Heilung & Eivør - Apollo, Manchester (21/4/25)

Another O2 venue and another massive queue to get in which means that I miss most of Eivør's set but what I do see is pretty magical. It isn't dissimilar to tonight's headliners but they probably remind me of a more ambient Gåte. Eivør's vocals are strong yet haunting and they give the material an ethereal quality. They get a rapturous response from the audience although that isn't really a surprise. They have more electronic elements than the likes of Heilung or Wardruna and this gives them a more modern sound.

Heilung's opening ceremony sees a couple of band members purifying the stage. It should be a solemn occasion and a time for reflection so the whooping and hollering from the crowd is very irritating. All the performers gather in a circle and the shamen figure recites some lines which acts as a call and response both for the performers on stage and the crowd. It seems like a pagan version of the Nicene Creed which is apt because it feels very spiritual. The opener 'In Maidjan' is extremely tribal and when all the voices (there's about thirty in total) join in together it is awesome. 'Norupo' features haunting vocals from the horned Maria Franz and a pounding beat which sounds like the P.A.G.A.N. gathering in 'Dragnet'. 'Alfadhirhaiti' sees the warriors out in full force responding to the croaked vocals in a call to arms which results in an awesome wardance. The stage looks like a woodland grove and the whole performance feels like a midnight pagan ritual, the kind of thing that would have given Matthew Hopkins fits had he stumbled upon it. The atmospheric 'Asja' is incredible, enhanced by the choreographed movements of the warriors. The multi-part harmonies of 'Svanrand' are amazing. 'Urbani' has the feel of a Maori haka. 'Tenet' is haunting and mournful, with the female singers graceful movements adding to the spectacle. 'Othan's choral sensibilities give it the feel of Ulver's 'Kveldssanger'. 'Anoana' is haunting tribal folk which you feel in every atom of your body. 'Nikkal' sounds absolutely angelic. 'Hamrer Hippyer' is dramatic, epic and raucous, and it builds to an absolute frenzy. Another cleansing ceremony closes the show. This is not a gig. It is a ritual. It is a performance. It is a show. It is theatre. It is art. It is all the things which go beyond mere gigs and just music.

Heilung *****

Eivør ****