Wednesday, 7 May 2025
Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen and her pals Ellen Brekken (bass) and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad (drums) have hit the road promptly in support of their “Bees in the Bonnet” album, playing a series of more intimate venues well suited to the direct and open nature of their performance. So, tonight it was Oslo’s turn, at Parkteatret. It was busy, and a lot of regulars from the progressive rock scene were visible in the audience. Because this isn’t just “jazz”.
In Mollestad’s case, it is a little tiresome to trot out descriptions like “genre-defying” or “unclassifiable”. And besides, live music often has a different character to the record, even in the simple arrangement of a trio of guitar, bass, and drums. Tonight, it often felt more like a rock show, despite the more sophisticated edges around the music, with the unusual time signatures and offset rhythms.
They started with “See See Bop” from the new record, and that set the tone. Riff and groove was the mainstay of the music, and why not – the new record wears its rock credentials on its sleeve. “Golden Griffin”, a dynamic and complex piece, with nods to Jeff Beck and “YYZ” by Rush, was immaculately delivered, fast, maybe faster than the record, and despite being fresh, it sounded well drilled, confident, and all the more exciting for that. If there were any nerves in the band, you couldn’t see it. Mollestad and Brekken were swaying and bopping along to the music from the start. Some of the music may have a darker quality, but the overall tone is one of joy, even mischief.
The sound was full and dense, even though there is no rhythm guitar or other backing. Largely this was achieved by Brekken playing richer lines when Mollestad took the lead or opened up a little more. The music may be mostly the product of Mollestad’s unique musical genius, but on stage the band are on equal terms. Brekken had an early solo, complete with fret-tapping arpeggios and Loe Bjørnstad took the time to draw the band slowly into “Bob’s Your Giddy Aunt” with free-form drum patterns.
Mollestad of course took her time to expand the band’s music in the live setting, with longer solos, more exploration of the themes, spiralling and building lead lines while Brekken kept track of the structures of the pieces. Careful communication between the two of them meant that key and chord changes could be signposted without the need for a second guitarist or keyboard. Even in her solos, on this occasion Mollestad’s playing remained closer to her rock vocabulary than her more open, more jazz- and fusion-centred material. There were touches of Beck, with some great whammy bar work, Fripp in her faster runs, and the blues-inspired playing of Iommi and Page in other places, but all of it blended rather than quoted.
“Itta” from the new album was a standout moment. The force of the music and the execution were impressive, all the more so because the music is new. The pace was perfect, the drive was relentless, and the timing, the togetherness of the trio absolutely first rate. But in case you thought Mollestad is a guitarist at her finest with power, riff, and groove, “Lamament” was all melody and atmosphere, delicate, subtle, perfectly voiced, showing that she has full control of her instrument.
The show had been a strong showcase both of the Trio’s togetherness but also showed some of the variety of their styles of music, but with its hat tipped firmly towards the rock end of the spectrum. For anyone who had wondered if they could get into Mollestad’s musical world, this concert was the place to start that journey. 5/6
Text: Alex Maines
Photography: Anne-Marie Forker
