Second Day of NIBE Festival Delivers Magical Music and Unforgettable Performances
|Following an impressive opening day, the second day of the NIBE Festival was a true celebration of music and culture. The festival grounds buzzed with energy as thousands of music lovers gathered to enjoy a diverse lineup of artists and bands. With a mix of emerging talents and established names, this day we were promised to be another unforgettable experience. The sun shone brightly, and the atmosphere was jubilant as the audience prepared for a day filled with magical moments and memorable performances.
Mumle
Upcoming Danish musician Mumle gave a concert on the Reservatet stage at the Nibe Festival that will be remembered for its closeness and profound emotional impact. Mumle gave off the impression of being a little hesitant, but this was soon overpowered by her amazing presence and voice, which drew in the audience from the very first note. Mumle’s gentle yet powerful vocals filled the small auditorium and created a lovely ambience, making the event a delightful experience. Mumle’s genuine and vulnerable style added to the calm yet intense electricity in the air and the evident engagement of the audience.
The Reserve was packed, which is evidence of Mumle’s talent for drawing a devoted following. She was able to establish a close relationship with her audience, and the concert was clearly of the highest calibre. Mumle gave a touching and passionate performance that included a mix of new and old songs. Mumle’s performance at the Nibe Festival was an amazing experience all around. Her distinct demeanour and vocal prowess guaranteed a night when the music was the main attraction. A performer who, despite her seeming shyness, put on a memorable and intimate show. (Renée Karen Holmsgaard Hansen)
Suspekt
Suspekt is probably among the Danish hip-hop groups that are most well-known and still going strong after all these years. Known for being dark, provocative, and with a heavy melancholic sound, they’ve been a stable of Danish rap and hip-hop since the late 90’s. They’re also a recurring staple at the Nibe festival, this being their 16th year in a row. This is music from when I was a teenager, so I was surprised to see the amount of younger people, many of whom were wearing graduation hats, at the show, singing along to Suspekts raunchy lyrics in songs like “Prima Nocte” and “Sut den op fra slap”. I’ll leave all of you to look up what that last one means to you.
But despite being a controversial group, to say the least, Suspekt has managed to stay relevant and up-to-date for the last 30-something years. Hell, they even incorporated the current internet phenomenon, the ‘hawk tuah’ girls soundbite into their song “Vil du med ud og se min pik”. And people still love them to bits, chanting their name, screaming along lines that you can’t say in polite company. The stage show is impressive as well. There’s a platform on stage from which they have a lady in a 5-meter-long dress reaching the floor, dancing along for a few numbers before a 10-person dance crew joins them instead. At first, they’re just your typical backup dancers, but for one of the more raunchy tracks, they lose the shirts and later change into dog masks and finally army gear. And they aren’t the only ones doing costume changes throughout the show. Emil Simonson, also known as Orgi-E, is sporting short shorts and an open shirt which he later loses, then a hooded robe and finally a fur coat.
The music itself is just as great as I remember it, and the group has in no way lost its edge. They have a pretty big variety of songs from the last many years, and even play something upcoming, a parody song centred around another Danish band, Aqua, who you’ll probably know best for their hit, “Barbie Girl”.
I’m just thankful they played one of the absolute anthems from back in the day, “Proletar”, a song about the struggles of working-class people. This has by far been my favourite show at the festival so far, and I implore anyone, Danish or otherwise, to check them out if they haven’t already. (Mark Vilstrup Pedersen)
Saint Clara
Saint Clara electrified the audience with an incredible concert at Blå Scene (Blue stage) during the Nibe Festival. She was ablaze from the moment she took the stage. She produced an exciting and captivating mood that quickly spread among the attendees, accompanied by an incredible dancing ensemble. Blå Scene was jam-packed, demonstrating that Saint Clara had a sizable following of people who came to hear her perform live. She sounded just like her recordings, and her performance was nothing short of spectacular. She sang her songs with passion and accuracy.
This exceptional trait demonstrates her skill and professionalism. There were many moments throughout the show where the dancing and music blended flawlessly. There was never a dull moment, and the audience was enthralled. Saint Clara was able to create memories that the attendees will treasure by engaging the crowd in a way that left a lasting impression. All in all, Saint Clara gave an amazing performance that highlighted her talents. We are sure to hear and see more from her in the future after her performance at the Nibe Festival solidified her status as one of Denmark’s most promising performers. (Renée Karen Holmsgaard Hansen)
Ronan Keating
What a fantastic time with Ronan Keating at the Nibe Festival! I was hoping for a solid presentation, but Ronan’s tremendous energy and moving performance just won me over. There was energy in the air from the time he took the stage. His voice was incredible; it hit every note precisely and infused every song with so much emotion. When Ronan mentioned that he always takes the Boyzone torch on stage with him, it was one of the most heartwarming moments. The audience went crazy when he interjected a few Boyzone songs into the lovely tribute! It seemed like a beautiful homage to the past that was also a celebration of his amazing solo career.
The weather seemed promising at the beginning of the show, but Ronan jinxed it by remarking, ‘I’m crossing my fingers this weather holds.’ We experienced a strong downpour for twenty minutes straight after he mentioned it! The interesting thing is that not a single spirit was crushed. Hit after hit was sung by the incredible audience, who maintained a high level of intensity. It was a real testimonial to Ronan’s ability to stay in touch with his audience and maintain the show’s momentum during difficult times. The performance was awe-inspiring even with the rain. It was an afternoon to remember because of Ronan’s genuine performance and his rapport with the crowd. (Renée Karen Holmsgaard Hansen)
Magtens Korridorer
Despite being a pretty huge band in Denmark’s rock scene, Magtens Korridorer (Corridors of Power), didn’t play the big stage this year. That didn’t keep them from gathering quite the crowd though, and the circus-sized tent which housed the stage, was filled to the point that people were overflowing, watching from outside as well. Just like Suspekt, there’s a certain level of melancholy in their musical style and lyrics, their lyrics often being both poetic and straightforward. The themes are likewise often about everyday life, love and social critique.
The music is hard rock, with heavy bass, rhythmic drums and some powerful guitar riffs, especially during their biggest hit, “Lorte Parforhold” (Shitty Relationships) which they waited until almost the very end to play, which I think was pretty smart with this crowd, as some were there just for that one song. Some of their tracks are quite slow and heavy for a rock band, like their hit song ‘Nordhavn Station’, and lead singer Johan Olsen has a deep and gritty voice, which fits the genre perfectly. They’re a charismatic bunch of guys, and people were clapping and singing along, even the police patrolling the area stopped and listened in, giving out a few hugs to drunk and happy guests caught in the atmosphere. Magtens Korridorer is quite well known in our country, maybe even a bit of a national treasure, and when they were called back for encores, they ended on the soulful tune “Giv mig en dag” (Give me one day), which was perfectly fitting for a finale. (Mark Vilstrup Pedersen)
Photo’s (c) Morten Holmsgaard Kristensen