Värmlands Folkblad 140302
By: TIM STERNER
Concert. Helen Sjöholm’s concert in Karlstad on Saturday evening is the eleventh stop on the spring tour. But when she enters the stage at the CCC, it feels more like a tour premiere.
She absolutely shines.
Sjöholm’s voice is like a warm and colorful blanket on a gray March evening like this. She wraps us all into her velvet voice. Initially the audience is a little stiff. But after opening with a Swedish version of Joni Mitchell’s classic “Both sides now”, everyone caught on.
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During the two-hour long performance anecdotes are interspersed with musical excerpts, ballads and generally finely tuned interpretations. It’s at its very best when she sings “Vårens första dag” by Laleh. It is an unparalleled music experience that shows her boundless capacity of her voice. (…)
When Ulvaeus/Andersson’s masterpiece “Du måste finnas” finally arrives there’s no end to either the applause or the goose bumps. It’s a fabulous song that makes the eyes pulse in time with the heartbeats. (…)
Though one song that really does come to justice is “Ärlighet”, Tomas Andersson Wij’s translation of Billy Joel’s Honesty. Incredibly accurate. The same applies to Wij’s own song “Ett slag för dig” which is brilliantly performed. Sjöholm and the band are in perfect symbiosis.
One element that feels refreshing is when the band, with Jojje Wadenius and Martin Östergren at the front, explain the origin of their music interest. It’s a funny and touching tribute to the music they describe. All credit to the funky sound canvas they paint during the evening. The dynamics between them and Sjöholm is fantastic.
With her golden vocal cords Sjöholm ties the knot with “Gabriella’s sång”. The question is if it has ever been more powerful. (…)