Dalarnas Tidningar 110808
By: HILLEVI MÅRTENSSON
Last Sunday Helen Sjöholm gave two consecutive concerts in “Smedjan”. Helen offered a mixed repertoire, but the real audience cheers first started with Gabriella’s song.
Last year Helen released an album in which she makes interpretations of many Billy Joel songs. It´s Tomas Andersson Wij who has translated the lyrics into Swedish, for which he has received great critique. Helen says that “Kvinnan för dig” (She’s Always a Woman) is the basis of the CD, but chooses to end the first act with “Ärlighet” (Honesty). It´s noticeable that the songs are very close to her heart, and she sings with sincerity and feeling.
After the break, Helen takes place on the couch with Fredrik Swahn for a chat. She lets us know that she is pregnant, and that the concerts in Stjärnsund are the last she has planned before her maternity leave.
Someone who is not in the program, but also is given space to shine during the night, is the pianist Martin Östergren.
Among other things, his setting to music of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 16, which he wrote to a set of “Trettondagsafton” (Twelfth Night), sounds great in Helen’s interpretation.
In her small talk between songs Helen offers both imitations of weird people from Skåne, elderly ladies and truck drivers. She asks if we want her to tell us some dirty joke, and she gives us a cute variation about a misleading bunch of keys.
Helen sings, among other things, one more song by Billy Joel before she chooses to interpret, somewhat unexpectedly, according to herself, Jocke Berg’s “Sverige” (Sweden).
– Now it’s film music.
And here it is – Gabriella’s song. When Helen sings the first notes, the audience cheers. Many pairs of eyes are shining and it’s almost as if the audience hold their breath while they listen. When the last tones fade out the audience stands up and the cheering knows no limits.
– It seems silly for us to run out into the rain and back again. We can play one more song if you sit still. “Vår sista dans” (Our Last Dance) may end the concert before the audience rushes out into the rain to make room for the next concert audience, waiting outside under their umbrellas.