At the end of last month, upstart pagan folk organisers Idavoll hosted the second edition of their Hobgoblin’s Hollow event. The concept was borrowed from the headlining Dutch pagan folk band Seed and combines an afternoon of board games with an evening of unplugged pagan folk shows.
For this edition the lineup consisted of Eleni Neldë, a young band from Ghent that combines Native (Meso) American influences with European ones. Usually a female trio based around vocal harmonies, percussion, and guitar, for this occasion the roster was expanded to a 6-person band, adding harmonium, extra percussion and didgeridoo.
Seed closed out the night to a packed room with a full headlining set, including a brand-new work in progress song. The band seemed to be really enjoying themselves on stage and revelling in the close connection with the audience. As seems to be the norm these days, wherever Seed plays a horde of “seedlings” (the bands mascots) appeared, and this time was no difference. The band claimed the little stuffed creatures aren’t forming a cult, but we’re starting to have doubts…
Photos atmosphere & Seed concert: Lorin Renodeyn
Photos Eleni Neldë + friends: Charlotte Judenne
Despite being a small and relatively young organisation without their own venue, Idavoll put in an effort to transform the venue to their own style. Wall decorations, pyrography, a plethora of seedlings (not a cult!) and even a small mead stall were present to set the mood. Board games were provided courtesy of local board game café “tspelopdewagen”.
Just like the first edition, the event took place at Villa Bota, a venue at the edge of the city’s beautiful Astridpark (or “Botanieken Hof” for the locals).
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