Experienced live: COVENANT

December 27, 2024, Oberhausen, Kulttempel

Covenant finally had a club show in the Ruhr area again. Although they could have played in the neighboring Turbinenhalle, which has more generous capacities, they remained loyal to the cozy Oberhausen Kulttempel. The gig scheduled for the end of the year was completely sold out back in September. And even on the secondary market, tickets found new owners faster than you could look. In icy temperatures around freezing point, the first hardened fans gathered in front of the entrance 1.5 hours before admission. But there was no complaining here, the anticipation of the evening was too great.

Vertical take-off

While the pleasant moment of warming up began in the Kulttempel, the evening’s special guest was already getting ready: Ultra Sunn. The Belgian dark wave duo, consisting of Sam Hugé and Gaëlle Souflet, are currently the talk of the town. The two have been realizing their shared vision since 2019, skilfully combining elements of EBM, new beat, dark wave and post-punk. After their debut album “Us” was released on April 19, 2024, the duo was awarded the title “Band of the Year” in Belgium. Ultra Sunn are also really taking off live. After countless shows in the USA and Europe, they will continue to be busy in the coming months. At the beginning of the new year alone, 28 more gigs are scheduled. Since 2023, Alexis Andrigo has joined the band as a live musician, playing keyboards and percussion on stage.

Determination

The intro “The House” started punctually at 8:30 pm. Gaëlle and Alexis placed themselves on their keys. The name appeared on the screen as a band when Sam joined in with the opening track “Some Ghost Could Follow”. The tall singer was wearing wide black jeans, a slightly translucent top and a heavy silver chain. Right from the start, he encouraged the crowd: “Come on!” While his clear request was immediately met with clapping, he began to jump. “Good evening, everyone.” Gaëlle and Alexis were in no way inferior to Sam. Jumping, she shook her long black hair to “Young Foxes”. The live musician also worked his drum pad in constant motion. The band members had a really good time on stage right from the start and this was transferred to the audience as if by magic.

Eurodance vs. EBM?

With pulsating synths, a rhythmic beat and melancholic vocals, “Broken Monsters” revealed a darker facet of Ultra Sunn. The song thematizes fragility alongside inner struggles, but still conveys strength and hope. Like a dance between resignation and the will to move on. In the meantime, it was noticeable that there were quite a few fans on site, who sang along enthusiastically to the lyrics. Looking at the stage, it was hard to decide which of the three you wanted to watch the most. They were each very present individually and yet also together. Sam’s clear, pleasant voice really came into its own during this song. In “Lost & Found”, Eurodance sound met driving EBM sounds. The mixture sounds weird? The opposite was the case, as the genres merged together and you really didn’t have a chance to stand still.

Under the spell…

Even Eskil Simonsson didn’t miss the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the stage from time to time. The pithy single “Can You Believe It?” lingered in the ear. The mantra-like refrain had an almost hypnotic effect – great! “This is the last song of the night. Thank you for having us. We’re having a great time with you.” Ultra Sunn completed their entertaining set with “Night is Mine”. One last time, they infected their old and now also new fans with their unspeakable energy before the three left the venue after 40 minutes, waving happily. The hype surrounding the Belgians is truly justified. They breathe a wonderful breath of fresh air into the black scene and their charisma means that they rightly earn heaps of sympathy points.

Honorable memory

Tonight, by the way, you could look forward to a special show from Covenant . The day before, Eskil announced in a video that 50% of the setlist would consist of fan requests. So suggestions were most welcome. The changeover break lasted just 20 minutes. If you visited the merch stand in the meantime, however, you had to swallow first. A black shirt with the inscription “Take care and control.” caught the eye. You realized what it was all about when you read the accompanying note. Andreas Catjar-Danielsson had been supporting Covenant as a live musician on the keys since 2013. On July 29, 2024, he sadly lost his battle with cancer at the age of 51. His loss hit the band hard. They sent Andreas a silent greeting with this shirt. Because the musician always said these words to the crew and they should remain unforgotten.

Clear view!

The lights went out at 21:30. Clouds of fog took over the stage and created a mysterious atmosphere. Daniel Myer and Daniel Jonasson positioned themselves behind their keyboards in front of a huge LED wall that created blue stripes. When Eskil Simonsson entered the stage with the song “Monochrome” after an introductory soundscape, he was greeted with loud cheers and joyful whistles. He bowed respectfully to his audience. Dressed in an elegant black suit with vest, tie and his characteristic silver wallet chain, the singer let himself be carried away by the pulsating sounds. As soon as the chorus began, a feeling of well-being spread all around. Enthusiastic screams from the crowd were followed by “I Close My Eyes”. At a Covenant concert, you would normally expect to see silhouettes amidst veils of fog. But we experienced an evening with a rarity value, as the fog machine was only used sparingly. Instead, we were able to admire the trio in their entirety. How nice it was to be able to see their movements and facial expressions. Soft light from the background also revealed the blissful faces of the fans.

Strong performance

With the words “I like to think that some things never die”, Eskil announced “Brave New World”. My body reacted to his words and the well-known sounds of the song with goose bumps. To the enchanting melody, all my arms stretched upwards, swaying gently back and forth. With the next track, the moments of longing came to a halt and were replaced by a frenetic party atmosphere. Dance freely to “Dead Stars”. Even Daniel Jonasson swung his hips to the beat, while Eskil bounced freely across the stage. Covenant have been around since 1986 and Eskil began touring with his project shortly before the release of their first album “Dreams of a Cryotank” in 1994. Since then, the popular Swede has been enchanting his fans. Although some of his fellow musicians now use tablets on stage to read the lyrics, the frontman remained free of aids. Focused, he presented his songs with absolute confidence. Without any distractions, the singer knew how to perform impressively and this had a positive effect on the bond between the band and their audience. Hardly ending cheers were the reward. “Such a great honor! Thank you very, very much.”

Rarities

The rarely played piece “Thy Kingdom Come” was also a delight. The rousing sound came out of the speakers with absolute precision and power. Eskil was also happy “Thank you. So, it’s fun to play songs we haven’t played in a while.” The hard beats of “Leviathan” also set the dancefloor alight. Eskil threw his arms up and fully absorbed the precious moments. During the technoid parts of “No Man’s Land”, the singer exuded pure energy. It was simply wonderful to see how gallantly Covenant transferred the good old days into the modern age. Now the time had come for a premiere. “Thank you. This is one of the slower songs that we haven’t ever performed. Now, we perform and share it with you: ‘Not to be Here’.” Deep piano sounds merged with Eskil’s soulful voice. A contemplative calm spread through the cult temple. The room was as quiet as a mouse and the tension was palpable. Eskil took a deep breath and closed his eyes: “I need you to love myself. That I need you to be strong.” Even Johansson stood reverently still in his place and listened to the spherical moments. There were numerous sighs at this point.

Unbridled passion

“A song from our second album. Well, it’s a surprise for us, too. The song is called ‘Phoenix’.” So the engaging journey through time continued. The haunting synthpop track captivated with its dark atmosphere and edgy, playful sounds. Hundreds of voices rang out during the chorus of “Bullet”. Eskil let his gaze wander into the crowd and sang along to the lyrics “As our ashes turn to dust,
we shine like stars”, he beamed with his fans. The next track, which the frontman announced with the words “I like to think that we can all be gods”, triggered a particularly euphoric moment in me. It was indeed “Go Film” – the track I had requested in response to the Facebook call to create a setlist. Bright strobe lights broke through the dark blue light in which the stage was illuminated. So it was straight back to 1999 and the spirit of that time was unbroken. You could immediately see stuffy, dark clubs in front of your inner eye again, where the song was celebrated euphorically. The unspeakable coolness that this song possesses was also unbroken. The tempo picked up again with “Edge of Dawn”. Daniel Jonasson grabbed a microphone and joined in vocally. Eskil and Daniel could not have performed this captivating classic from 1994 with more passion. The fans raised their fists to the rhythm. These were moments that should preferably never end. “We do one more and then we have a break, thank you. Thanks for the noise!” In “Ritual Noise”, Eskil’s crystal-clear voice formed a wonderful contrast to the distorted vocals. To thunderous applause, Covenant left the stage for a tiny breather.

Routine? Wrong!

“Don’t you have to go home to your children?” asked Daniel Myer cheekily. In response to the irritated and amused reaction of the audience, the show continued. “This song is called ‘Invisible & Silent’.” With its calm but intense mood, the ballad breathed contemplative moments of happiness into the cult temple. An initially unfamiliar melody deliberately led us on the wrong track. But then the first beats of a song that simply cannot be missed live began: “Der Leiermann”. Every line was sung along. Although we have heard this popular hit so many times before, Eskil performed it with such passion that the next goosebumps unexpectedly followed. “Thank you very much. Tonight we have the fires! It’s a very brightly song. Thank you. Oh, but first, there’s a surprise song.” “Voices” from “Dreams of a Cryotank” sent everyone into unbridled ecstasy. “I’d like to see you soon, again,” concluded Eskil. But now came the song that the singer initially wanted to announce with his announcement: “Call the Ships to Port”. A demolition was certain here. The calf muscles of the fans were constantly challenged by jumping. I can’t remember how many times we worshipped this banger at full volume with the trunk open when it came out in 2002. When the band disappeared again unannounced, we already knew that the grand finale was still to come.

Happy ending

Eskil Simonsson came back to us all alone to perform “Happy Man” a cappella. But even the two Daniels were not denied one last reunion with their fans. “We Stand Alone” was the final song of Covenant‘s two-hour set. The powerful synthpop song shone with emotional depth, empowering lyrics and an energetic sound design. Feelings of happiness shimmered through the room as Eskil danced soulfully one last time. Laughing, he clapped for his audience before pointing to his fellow musicians and disappearing happily into the backstage room. To remember this wonderful evening, the two Daniels took a selfie with the audience. Andreas would certainly have been proud of his boys!

Setlist ULTRA SUNN:
“The House” (Intro) – “Some Ghost Could Follow” – “Young Foxes” – “The Speed” – “Broken Monsters” – “Lost & Found” – “Out of the Cage” – “Can You Believe It?” – “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” – “Night Is Mine”

Setlist COVENANT:
“Monochrome” – “I Close My Eyes” – “Brave New World” – “Dead Stars” – “Thy Kingdom Come” – “Leviathan” – “No Man’s Land” – “Not to be Here” – “Phoenix” – “Bullet” – “Go Film” – “The Last Dance” – “Edge of Dawn” – “Ritual Noise” — “Invisible & Silent” – “Der Leiermann” – “Voices” – “Call the Ships to Port” — “Happy Man” (A capella) – “We Stand Alone”

Text: Nadine Kloppert
Photos: Michael Gamon