Exciting musical light experience in the lime mines

There was an impression for both the eyes and ears when Ste van Holm & Friends gave a concert in Thingbæk Kalkminer.

By John Jensen, local journalist

Himmerland's most spectacular concert hall shone with laser light when there was a concert in Thingbæk Kalkminer with Ste van Holm & Friends on Friday evening.

Spherical sounds mixed with a medieval lyre, synthesizers, electric guitars, electric bass and computer programming in beautiful, and at times strange, soundscapes for the well-dressed audience, who were well prepared for the temperature in the lime mines.

The show lasted about an hour. By then the musicians' fingers had become so chilled and stiff that it was starting to be difficult to handle the instruments. But by that time the audience was also well-filled with impressions and a very special musical multimedia experience.

Great experience

Birgitte Due Holm and Ole Lidegaard from Aalborg did not know Ste van Holm & Friends beforehand, but they were very excited after the concert.

- We are always curious to experience things we have not tried before. It is something that refreshes your mind, says Ole Lidegaard.

The couple has previously been to a concert in the lime mines and are very happy with the surroundings.

- When something happens down here, we come out here, because we have been lucky enough to win an annual ticket to the Rebildcentret, says Birgitte Due Thompson.

Fabulous space

Orchestra leader Ste van Holm is excited about the surroundings in Thingbæk Lime Mines:

- This is a fabulous space. We have made it our "thing" to play in places that were not originally intended as venues. Here, the lime mines give our performance something very special, he says.

The band spent most of a day setting up and getting ready for the concert with a multitude of lights, lasers, video projectors, sound and instruments.

Much of the time, musicians and audience were completely enveloped in darkness and colors in the exciting light show.

Tightly controlled improvisation

Ste van Holm & Freinds have played together since 2015, but Ste van Holm has been releasing records since 2001. The bandleader writes the music and lyrics, but the musicians have a free hand.

- I come up with the basic idea, and then it is the individual musician who decides what they play. The lightman also has the opportunity to improvise during the concert, he says.

The improvisation happens within certain limits, because there is a lot of computer programming when music, video and light have to play together, but within the limits everyone has a free hand.