The frigid winds of Finland weren’t just metaphorical at Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXXIV.
Last weekend, 29 to 31 March, I played my first ever live show, at Northeast Dungeon Siege at The Raven in Worcester, Massachusetts. The three-day festival is a haven for dungeon synth enthusiasts, and playing there sent shivers (both literal and metaphorical) down my spine.
My music tries to conjure vast, icy landscapes, with melodies that carry a sense of isolation and wonder. At Northeast Dungeon Siege I got to bring those sounds to life in a whole new way.
The energy in the room crackled with anticipation as I took the stage. The set list, below, was a journey through my whole catalogue, from tracks on the first release to newer compositions, each piece taking the audience deeper into a world of frozen beauty and lurking darkness. The set closed with a previously unreleased track, “Muinaisvoimaa (Ancient Power)”, and its last notes carried the chill of a northern Finnish winter night.
Looking beyond the performance itself, the entire Northeast Dungeon Siege experience was phenomenal. A huge thanks to the organizers for putting on such a fantastic event! Their dedication to the dungeon synth scene is truly inspiring. But the real magic happened beyond the stage.
The trip was made even more special by the incredible people I met. From fellow artists like Talvi, DIM, Erang, Quest Master, Aura Merlin, to amazing people like Josh, Shane, Tirith, Krystal, Peter Beste, Kyle and countless others, the camaraderie and shared passion for this unique genre was truly heartwarming.
Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXXIV will always hold a special place in my memory: a weekend of incredible music, new friendships and the rush of finally playing these songs live.
Jääportit at Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXXIV – Set List
- Kulkue varjojen (Cavalcade Of Shadows)
- Vaellus porteille Tuonelan (Wandering To The Gates Of Underworld)
- Talvenkaltainen (Winterlike)
- Kauan koskematon (Aeons Untouched)
- Tulensinisen hohto (Shining Of Fire Blue)
- Hänen jäätävä katseensa (Her Freezing Gaze)
- Maa pirstaleista (Debris Of Earth)
- Arvoitusten luona (Close to Mystery)
- Poies (Away)
- Taianomainen (Magical)
- Muinaisvoimaa (Ancient Power)
Jääportit at Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXXIV – Gig review
“Jääportit closed the show and people who made it all three days were grateful to close out the show with transcendent winter synth. I do not know how ‘Kauan Koskematon’ was received in 1999 upon its release but since then has become a touchstone record for fans of dungeons and cosmic space synth. I’m sure everyone’s feet were tired at that moment and those who had been drinking for three days I’m sure there was a blissful astral projection which happened amid the simple projection of falling snow. Jääportit transformed the last day and final hours of NEDS into a kingdom of ice where feelings of both loneliness and magic existed for a brief moment.”
Written by Jonathan Carbon on “More True Than Time Thought: Dungeon Synth Live!”-article about Northeast Dungeon Siege in Worcester MA, 3/28-4/1, on Invisible Oranges -blog
Live photos by Hillarie Jason
