Thursday, 07.03.2019
Today we have to get up early. Already at 08:15 we meet to go together to the ferry “Smyril” which will bring us to Suðuroy, the southernmost island of the Faroes. Our group is heading for the cafeteria – but no, I can’t do this. We are unbelievable lucky with the weather, the sun is shining – I have to go outside. Besides this you have a wonderful view over the city as long as the ferry is in the harbour because the ferry is much higher than most buildings. At 08:45 we start our two-hour journey to the south.
When we leave the sheltered area between Tórshavn and the island Nólsoy off the coast the ship starts rocking pretty heavily. Although the Smyril is a rather big ship one can feel the movement of the waves very well. The waves are so high they even reach the lowest external deck. Those who tried to enjoy the view from there rethink this action. But further up one can sit down, sheltered from the wind and just enjoy the ride. Thanks to the sun it’s not really cold outside and also the movement of the waves is easier to stand outside. Later one of our group tells me that she has just been laying down because she felt so ill. She missed a lot. We sail past a wonderful landscape in the sun. The cliffs rise high out of the sea, white crests dance on the waves and when the wind blows them into thousands of small drops we see little rainbows. It’s just beautiful.
But not so nice things happened as well. My good camera decides, just on this trip, just before the Faroese Music Awards, to commit suicide. Something is wrong with the mechanics of the mirror. So from now on I can only use my old camera. And at the FMA I realize that it is not compatible with my good objective. So from now on I can only deliver pictures of lesser quality. Sorry for that.
A bit late because of the high waves we reach the ferry terminal Krambatangi opposite to Tvøroyri, the main city of the southern island, at 11:00. From here it’s just a stone’s throw to our first station. The old salt storehouse who could hold 10.000 tons of salt was built in 1938 by C.G. Jensen. In October 1941 it was hit by a German bomb in an air raid. The roof was destroyed but the huge girders were still standing. Only a storm in 1944 could finally bring it down and destroy the building nearly completely. But it was rebuilt and used until the early 80s. After that it crumbled more and more and became a ruin. A beautiful ruin, as Ólavur Rasmussen, who tells the story of the building to us, says, but – a ruin. Only a few years ago people started caring about the elegant building again renovated it and turned it into a cultural site, where theatre plays, concerts and many more take place. The whole thing was given a very simple name: “Salt” – no translation needed.
After this short introduction there’s now a concert for us. At first, my friends Pól Arni Holm and John Áki Egholm play. I visited John on Monday and only while talking we found out we’ll meet again today as on the official program only Pól Arni is mentioned. The two play acoustic versions of three HAMRADUN songs for us. First there is “Útlegd” which can be found on the last , self-titled album and after that two new songs which will be on the new album. That will probably be released in September. Pól Arni tells a short story about every song, explaining its history, what the song is about where it comes from. “Útlegd” for example is written from the point of view of Snæbjørn. This Snæbjørn once committed a minor crime but during the sentencing he killed one of the bailiffs and was thus sentenced to death. He managed to flee into the mountains where he lived a few years until he fled to Scotland. It is said that even today some descendants of Snæbjørn are living on Suðuroy. The second song is „Grimmer Går På Gulvet“, the last one is „Síðsta Løtan“. I, personally, prefer the rockier band versions of the songs, but also in the acoustic duo version the songs sound very good.
After the concerts everybody wants to interview Pól Arni and I as well take a few minutes to throw some questions at him. Among other things he’s telling me how difficult it can sometimes be to make new versions of the old Faroese ballads, the so-called kvæði: “Yes, there are loads of melodies and for one of the melodies we played today I called around some of the older guys who do the Faroese dance - they heard about it, but they didn’t know the tune. They have forgotten it. But luckily there was a Danish woman up here in the Faroe Islands in the 60s. There’s a book where she has written down all the notes. So that is one source to get these songs alive again, these notes.”
The second artist on stage is Eyðun Nolsøe. He is one of the best known songwriters on the Faroe Islands and played in the well known band FRÆNDUR. He as well is playing three songs for us. He starts with “Mítt Land”, a piece he wrote because he thought that the Faroese were not united enough. The lyrics are a bit similar to the national anthem – it also bears nearly the same title. “Hvíta Flóki” is the next song and the last one is an relatively new one. „Á Tíni Slóð“ is from the still current album „Dagur Legst At Degi“, released in 2017. After some minutes to talk to the artists we already have to say goodbye because now it is time for our next, most important station: Lunch at Café Mormor in Tvøroyri. The others are served fish soup, I as a vegetarian get a delicious sandwich. Along with this: beer. Of course Faroese beer.
After that we head for the big island tour. Our bus driver and guide, a retired sailor, stops for the first time already after a few hundred meters. He shows us the boat house of the rowing club where he is a member. So we get to see some more than 100 years old traditional Faroese boats in different sizes. The next stop is Vágur (not to be mistaken with the island of Vágar) where we have the possibility to cast a short look at the steep cliffs at the western end of the village. Through the tunnel we head to Sumba, the southernmost village of the Faroes. Again we take a short stop at the harbour – the sailor is drawn to the sea again and again. It is always fascinating to see how much effort is necessary to build a save harbour on the islands. And during winter they still have to bring the boats into boathouses high above the sea. And even there they are not always save. Our guide tells us that one or the other boat house has been torn down by a heavy winter storm in the past. Hard to imagine in the nice weather we have today.
Now we head to the southernmost point of the Faroes, Akraberg. It is said that once Frisians lived here. Today there are only a few houses standing and there’s also the lighthouse. And of course sheep. Before the lighthouse was automated the lighthouse keepers lived there with their families. Here we have a nice view as well. Southwards there is nothing to see than the vast, open sea; only 250 km further you will meet land again in Scotland. We don’t have so much time to look around here and we take the old mountain road on the way back. During nice weather – like today – it offers fantastic views. That’s also new to me. I have been driving that road several times last summer – but always in the thickest fog. So now I stop for the first time at the cliff line Beinisvørð, which I didn’t do last summer. Only a few meters from the street the cliffs fall steep and deep into the sea. Deep down below us we see two stakkur, that’s what they call sea stacks here. They look tiny from above. Birds fly past us, some sheep run away from us and the view over ocean and island is breathtaking. And of course everybody has to take a picture of one of the very few warning signs you see on the Faroe Islands.
Back in Vágur we stop at Café Bakkin where we get a snack with waffles everyone can improve him/herself with sweets like rhubarb marmalade (my favourite!), chocolate cream, cream, nuts and fruits. As drinks there is coffee and tea that is often drunk with milk here, like the English do it. Again we aren’t the fastest and suddenly we realize that we have to hurry now if don’t want to miss the ferry. As the last passengers we jump on the ship that takes off shortly afterwards. John is also taking the ferry to Tórshavn and together we dedicate ourselves to the rosé. I don’t know if that is the reason or if I just don’t tend to get seasick but also now, inside the ship, I don’t mind the waves. This does not apply to all members of our group.
Back in Tórshavn we head without stopping to the next concert. In the Blábar they hold a Jazz concert for us. First, the Duo Agnar & Herluf plays on contrabass and guitar and they proof how silent one can play. I’m drinking a coke with ice and I don’t really dare to drink as you can hear the ice cubes clinking so loudly that it disturbs the music. For that reason there are no pictures of the two. The camera would have just been too loud.
Subsequently we see YGGDRASIL in one of their many line-ups. Kristian Blak introduces the band and mentions that usually two of the members are Icelandic and “you really shouldn’t have more of them in a band”. As always, Kristian likes to talk and he talks a lot and introduces the first song, “Hugin”, a piece from the 1982 album “Ravnating” (raven ting). Behind the stage is a screen were they show pictures of ravens while they play and Kristian Black on piano mimics raven calls. But Kristian Black wouldn’t be Kristian Blak if he wouldn’t have explained to us beforehand how ravens call in different countries. Because not only humans speak different languages, ravens do it as well. Then we listen to a song from Greenland and in the end they play a song about Geronimo, where Kristian is singing like an American Indian.
Now it’s time for the PAULI POULSEN TRIO to enter the stage which in fact is just an emptied out corner in the bar. The owner of the bar, Rógvi á Rógvu himself, is sitting at the drums and smiles all the time. Normally I try to avoid Jazz because I consider this genre as being too exhausting to listen to. But the Pauli Poulsen Trio is playing a pretty cool version of Jazz which I like.
The last act of the day is my friend UNI DEBESS. And here as well something typical Faroese happened. Actually he was announced together with Rógvi á Rógvu (right, the owner is again sitting at the drums) as Blues Duo. But when he realised his uncle who originally doesn’t belong to the PAULI POULSEN TRIO his here tonight and has his bass with him he asked him spontaneously to play with him. And so we’re going to see a Blues Trio instead of a Blues Duo. We now hear a few songs some might already know, like „They Call Me The Breeze“ by B.B. King, as well as some covers Uni Debess published on his solo record „Regards To The Roots Vol. 1“ like „Boom Boom“ by John Lee Hooker, „Black Magic Woman“ by Peter Green and „Pride And Joy“ by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Uni’s long talking about Bob Dylan ends in the conclusion of the rest of the band that Bob Dylan has written 16 albums while Uni only managed to write one song in Bob Dylan style. Which is very entertaining for the audience. They also build in a drum solo. And of course “Sugar Mama” should not be missed as this song was ranking pretty high in the Faroese charts last year. Uni is not only accompanying himself on guitar, he also plays harmonica every now and then. I would have loved to listen to him way longer. I just like Blues a lot more than Jazz. But every evening has to come to an end.
However – not mine. As I haven’t met Uni since July last year we start talking after the show and as things are, more and more people join in the conversation and all of a sudden we are the remaining six people in the bar. Owner Rógvi á Rógvu is giving out drinks for free, gives is new album, that has just been released, two times to me (“They gave me 1000! What am I supposed to do with 1000? I wanted 300!”) and in the end I have to taste his homemade chilli schnapps. Wow, that is burning several times! At 01:00 I leave the Blábar just to end at the reception of the hotel where I talk until 02:30 with the night porter who is another friend of mine and I haven’t seen him since 2015. Because of the good weather I try to get some night pictures afterwards but I don’t succeed. Of course, at that time during the week all lights are shut down. So I fall into my bed at 03:00. Luckily the program tomorrow will start a bit later.
