Grand Final at Hellstrom first evening – Swedish Dagbladet

Concert

Hakan Hellstrom

Ullevi

the artist Håkan Hellström appeared at New Ullevi stage in front of 70,000 fans on Saturday. Photo: Adam Ihse / TT

E n young Håkan Hellström once said: “This is what I see when I look out the window every morning, Nya Ullevi Stadium. It’s like that encouraging, a concrete behemoth that is not so very fine “quote comes from an adorable little clip, filmed in Hell’s dorm room of 25 square meters – where the interior mainly consists of a palm tree whose best days have passed long ago. In the same interview is Hellstrom also convinced that he, who just released his first songs, never ever touch someone outside his hometown with his music.

Fifteen years later it does not feel the least bit strange Håkan Hellström plays in that gigantic cement colossus – not one, but two nights in a row. to the eternal underdog as Hakan Hellstrom’s artistic persona dress our innermost thoughts and feelings into words – regardless of our age, gender, class background, or if we come from city ​​or country – do not wonder that the fans make pilgrimages from all over the kingdom and that Håkan once again beat the Swedish record for the maximum number of visitors to a concert (70 091 on Saturday, how many there will be on Sunday remains to be seen).

for violin and trumpet march as Gothenburg Son and his band in to initiate the three-hour concert with “We two, 17″. Throughout the evening will låtvalen be a perfect balanced mix of older and newer favorites, but we may not hear some samples from the album is scheduled for release in the fall – but the songs are already available with the latest ep. Over the guitar mats violates the sampled voices in that usually initiate “Uppsnärjd of the blue”, but rather dancing Hakan front of the bridge that winds out in the audience for “River a beautiful dream.” Also on stage is also LaGaylia Frazier – who sang with Hakan on his gigs in New York last week – and whose wailande give it, and several of the evening’s songs a completely different setting. Unfortunately, the sound in the stadium lot to be desired and many of Hakan’s little stories between the songs are not audible at all – although I understand that he, in typical Hakan mannerisms, compare their own trip with David’s battle with Goliath and displays photos of himself from primary school.

the Eiffel Tower, cloud and metro stations pass by on the scene when the monumental “I have been in all the cities” begins with the harmonica, which also results in tonight’s first spontaneous sing-along. “Gårdakvarnar och skit” becomes Hellstrom tribute to recently deceased friend Freddie Wadling, who also visited Hakan Ullevi Operations in 2014. In the slide show that holds all that we have learned to Hakan hold dear – GAIS, gulls, Morrissey and his old band Broder Daniel – so get Wadling place of honor among the fallen heroes who Olle Ljungström, Monica Zetterlund and Ted Gärdestad. And during the “Faith and doubt” it becomes clear that Hellstrom found their own saxophonist Clarence Clemons in Nils Berg. After Sven-Bertil Taube been duet partner during “Too late for Edelweiss”, the evening’s other guest, Miriam Bryant, to the deafening cheers. Together, they make a solid version of “This is how I say it,” where the end turns weaving lines taken from everything from “Islands in the Stream” to “For the sake of love.”

Halfway through the concert kick Hakan its available body along the narrow time that suddenly lit up like a runway. With the smile yellow circles which now scrolls across the screens during the “Country Club” and Frazier wailande suddenly feels like a backing band Happy Mondays in a ultra-popular The Hacienda, where everyone is invited. And during all strulpellars anthem, “Falling”, costing Hellstrom on a new dance that is to smoke an imaginary joint, put it out with his foot and finish with the pirouette.

When we think they emotionally tumultuous hours come to the right, so do Seinabo Sey its entrance and let his mighty voice be heard in “Freedom in the end.” When it is followed up by “Feel no sorrow for me Göteborg” and “It will never be over for me” mixed the euphoric mood with konfettiflarnen swirling in the air, while the closing “You’re almost there” does what it should and carefully attach their barbs in the solar plexus. It’s just that it does not end here, but it gets another number. Håkan Hellström stands alone and give us “Now you can get me so easily” while a full symphony orchestra appears behind him – one more grand finale on a night like this just can not be possible.