FUNERAL – live with new lineup
- Posted on 06-06-2023
A Wednesday summer afternoon in an Oslo packed of extra security due some upcoming fancy summits with important people was also the afternoon when Funeral has invited a handful of -less fancy or important- people to their live ‘test press’ of the new lineup. It took place at Pakkhuset, in collaboration with the company Minnuendo which is connected to one of the band members and which seems to have very interesting and innovative products related to ear protection. So if you had enough of long beeping after live events, you could see if their experience has produced something for you to enjoy older age without hearing aids.
Anyway, I haven’t gotten to test the products so won’t make a post about them, but we got told few words about the company and their earplugs prior to the concert’s start, so I thought to mention for those looking for alternatives.
The attendees were offered a very nice reception altogether and overall, I was having mixed feelings when I realized the stage and the setting has absolutely nothing to do with the atmosphere of a band like Funeral, whom I last saw performing in a church with funeral wreaths around the drumkit. Now it was daylight and a white projector screen in the background and people dressed in summer clothes. And then Funeral band members came on stage dressed in all dark clothes. It all started with question marks.
However, they lasted until the vocalist started singing. I was sold. I don’t know the band’s music by heart, nor their band member’s history, I generally listened to it with joy (heh) and curiosity along the years, more recently because of the event at Jacob Kirke in Oslo last year. But once Eirik P. Krokfjord put his baritone trained voice to work, it just felt like yes, this is correct and it’s exactly how it should be. I loved it instantly! And the daylight and everything that was ‘out of place’ played no longer a role. It became a real doom concert.
The venue and speakers and such were not really built for a metal concert, but then again, I’ve attended metal concerts with worse sound. So it didn’t make the band injustice, you could actually get a nice vibe out of each instrument and I think the sound guy really found a good way to make the violin/voice and voice/voice collaborations sound wonderful. Now one can only wish to hear them with the acoustic of a church.
The bass player put his multi-instrumentalist skills to work by adding deep atmospheric keys at times and we were treated to a nice surprise-guest who accompanied the last song with flute sounds. It all felt right and at home, especially for a first gig together, but I think everyone on stage has managed to bring up their experience and level of professionalism and put it to good use. Now it’s all a matter of waiting with excitement for the coming album and meanwhile, enjoy the photos from the show.
Full photo gallery here