LIVE REVIEW: Faun, Pettersson and Fredriksson, /FORM Space, Cluj-Napoca, 03/12/2024
It’s a cold December night outside, with temperatures nearing the freezing point, but that doesn’t stop concert goers in Cluj-Napoca from venturing out of their homes, as their mission for this night is to reach the ever familiar halls of /FORM Space. The reason in this case is not the usual nostalgia and dance filled party, but instead people are here to witness the first headlining show by Faun in this part of Romania.
Starting the night off around 8:30 PM were the Swedish folk duo known as Pettersson & Fredriksson. The two musicians, who share the first name Daniel, proceeded to treat the crowd to some traditional Swedish folk tunes, using a combination of a Nordic mandola, lute, and keyed fiddle, or ‘nyckelharpa’, as the duo explain to those in attendance. Throughout their performance, one thing quickly makes itself clear, namely the chemistry and prowess shared by the pair of Daniels, who have been playing together since high school. It’s not something you see every day, and it’s reflected in how well the two complement each other, even when improvising to continue a track. Though we would’ve loved to see more of them, and perhaps their percussionist Magnus Lundmark, whose absence was felt on this tour, the short set that Petersson & Fredriksson treated us to was a tranquil and enjoyable start to our night. 8.5/10
A short break later, the stage has been prepped, and it’s time for some German pagan folk, as the lights dim and Faun take to the stage, launching directly into Baldur. It doesn’t take long for their music to enchant the people of /FORM Space, as everyone quickly starts clapping along to the rhythm of the song, with Adaya De Baïracli Levy unleashing her bagpipe skills. Diese kalte Nacht and Alba are the next two songs, as the band venture further back into their discography, setting up a soothing atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
As the night progresses, the quintet continue to explore their catalogue of songs and enchant the audience through their performance, with Walpurgisnacht prompting some interaction from their fans, while Blaue Stunde lets Stephan Groth showcase both his vocals and his melodious hurdy gurdy playing, as he graces us with a solo before flowing into the song. Yes, you read ‘quintet’ right earlier. As frontman Oliver S. Tyr shortly explains, their singer Laura Fella is absent from this current tour, spending this time off with her family following the birth of their fourth child, an announcement that is met with many cheers from within the audience.
Further into their set, the German pagan-folk musicians invite openers Petterson & Fredriksson onstage, and, now totalling seven members, the group offers us a new rendition of Iduna, Wind und Geige, and a new track titled Elfenberg. The Swedish duo’s presence, coupled with their trusty keyed fiddle and Nordic mandola, makes the songs grow and seemingly take on a life of their own, with all instruments blending together to create an intricate sonic puzzle.
After the two Swedes leave the stage, it’s almost time for the night to end, but not before Faun enchant us once more with Rhiannon, and an encore consisting of Wenn wir uns wiedersehen and Hymn to Pan. From the first notes of the bagpipes in the first of these three songs, the levels of energy in the room are off the charts, with everyone clapping to the beat and even a few who are dancing here and there. As the final few calming notes of Hymn to Pan ring out in the venue, the five musicians set down their instruments to thank everyone for coming and declaring they’ll be back “as soon as [they] can”, before taking a bow to end the night. Even though they were missing a singer (for perfectly understandable reasons), Faun delivered the stellar performance their fans know them for. Danke schön, and we hope to see you again, ‘as soon as we can’! 10/10
Written by Florin Petrut
