ANNLAUG BØRSHEIM – Bergen – 13.09.2025

VENUE: Statsraaden Bar & Reception
DATE: 13.09.2025
ORGANIZER: Apollon Records / Statsraaden Bar & Reception
PHOTOGRAPHER: J. Nepper

Following the release of Annlaug Børsheim’s phenomenal Spring Før Sola Står Opp via Apollon Records roughly a week ago, we had the great pleasure and privilege of attending her appearance at the highly appealing little venue known as Statsraaden Bar & Reception. With her fellow three accomplished musicians in tow, she walked on stage at approximately ten minutes past 9 PM and played for an hour and fifteen minutes without ever losing momentum or focus. Rarely has such a unique combination of Americana, jazz, folk music, singer-songwriter, and unadulterated melancholy been so skillfully fused as it was last night (and on the aforementioned LP, obviously).

A substantial and significant chunk of the new album was represented in the setlist and sounded positively vibrant and muscular yet just as dynamic and full of nuances as one could have hoped for. The compositions were arguably even more emotionally charged than their studio counterparts, which is saying something. The interplay between the four musicians showed class, sophistication, and perfectly honed intuition, and one could only marvel at how deftly executed those live renditions of Annlaug’s hauntingly beautiful, subtly dramatic, and life-affirming songs were. The audience was present and completely in sync with the tones and melodies that emanated from the stage, swaying back and forth to the underlying pulse of the material. The Intimate and cozy vibe of Statsraaden Bar & Reception simply made this a brilliant and highly suitable venue for a gig of this particular nature. As I write this, I am finding it hard to list any specific highlights or standout moments, but that comes down to the fact that the entire concert was so cohesive and immersive from beginning to end, not just musically or in terms of the actual quality of the tracks, but with respect to the all-consuming atmosphere of the event as well. Having said that, there is simply no way around the fact that “Abelone,” “Spring,” “Støvet som Glitrar og Gror,” “På Vei til Deg,” “Dagar,” and “Med Sorg og Salte Tårer” reached stratospheric heights and transported this scribe elsewhere. I had the pleasure of standing right next to the incredibly cool and friendly Robin Mortensen (Apollon Records) during the show, and when the last few notes had died away, we merely looked at each other and uttered the word “magical.”

Did I tell you that Annlaug has an abundance of charm and charisma and that she really knows how to address a crowd and make them feel at one with the moving, reflective, and evocative songs? She has all that stuff down to a tee. She is essentially telling stories, often about remarkable real-life people from small villages and communities who led interesting lives, which is where the folk rock element partly comes into play. Do yourself a favor and invest your time properly in her rich and inspired song material.    

A mesmerizing performance and an utterly unforgettable night in the company of one of the finest Norwegian ensembles out there. 

https://annlaugb.bandcamp.com/album/spring-f-r-sola-st-r-opp