11 November 2011 (gig)
19 November 2011
There aren’t many fans like Ane Brun fans. Stepping into a sold out Scala is a bit like walking into a private members club; should I be here? Am I welcome? What’s the price? Amongst the pre-show chatter, I soon realise that the answer is yes, yes, and brief conversation; everyone wants to talk to me about Ane. ‘Maybe this is the initiation into the cool club’ I think as a complete stranger briefs me on why Ane is so great to watch live. It turns out that I didn’t need briefing, 60 seconds in and I’m totally sold.
Sweeping across the stage in a cloak, the mysteriously clad Brun starts her set of, predominantly, songs from her new album, It All Starts With One. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the show did ‘start with’ One; the choppy, piano lead creeper that marched it’s way across the interior of Scala with fervour and impenetrable density. A few tracks in and Brun removes the hood that obscured her face, to reveal the white blonde locks and dazzling blue eyes she is known for; her beautiful voice all the more haunting now you can see the face that matches it.
Golden, glowing light bulbs hang, strung together, seemingly haphazardly thrown across a linen backdrop. Then, large yellowy lamps illuminate the stage with a celestial radiation that beams warmth and deliverance into the crowd, particularly as bodies, moved by the music, sway back and forth to the sound of Ane’s acoustic guitar, as well as the contributions from the two exceptional drummers and keyboardists, and the cello and vocal excellence of support-act-come-backing-singer Linnea Olsson.
As the ‘thrown together’ stage props light up the platform with hues of red, green and yellow - an elegant and tasteful interpretation of a light display - Brun sings Words, What’s Happening With You and Him, and Worship, all of the above sung with note perfect precision and an energy that caresses every pair of ears in the building – I catch someone saying “she even sounds amazing in the bar downstairs, and that’s not even in the main performance space”.
However, it wasn’t just Ane Brun whose vocals impressed. Linnea Olsson and Brun’s other instrumentalists that contribute backing vocals sound absolutely exquisite on the track These Days; the striking, almost militant harmonies echo through the room; a breathtakingly stunning performance, and definitely a highlight of the evening.
As if that wasn’t delightful enough, the crowd lent their lungs on Brun’s moving rendition of Oh Love, seemingly the mandatory ‘sing-a-long’ section of the night. Brun prompts the enthusiastic audience into singing alternate lines with her. The sound of the thousand-strong audience chanting the line ‘go on, believe’ swells and choruses with poignancy, I imagine they all have their eyes closed too. The Light From One proves to be equally as moving with an unforgettable crescendo of layered harmonies sung by members of Brun’s band, who each stand at attention to touch the crowd with their voices.
The climax, and undoubted high point of the evening is the semi-finale, which is the up-tempo, worldly, ‘Clapping Song’ style procession of Do You Remember. It acts as, not only a pre-outro for the night, but a triumphant celebration of all that is loved and luxe about Ane Brun’s exceptional music. Live or other, it has the ability to simultaneously touch and entertain, whilst remaining subtle, classy, and of course memorable. Watching the smiling, awe inspired faces filter out of Scala, not only do I feel a part of the ‘those that have been touched by Brun’ club, but I want the T-shirt too; ‘It All Starts With Brun’ should suffice.
