LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – Australia & New Zealand 2025 Tour

Palais Theatre, Melbourne - 23rd January 2025

As I was making my way to the show I drove past the Palais Theatre, I was early  and doors were yet to open, seeing the forecourt full of the tonight’s devoted braving the unpredictable Melbourne summer weather. The forecourt upon a closer look was filled with fans of all ages, many dressed in adaptations of Nordic themes, almost a cosplay nod to the storytelling and musical performance of what we were about to experience. As an attendee you couldn’t help but feel that Wardruna connects with so many on different levels and that connection is strong. Much like the connection I first felt when hearing the advance of the bands sixth album “Birna”. Quite simply I became transfixed by the journey, emotion and history behind the album. The legend that inspired it all.

The Palais Theatre is the perfect setting for this kind of show. It has history, elegance and charm. Tonight’s performance purely based on speculation at this point seems perfectly matched to this incredible host.

It’s rare that you get an artist from the other side of the world play on the night where their album is being released. Tonight, Wardruna celebrate not only their first show in Australia, but tomorrows release of their sixth album “Birna”. “Birna” is the she bear in old Norse and this record is her story, this is her evening Tonight’s show is a celebration of her story along with fan favourites from the back catalogue all put together seamlessly to tell tales of the Norse.

There is such a huge element of theatrical drama surrounding the atmosphere inside the theatre. I study the silhouettes of the instruments of early Nordic history against a torn and textured backdrop which is lit up red and the Wardruna logo in white you can’t help but wonder how this will all translate to a live show as I make my way to my seat.

As the lights dim, and the bands six silhouettes took their positions the air suddenly seemed to thicken. Mastermind Einar Selvik follows shortly to his position centre of stage. A ravens craw fills the air and awakens goosebumps on my skin, and they haven’t even played a note yet. Damn. Strings and percussion start this journey we have just embarked on. A huge spotlight silhouettes the players onto the backdrop creating almost another dimension to the music. Where do you look, what might you miss if you aren’t focused to the left or right?

This performance was all about the delivery of history, legend and storytelling through words and music so authentically delivered that at times you felt instantly transported back to the Middle Ages. No banter or explanation needed as the songs melted into each other taking you on a truly incredible journey. This show was so immersive and kept to the atmosphere it created without wavering.

The production of this show is simply superb, its well thought out. It flows with such ease and really is storytelling at its finest and a history lesson in Nordic folklore. Dynamics are delivered in the most simple and effective ways from the use of lighting to the way smoke rose and created new landscapes. The torn backdrop shimmered and truly did elevate the thing we were here for, the music, the tale, the poetry in motion. Traditional musicianship and hauntingly powerful vocal performances by Einar Selvik and Lindy-Faye Hellas simply chilled and electrified you. From guttural chants and growls provided by Selvik to the angelic contributions from Hellas. This was pure storytelling, an experience for the senses. It simply brings out so many emotions. It engaged me and enthralled me in every way. There were moments where I simply just closed my eyes and took in the tribalistic, somewhat symphonic soundscape before me. Live this show is so much more of an immersive experience than I had expected. Raw and primitive in its core elements this performance was slick and delivered with precision, attention, passion and heart. I truly do believe that Melbourne returned its appreciation with those exact sentiments. The audience was deafening when they applauded and cheered, completely respecting the performance.

At the conclusion of the main set Selvik spoke for the first time as he addressed The Palais at around and hour and forty minutes into the show. This allowed and emphasised the storytelling and majestic nature of the main performance to really set in and take you along for the ride. A very loud and overwhelming standing ovation greeted the band as they took place on the stage, members were introduced and the Selvik’s first real words were the reaction to the ovation; “So that’s how you ask for another song Melbourne?” beaming from ear to ear and taking in the full house.

Selvik introduced the band and when he spoke to the audience, he spoke with so much pride in his voice and so much commitment to the tales of Nordic legend and celebrated what the Norse did so proudly, how they told stories and made music by voice and instrument, the importance of singing; his dialogue went like this.

“I can tell you it’s very overwhelming to travel across to the other side of the planet and receive so much love. It’s not something we take for granted, it’s not something that is possible to get used to; to share moments like this with people like you. Australia you have been treating us well so far and apart from slight jet lag it’s all good.

Let me do one last song for you tonight and this song is really at the heart and core of what Warduna is about, because this for us is not about time travel or trying to be Vikings again or escapism in any way or form, it’s here and now. It’s about taking something old that still carries relevance and reference and make something new with it. There are many things from the past that definitely belong in the past, on the other hand there are so many ancient, timeless things that still speak to us and one of the reasons why so many of these older traditions speak to us and why we long for it in our modern society where so many of us live so removed from nature is  of course because it is born out of the very ground we still walk on. Nature is what creates culture wherever it happens. That’s what we see also when you go far enough back in time you see that, the similarities whether it is in the musicology or in the themes that we sing about its more or less the same. It’s born out of the very same mechanism, that is why this cultural pissing contest about who has the best culture really doesn’t matter, it’s pointless. Like I said there are many things from the past that belong there, but there are also things that we used to have lots more of in earlier times, at least where I come from, but I’m guessing it’s the same here as well. That is the tradition of singing. Singing as a family, a tribe, as people, as a society together. Singing is basically medicine; it brings people together almost like nothing else. I sing but I’m guessing a lot of you don’t. So go home and fucking sing !!! I swear apart from maybe some pain in the ears we are going to make the world a better place by doing so, we are going to be better people by doing it. You don’t go around with all that bottled up shit and you connect your voice to whatever it is you are. Anyway, there used to be songs for all sorts of occasions. When people are sewing the fields or reaping them, when people were picking apples, spinning threads or baking bread …. Barbecuing prawns …. There were songs. But also when someone died there was this tradition where they were sung across to the other side. In some traditions it went on for days, they voiced it, they connected to it. It was such a beautiful way it was a way of relating to perhaps the only real thing in life and that is death, which we tend to hide from. This last song was born out of that idea and thought. Who is going to sing you and me across the day we pass, because those songs are gone in most places. This is a song about death, it’s a song about dying, it’s a song about honouring and remembering someone you have lost. It’s a song about singing, about crossing over and of course about letting go this is “Helvegen”.

Yet another standing ovation graces the band after “Helvegen” has stirred every soul in The Palias. Upon which Slevik talks to the audience again creating laughter in banter and light from the dark. Addressing all in attendance for the final time tonight, his introduction to “Snake Pit Poetry” is insightful as he goes on to say.

“There are a lot of women who swoon over Ragnar Lothbrok, some men too; I’m not judging, it’s all good man. But there is a lot of poetry, beautiful yet brutal poetry about good old Ragnar. The thing about battle poetry in particular is that it kind of makes death metal lyrics look like kiddy songs. They can tell the most horrible things in the most beautiful way, it’s very fascinating and inspiring. The most famous poem about good old Ragnar is from a time where he was captured in northern England (spoiler alert) and thrown into a snake pit. Of course, being the brave Norseman he is, he finds it appropriate to do some poetry; as one does. That’s a good thing because we have this beautiful poem I’m going to sing for you, it’s Krakumal; Snake Pit Poetry”.

A third and final standing ovation ends tonight’s celebration of history a journey of sorts in time travel. Einar Selvik simply says good night with the words “Until next time”.

As you may have grasped by my words this was an experience and one that cannot be truly justified in words. It’s something you must see, feel and experience to take away a full appreciation of what has been this two-hour long journey. It has been nothing short of a spellbinding journey into the past, perfectly preserved and re-imagined for today.

Whatever you do, do not miss Wardruna live. Drop whatever you are doing and grab a ticket and hopefully I the not-too-distant future we will see them on our shores again. Until then check out the bands catalogue.

Setlist :
Kvitravn
Hertan
Skugge
Heimtas Thurs
Runaljod
Lyfjaberg
Voluspa
Tyr
Isa
Himinndotter
Fehu

Encores :
Helvegen
Krakumal (Snake Pit Poetry)

With thanks to Maric Media for the accreditation
All images credit : Shot by Slaidins Photography

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