Multimedia concert with highly topical themes in Thingbæk Limestone Mines
SKØRPING: On Friday, May 2, the underground passages in Thingbæk Limestone Mines will be transformed into a living stage when the ensemble Ste van Holm & Friends presents a multimedia concert that embraces both sound, light and visual elements.
The six-piece ensemble brings with them an arsenal of lamps, laser cannons and video projections, which together create a very special experience.
The concert takes the audience on a thematic journey through inventions, polar exploration in Greenland, the Cold War and Faroese folk tales. The music is taken from Ste van Holm's eight albums - including the Greenland-inspired Thaw from 2019 - as well as previously unheard material from an upcoming project.
Thingbæk Kalkminer is part of the Rebildcentret and is located in scenic surroundings at Rebild Bakker. The concert marks one of Denmark’s most geographically extensive collaborations, as composer Ste van Holm lives on Christiansø, while singer Julie Sommer is based on Fanø.
“Unless one of my neighbors has played together with someone from Blåvand, I can’t imagine a wider geographical collaboration than when Julie and I do something together,” says Ste van Holm, whose album Thaw has unexpectedly gained new relevance in light of today’s political agendas and climate change.
The visual side of the concert supports the music with film sequences that draw threads for the Rebildcentret’s communication. One of the sequences was recorded in a former defense bunker in Vedbæk and serves as a tribute to REGAN Vest, which is located just 800 meters from the limestone mines.
Another film clip is based on the ill-fated Denmark Expedition, for which the Rebildcentret has proposed a memorial in the limestone mine.
The ensemble often performs on unconventional stages and has previously played in Store Tårn on Christiansø, on a river barge in Berlin and in Brønshøj Vandtårn.
Ste van Holm & Friends is led by composer and filmmaker Ste van Holm, who is behind both the music and the film. Singers Julie Sommer and Tanja Hollerup contribute vocals; the latter has just had success with a hit on the Danish charts in collaboration with Anders Blichfeldt from Big Fat Snake.
Drummer David A. Jeppesen comes from the band Browns Pitstop, Jesper H. Petersen plays bass, and Nicolai Olsen brings the rare instrument Chapman Stick into play.
The technical team also plays an important role in the concert. Lighting designer Mikkel Møller Larsen has created a special light show for the limestone mines, while sound engineer Jens Søbæk ensures optimal sound with a system of strategically placed speakers.
The concert in Thingbæk Limestone Mines promises to be a sensory experience with musical depth and visual stories - a unique meeting between nature, art and history.
Translation:
Christiansø artist Ste van Holm presents perhaps Denmark's widest collaboration when the ensemble Ste van Holm & Friends brings their multimedia show to Thingbæk Kalkminer at Rebild.
On Friday, May 2, an arsenal of lamps, laser cannons and video projectors will be lit when the six-piece ensemble Ste van Holm & Friends gives a concert in the underground passages that make up Thingbæk Kalkminer.
You will be able to experience the geographically widest musical collaboration, as composer Ste van Holm lives on Denmark's easternmost point, Christiansø, while singer Julie Sommer lives on Fanø.
- Unless one of my neighbors has played together with someone from Blåvand, I can't imagine a wider geographical collaboration than when Julie and I do something, says Ste van Holm, whose latest album Thaw from 2019 is a fable about Greenlandic themes. An album that has suddenly become very topical.
- It's quite eerie, what's happening. "I thought the only current topics on the record were the songs that touched on climate change and the melting of glaciers. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that the political aspects of the record would become relevant again," says Ste van Holm.
Happy New Year!
I am so proud and touched that I have so many amazing people around me who make it possible to present my music live!
Our rock solid bassist Jesper H. Petersen has played at every concert since the very first one in 2011. He will end 2024 with a road trip in the Midwest while listening to the various radio stations on the car radio: sentimental Midwest rock, Christian rock, Mexican pop music and of course lots of country. At home in Holte, he has been listening to William Basinsky’s “Watermusic II” and Frank Zappa’s “One Size Fits All” this year.
Our own Tina Turner, Tanja Hollerup, has not been with us from the very beginning, but pretty close. After the very first rehearsal, drummer David said: 'I think I know who we're going to get'. And the rest is history... David was right, by the way, and Tanja has provided vocals for all concerts.
This year, Tanja has mostly listened to songs she had to practice on, and that's why Taylor Swift tops her list.
Tanja's biggest experience this year has been Jacob Collier in the Royal Arena.
Uh and she's had a top 20 hit this year...
I got to know Julie Sommer Sørensen a very long time ago, when we were both on the periphery of the band ENTAKT. Julie has sung on three of my albums (Constructions, Tesla and Thaw) and I have helped on several of her projects. However, we have only shared the stage once.
This year, Julie has listened to a lot of house and country, but mostly to Fulton Lee and Minds of 99.
Sound engineer Jens Søbæk came on board when we played at Kinoen in Hundested in 2019.
Jens' skills behind the sound console have lifted our shows to a fantastic level!
Jens listens to a wide variety of music, but must admit that melancholy wins. So Peter Sommer's “De uforelskede i København” and Roger Waters' “the Lockdown Sessions” have been on permanent rotation in 2024.
When Jens came on board as sound engineer, he brought Mikkel Møller-Larsen along because 'he knows a bit about lighting'.
And that was the understatement of the decade! Mikkel has been our regular lighting designer ever since, and I don't know how we would have been able to do anything without him again!
This year, Mikkel has listened to Benjamin Hav, Lukas Graham and stuff with saxophone!
Emil Rønning has had various roles in the ensemble. He was at a concert back in 2013, where he tuned the guitars backstage.
He joined the main band at Store Tårn, where he handled samplers and tape loops.
Emil has changed his listening habits this year and has gone from constantly searching for new things to instead releasing new ones. The debut single 'The Line' was released in September and was created together with Mille and Ninna from the band GANGER.
The newest member of the ensemble is Nicolai Olsen on Chapman Stick. He was a guest musician on the song 'Flux' during the concert in Store Tårn and stepped in when there was a cancellation two days before the concert in Brønshøj Vandtårn.
This year he has mostly listened to “Under Bergets Rot” by the slightly crazy folk metal band Finntroll and in second place is “Bending to the Lash” by Horse Lords.
All the above mentioned appears on the live album 'COPENHAGEN' which was released on red, transparent vinyl in december 2024 and features a guest appearance by Anders Brandt.
But over the years a lot of other fantastic musicians have been part of the Friends ensemble: Anders Frey, David Jeppesen, Martin Jørgensen, Minella Ribert, Christian Lundstrøm and Stina Madelaire. Not to mention the fabulous NU Unruh who played with me in Berlin.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been there both on stage and in the audience. I hope there will be many more occasions!
Live 2013
Live 2024