2Progi, Poznan & Hydrozagadka, Warsaw, Poland8th & 9th June 2024
Kælan Mikla & Support: Moriah Woods
“Ladies of the Cold” on tour in Europe. Three final KÆLAN MIKLA concerts ahead! June was a busy month for the Icelandic Post-Punk trio. During an intensive tour, besides Scandinavia, the artists have visited e.g. France, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Greece. The final concerts will take place: 27 June in Brussels, 28 Jun in Mainz and 29 June in Lärz during the Fusion Festival. We have attended two magical concerts in Poland
The artists were invited to the picturesque country, situated between the Baltic Sea and a monumental chain of mountains, by the organiser Winiary Bookings. This was not their first performance in Poland - they had the opportunity to play, i.e. in 2022 at the Castle Party in Bolkow - the biggest Gothic festival in Central-Eastern Europe (the next festival is already 11–14 July. More info: Castle Party Festival). “Ladies of the Cold”, as the band’s name can be freely translated, played in two clubs famous for their excellent organisation: on 8.06 at 2Progi Poznan and on 9.06 in Hydrozagadka, in a picturesque historical district Stara Praga in Warsaw. Both concerts began with support acts, including a performance by MORIAH WOODS, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from the USA, who now resides in Poland.
Moriah Woods
When MORIAH WOODS took the stage, silence fell for a moment. And then the tunes, a combination of lyrical folk and electronica, pierced through the gloom-shrouded halls, bringing a mystical aura to the clubs. Those who hadn’t had the chance to hear MORIAH before, like in a trance absorbed the music with their eyes closed. She left the stage, leaving a feeling of wanting more, but this friendly woman, who bravely speaks about her neurodivergence, found time to talk to the audience.
Kælan Mikla
After a moment’s pause, the three ladies from KÆLAN MIKLA took to the stage. The smiles on their faces contrasted with the characteristic black tears painted on their faces. In the darkness, illuminated only by visuals on the screen and symbolic lighting, applause echoed. The magic had begun. Alongside fan favourites such as ‘Kalt’, ‘Draumadís’ and ‘Næturblóm’, the girls played the ethereal ‘Sírenur’, ‘Stormurinn’ or the electrifying ‘Andvaka’. Both in Poznan and Warsaw, the setlist included songs from their latest album ‘Undir Köldum Norðurljósum’, which could be bought at the merch stand. It was getting crowded in front of the stage, as witchy vocals captivated the audience. Beautiful people lost themselves in a dance, following the example of singer Laufey, who “cast a spell” on the listeners in her own magical dance.
Next songs presented by the trio from Reykjavík passed quickly; the atmosphere one went quite wild, when in Warsaw singer Laufey called out to the audience: “Are there any witches here?”, which was met with loud ovation. “Witches play with the shadows smile, they bathe in a shower of blood soar, dressed only in moonlight,” sang dancing participants to the song ‘Nornalagið’ (literally: ‘Witch’s song’). Interestingly, although Laufey claims, that she does not traditionally practice magic, she admits that she takes inspiration from Icelandic history and “witch” hunts. The restless, dark ‘Nótt Eftir Nótt’, which also featured in the trio’s setlist, can serve as another example. The song is about drowning in an endless, dreamy black hole - a reference to Drekkingarhylur, the famous drowning pool in Thingvellir National Park, where accused and persecuted women were sentenced to death.
As the star of the evening, KÆLAN MIKLA showed what the essence of modern Darkwave is. Poetic lyrics, shudder-piercing vocals in their native tongue, intense synths... Above all, however, the immense talent that made the band, which was formed in 2013 for a poetry competition, spread its wings to become one of Robert Smith’s favourite bands.
Setlist
01. Kælan Mikla
02. Stormurinn
03. Draumadís
04. Andvaka
05. Örlögin
06. Kalt
07. Sírenur
08. Svört augu
09. Nótt eftir nótt
10. Hvernig kemst ég upp?
11. Næturblóm
12. Ósýnileg
13. Sólstöður
14. Hvítir Sandar
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15. Nornalagið
All Pictures by Magda Zubrycka
