www.facebook.com/lilirefrain
Kalandra
After Lili Refrain’s 45 minute opening set (isn’t it nice when opening acts get a decent set length), it was quickly time for the headline act. It takes some bravery to tour in another country with only one support, and no local opening act. I did question if Kalandra would be big enough to fill out a venue the size of Gorilla. Well, how wrong I was, as the place was heaving. About as close to selling out as you can get without selling out!
Musically, Kalandra are in some ways impossible to categorise. Progressive Post Neo-Folk Rock, maybe? Who cares about labels anyway?! The total was greater than the sum of its parts here, with each musician in the quartet possessing incredible individual skill, but when combined they create the juggernaut that is Kalandra! Florien and Jogeir lulled and serenaded the audience with a two pronged guitar assault, whether that be with electric or acoustic, utilising violin bows, or even more traditional folk instruments, as well as the occasional use of the synths. Oskar held the fort down with a solid performance from behind the drums. All of which laid down the foundations for Katrine’s superior vocal talent. It truly was bewildering as to how a petite softly spoken woman could possess such a soothing elegant singing voice that simultaneously holds the sheer weight and depth of 1000 black holes! This was captivating. Mesmerising. Absorbing. Pick your adjective; it was all I could do but transfix my eyes on the performance and allow myself to be consumed by it all!
Those around me were having similar religious experiences too in what was a very crowded venue now, with many singing along to their older hits. If anybody had a machine to read the decibels, it would have easily measured into triple figures each time the band received a round of applause. To paraphrase the iconic line from the original Jaws movie, “you’re gonna need a bigger venue”, which speaks to the admiration and popularity of what is Norway’s best kept musical secret.
https://www.facebook.com/Kalandramusic
What’s more to say? This was a phenomenal evening of wonderfully diverse and alternative music, and a journey I hope to go down again in the future.
LINKS:
Venue:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
