Svavar Knútur – Schlachtgarten, Krefeld; July 20th, 2022
Svavar Knútur’s concert in Krefeld was a spontaneous one for me. Until that morning I hadn’t even known he was playing in my area. It was a great one overall, taking place at a rather nice location and bringing some songs I had never heard him play before. Lights, sound, staff and audience were all great too so I had a wonderful evening.
In the morning I had bought a ticket for ‘Doors (No exit)’ the play that Svavar has a part in at Theater Gütersloh and then checked his website for tour dates. Until then, none of the dates had fit for me and suddenly there it was: Krefeld, July 20th – “Wait! That is tonight!”. i checked train connections and immediately decided to go. Fast forward a few hours and I arrived at Schlachtgarten, before Svavar even got there – his train was delayed. Grabbed drinks, found a seat, talked with other guests, greeted Svavar as he arrived and listened to souncheck – all good ways to pass the time.
Sooner than expected the organizer greeted us and announced the concert, telling us how great last year’s concert had been. Svavar stepped on stage, grabbed his guitar and told us that this concert was part of awakening from the post-Covid coma. He started with an Icelandic lullaby based on a poem by Halldór Laxness called ‘Hvert örstutt spor’ and explained that it was his son’s favorite. it was a soft and sweet melody, perfect to ease us into the concert.
He said he’d be playing all sorts of song during the night and continued with one of his earlier songs called ‘Dansa’ about getting up and starting to move again after trauma and face life. It felt right when he said that this wasn’t easy and it as OK to admit to that. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him play that song before. 🙂 After the somber start we were all laughing when he joked that Covid was worse than having a bit of popcorn stuck between your teeth.
We got ‘Brot’ next and I as already smiling happily. It is one of my favorite songs. <3 After all the Icelandic songs, he wanted to play something in English and settled on ‘Clementine’ and we got to sing along to the “lalala”-Part. I felt right at home. Then Svavar told us some Icelandic history and gave us a lesson on cultural differences.
He explained hat he only writes nice breakup songs, because there is a reason for having been together. He turned it into a joke about Taylor Swift writing songs about how bad her ex was. Of course he sang all of that, making up a song on the spot. 😉 Dude, you didn’t have to look all the way to the US to find someone who writes angry breakup songs *cough* just listen to Ragnar Ólafsson’s ‘Urges’ *cough* (yes, they know each other). Anyway, I understand the sentiment that one might take something good from a relationship that has ended. The song he played was ‘Hard Times’ and I loved it.
Proudly Svavar told about never getting into a fight and his special way of avoiding them. Beer plays an important role there. The Smiths’ ‘There’s a light that never goes out’ another song I’ve never heard him play and an amazing one. It was such a surprising setlist so far. The last song before the break was ‘November’, because he was longing for cooler weather when there is space for creation in the darkness. I had been hoping he would play this, it’s another one of my favorites.
During the break I went and talked to Svavar for a bit. He wanted to know if I had any requests so I asked for ‘Lady Winter’ and told him the setlist was great so far. Also spent some time chatting with K., who sat next to me and offered me a ride for after the show. 🙂
Soon he was back on stage, already making us laugh again by explaining what the real way to a man’s heart is. 😀 Next was ‘Januar’ the song about the month that brings back the light. Svavar spoke about the Icelandic language and how every language has unique colors and melodies. One example was how the ocean is used as a metaphor for loss and grief in Icelandic, but in German it’s mountains or forests. Somehow that lead to jokes about Danish people and finally a song about birch trees, ‘Undir Birkitré’ and another sing along. 🙂
‘Emotional Anorexic’ was next and for the first time in a long time it didn’t make me cry. <3 It always moves me so I love to hear it. He picked up his ukulele and played ‘Baby would you marry me?’.
Svavar told us how he always has to write from his own perspective and spoke about writing songs about refugees and how Icelanders as well as Irish people fled from hunger. He played ‘Lady Winter’ about Icelandic Refugees and then ‘Hope and Fortune’ the song he wrote with Irish Mythen, where Irish and Icelandic refugees compare stories. <3
The ukulele was back for ‘Girl form Vancouver’ and he mentioned that he wrote it about two different girls. 😀 We had arrived at the last song, the song about a Raven. Svavar offered to play more if we got one more drink to help out the venue.
The Encore started with A Jeff Lynne song called ‘Mr. Blue Sky’, which he declared his “Fuck you Covid song” – it was very fitting indeed. 😀 He continued with Johannes Brahms’ ‘In stiller Nacht’ and it was beautiful. After more cheering he added ABBA’s ‘When all is said and done’ and there could not have been a better ending. What a lovely night that was!
I went and hugged Svavar goodbye, then K. gave me a lift to Mühlheim. We had a nice evening, hope to see you soon.
Setlist
Hvert örstutt spor
Dansa
Brot
Clementine
Hard Times
There’s a light that never goes out (The Smiths)
November
Janúar
Undir Birkitré
Emotional Anorexic
Baby, would you marry me?
Lady Winter
Hope and Fortune
Girl from Vancouver
Krummi Svaf í Klettagjá
Mr. Blue Sky (Jeff Lynne)
In stiller Nacht (Brahms)
When all is said and done (ABBA)