Photo & © Maria Nehro
It isn´t easy to reach Nösund, I know that from past experiences. But this time it seems to be trickier than usual! From the beginning, Västtrafik’s travel planner recommended trains and buses with a total journey time of 1 hour and 40 minutes. But the day we’re going, a somewhat different route is proposed, which will take one hour longer, so we guessed that a sudden change in the schedule was made.
We meet on the train towards Stenungsund, Tina, her friend Karin and me. I´ve met Tina before, but Karin is a new acquaintance for me. In Stenungsund, we continue with bus; Orust Express. Suddenly, when we arrive to Varekil, we see our originally bus, signed Nösund! We hasten to leave the bus with all our goods and chattels to change, and at last we reach the idyllic Nösund Inn. During the trip, we have mainly spoken English to each other, and it has made such an impression on me that I now think I’m on holiday abroad! In my head I begin to think of appropriate English phrases to check-in. Until it´s clear to me that I still find myself within the borders of Sweden and get along just fine with Swedish… Funnily enough, I get the exact same room as last summer, when I visited Nösund for a couple of concerts with Anders Ekborg. It´s only me who is going to stay over night, and therefore I let Tina and Karin put their stuff in my room.
A little later in the afternoon, we meet in the inn’s patio to drink a cup of tea and while away the hours until 6:15 pm when the dinner preceding the concert begins. Even now we mostly speak English, and when we a moment later are sitting at the dinner table, I find myself ordering “a glass of white wine, please”, in English! I normally hate to speak English and rarely speak more than necessity required! We are not really happy with our place cards, and think we got too far away from the scene, considering how early we made our reservations. How will we now be able to take good photos for the fansite and FB page!? But it’s just to accept the situation.
To our dismay, the power disappeared some time earlier, for much of Orust! We hardly dare to think about what will happen to our dinner. I haven´t eaten anything since breakfast, and getting thoroughly hungry! Even less we dare to think that the concert might be canceled, but we find it unlikely, for singing, playing guitar and piano, we hope that participants at a pinch will be able to cope with anyway, without power, albeit with a reduced volume!
We have time to be served a delicious (cold) seafood soufflé as a starter before the power finally comes back, so the very tasty main course, saithe back, will also be on the table. The dessert consists of frozen yogurt with berries and isn´t bad either. Dessert is included only in the menu for those who live on Nösund, others have to pay if they want to order it. Coffee cups are placed on the tables, and when coffee is served, I take it for granted that it´s included in the price, but the coffee turns out to cost 22 SEK per cup, even for residents, which feels a little churlish. Then you could have added a few bucks on the artist package instead, and let it be included.
Shortly after nine Helen and her faithful fellow musicians Martin Östergren and Jojje Wadenius enter the stage, and this is what the sometimes subtle and sometimes festive program looks like, that we are offered:
Euforia
Vid vassen av den krökta ström
Kvinnan för dig
Man borde inte sova
Karlsson Evig Vår – Helen Sjöholm & Jojje Wadenius
Sängen – Jojje Wadenius
Horgalåten
Varför ska jag vara med? – Martin Östergren
Mitt lilla barn – Jojje Wadenius
Kalles klätterträd – Special guest appearance; Ruben Granditsky Sjöholm!
PAUS
Sommarkort
Lustvin dansar en gavott med de fem sinnena
Kärleksmorgon – Jojje Wadenius (instrumental)
Jag är det fulaste som finns – Martin Östergren
New York
Sverige
Ett slag för dig
Gabriellas sång
Siv och Gunne
Spiralsången
There is much to say about the exemplary composite and varied program. I find it hard to list a few favorites, since I would then reproduce at least half the song list! Some Billy Joel songs, of course, in my opinion just as good in this smaller shape as during the Euforia Tour earlier this year. A couple of songs are recognizable from Helen’s first album, Visor, and both Jojje & Martin are allowed to take proper place in the concert and in several of their own numbers. An unexpected but very positive and nice feature, is Kent’s nice song Sverige! I become really frightened when I understand that Jojje and Helen will make Olle Adolpson’s Karlsson Evig Vår. It´s by far the saddest song I know, I always cry rivers when I hear it! And this night is no exception, the tears start flowing after only a few notes, because I know how sad it will be… But very good of course! The final Spiralsången is more fun, especially the choreography and the facial expression of the participants.
But the evening’s highlight is undoubtedly children’s nursery rhyme Kalles klätterträd, when Helen’s son Ruben, 4 years old, enters the stage and fearlessly grabs the microphone! Even the Östergren children are helpful in this song, and spend part of it in their father’s arms. I would never think of raising the camera at the kids in any other context, but now they are suddenly part of the show and obviosly on the stage. I realize that these pictures are not suitable for posting on fansites, which Helen confirms when the concert ends and I ask her about it. We feel really sorry for Helen who didn´t feel well in her throat, although I, for my part, didn´t perceive anything of it during the evening, not even in the demanding Gabriella’s song.
After the concert Karin and Tina are picked up by car by Karin’s father while I stay in my nice little room before taking the bus and train back to Stockholm the following day. I´m looking forward to future Nösund visits, and I hope it will not be the last time I get to experience Helen in this beautiful and peaceful place…