Not terribly exciting! Not what you were hoping for! You didn't ask for it! You won't enjoy it! But since there's no-one else to do it, here it is: My review of the Fourth Annual Nordic Roots Festival! You lucky bastards, you.

So, I went to the NRF this weekend. It was a smaller than usual festival this year, and all the concerts were at the Cedar Cultural Center on the West Bank. Like last year, I bought a festival pass, which (usually) got me into all the concerts 15 minutes before the general public. I had the same great seat for every concert, right up front and on the aisle. Getting that seat meant that I arrived sometimes more than three hours early to wait in line, but it was worth it.

The first "concert," on Friday, was a Nordic dance instruction thing that really didn't interest me, and I didn't attend. Instead, I picked up my festival pass (a non-removable wristband), bought a ticket to an Anouar Brahem concert (which was tonight, 9-25-02, and was great), and had lunch (goat meat) at a local Somali/Middle Eastern restaurant. Then I got in line for the Ellika Frisell/Väsen concert.

The NRF was once again emceed by Nick Lethert. I'd link to his site again, but it seems to not be there. Anyway, he was great, as usual. The Greek food served tonight was alright, too. But I had no idea that was supposed to be baba ghanouj...

Fiddler Ellika Frisell was on first. She played solo, and very well. I really don't remember much about this concert. It was a little too mellow and I was a little too hyper. But it was good. Some dancers came out for one song, and I tried not to laugh at them, because I'm sure that they are nice people.

The second (and last) concert on Friday was Väsen, who can kind of suck on cd, but are gods live, and funny as Hell. They were without percussionist Andre Ferrari this time, as he refuses to fly since 9/11, the wuss. So it was Olov Johansson on nyckelharpa, Mikael Marin on viola, and Roger Tallroth on guitar, with no replacement for Ferrari, and none needed. They were friggin' wonderful as a trio, and this was probably my second-favourite Väsen show ever. Well, I still suck at properly describing music in words, but I have some beautiful images in my head of their live shows that I'd show you, if I could. If you want to hear a great Väsen album, but their "Live at the NRF" one. I'm even on it (clapping). :)

The next day started with more Somali food, and continued with Harv in the afternoon, the single afternoon show. I had only seen one complete Harv concert, back when it was only Magnus Stinnerbom and Daniel Sandén-Warg, who seemed at the time to just be sort of dicking around with their instruments, but in a good way. Last year, they'd added a guitarist, David Tallroth, and this year they had a drummer, Christian Svensson, who like Magnus is also a member of Hedningarna. They have really improved since the 2000 NRF, and I agree with one person who described them as a sort of "junior Väsen." I'm still kicking myself for forgetting to pick up their new album, not available otherwise until next month.

Since it was Saturday, and parking is free in the nearby ramp if you leave after midnight or so, I stayed in town until the evening shows. Mexican food at the Cedar tonight. Swell.

Tonight was the night I'd been waiting for since... last year: The Hurdy Gurdy Project and Garmarna. The HGP played first. Like last year, two guys (Stefan Brisland-Ferner of Garmarna and Totte Mattsson of Hedningarna) making incredible music with their souped-up hurdy-gurdys. They also had another guy this time, but I forget his name. I guess he was some sort of percussionist, but he was wearing a vinyl trousers and a see-through shirt, and I could see his nipples; I tried not to look. Otherwise, it was much like last year, last year being one of the best concerts of my life.

Then, Garmarna. They are the first modern Nordic band I ever listened to, and they are still my favourite. But I have to admit: I am so, so, so very tired of the Hildegard von Bingen stuff. I saw them perform it in a church, a few years ago. That was great, but it's time to move on. I just can't take another song in Latin about Jesus, even when sung with Emma's voice.

So, of course, the first 1/3rd of the show was H-von-B material. The remaining 2/3rds were what I was there for, however, and I soon forgot about the God-stuff: Den Bortsålda, Herr Mannelig, Vänner och Fränder, and Klevabergselden (GREAT live), among others. And Rickard Westman's guitar didn't even break when it fell off the stage. What more could you ask for?

Hedningarna, that's what. They were replacing Sami performer Mari Boine on the final day. Ms.Boine was on a waiting list for a gall-bladder operation, and couldn't leave the country, as her turn under the knife had arrived. So I was excited when I woke up Sunday, since I'm not a huge fan of her, and such a huge one of Hedningarna (yeah, I'm selfish, but since her illness was nothing life threatening, I'm not quite a bastard).

So I arrived once again on the West Bank, parked my car in the ramp, since it was free today, and got in line for the afternoon show: the Helsinki Mandoliners. They are an old fashioned Finnish mandolin orchestra, made up of members of JPP and Aldargaz. They were very good, though the concert probably had the lowest attendance of the NRF, perhaps due to the uncool image of Finnish mandolin orchestras. That's a shame, because they were probably one of the most talented groups there. Even with the poor attendance, Arto Järvelä said that they are much more popular here than in Helsinki, and have performed three times as many shows here. (They have performed a total of three shows in Minneapolis) And Tapani Varis played a godly Jew's harp solo...

So, then more Somali food, more walking around Minneapolis, and more waiting in line.

Then it was time for Wimme, and Indian food, at the Cedar. Now, I've always been fond of Wimme. The first time I saw him, I was blown away. The second, I was slightly disappointed, as his performance was almost identical to the first, and felt scripted. Still, I've kept a warm, reindeer-furry spot in my heart for him since. Until Sunday evening. Wimme, joiking, "accompanied" by various electronic noises and a man on a chair, who occaisionally would pluck a single ukelele string. The music was minimal to the point of being nonexistent, and I struggled to stay awake. It picked up after "Texas," which has long been my favourite Wimme song, but it wasn't enough to make up for the rest. The only disappointment of the NRF for me.

I put Wimme behind me, and it was time for Hedningarna. They never suck, of course, and they were a great choice to close out the NRF. Unlike last year, they had two great Finnish singers: Liisa Matveinen and early-Hedningarna vocalist Tellu Virkkala, sporting unexplained bandages on both hands and wrists. They reminded me of everthing I once loved about Värttinä, back before they became the Finnish Spice Girls. Everything was perfect, and Wimme made an appearance during one of the encores, which was cool. I guess my only complaint would be: Not enough säckpipa. :)

So, then I went home, eventually cutting off my festival pass and returning to normal life.

---Lepus Rex