NEWS 2013
“PHASEWIDE, EXIT SIGNS” ELECTED ALBUM OF THE YEAR (17-12-2013 13:58:09)
Martin Hall’s latest solo record Phasewide, Exit Signs has been elected “album of the year” by the Polish site Nowamuzyka. The top 10 of the magazine features artists such as Flaming Lips and Mazzy Star. You can see the full list here:
Phasewide, Exit Signs was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in October 2013. The album has received excellent Scandinavian and European reviews so far – you can get a quick overview here:
In November Martin Hall was nominated for two GAFFA awards (Denmark’s biggest music magazine) – in the categories “Danish album of the year” and “best Danish male artist” – but here he didn’t win the people’s favour.
LAST MARTIN HALL CONCERT WITH BAND IN 2013 (18-11-2013 10:23:12)
On Saturday the 30th of November at 19.30 (CET) Martin Hall will be performing his last 2013 concert, a one-off event accompanied by full band at Aarhus Musikhus. The musicians at the concert will be the following:
Martin Hall (vocal)
Johnny Stage (guitar and keyboards)
Henriette Groth (piano, keyboards and viola)
Andreas Bennetzen (bass and electronics)
Sisse Selina Larsen (drums and percussion)
The ticket price is 275 DKR (approximately 37 €).
A FEW NEW PHOTO GALLERIES (14-11-2013 12:05:15)
We’ve come across some old negatives and uploaded a series of new photo galleries. You’ll also be able to find an updated selection of posters and other features in the following sections:
- Slideshow photo gallery (1981 – 2013)
- Posters and other features (1981-2013)
- Under For (1983-1984)
- Parade (1984)
- Television appearance (1988)
HALL RELATED AUTUMN ARRANGEMENTS (20-10-2013 12:07:11)
The following list is a short overview over some upcoming Martin Hall related events. Of the featured dates we have to emphasize the November concert in Aarhus Musikhus – this will be Hall’s last appearance with full band for a while.
- Tuesday the 29th of October at 16.30:
William S. Burroughs arrangement at Copenhagen’s Main Library. - Thursday the 7th of November at 19.30 in Hvalsø Kirke:
Martin Hall interpreted by The Royal Opera singer Djina Mai-Mai. - Friday the 8th of November at 19.30 in Sankt Jakobs Kirke:
Martin Hall interpreted by The Royal Opera singer Djina Mai-Mai. - Monday the 18th of November at 18.00:
Martin Hall lecture at Gladsaxe Hovedbibliotek. - Saturday the 30th of November at 19.30:
Martin Hall concert with band in Aarhus Musikhus.
EUROPEAN PRAISE OF THE NEW HALL ALBUM (17-10-2013 19:19:10)
The new Martin Hall album Phasewide, Exit Signs was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the beginning of October and so far the European reviews have been as great as the Scandinavian. Some of the highlights go like this:
”To bow before such an artist is a duty, to enjoy his art a pleasure not to be denied.”
(Rating: 8 out of 10)
Darkroom Magazine (Italian site and magazine covering independent music)
“Intoxicating … be sure to check it out.”
Orkus Magazine (major German music magazine)
“A very positive surprise … impressive.”
(Rating: 11 out of 15)
Baby Blaue (German site for independent music)
“A quiet, thoughtful and spherical album.”
(Rating: 7 out of 10)
Der Hörspiegel (German site for alternative music)
“Phasewide, Exit Signs is a testament to creativity and sovereignty … it allows deep insights into what a brilliant artist Hall is.”
Alternativ Musik (German site for independent music)
“Dark and hypnotic: Martin Hall understands the award of forging strong tension.”
(Rating: 12 out of 15)
Musik Reviews (German site for independent music)
“A rousing album.”
Music Scan (German music site)
”One of the most important records of 2013. Outstanding.”
(Rating: 5 out of 5)
Nowamuzyka (Polish site for independent music)
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS IN COPENHAGEN NIGHT (08-10-2013 14:11:17)
On Tuesday the 29th of October from 16.30 until 18.45 Copenhagen’s Main Library invites to the 30-year anniversary of the iconic American beat writer William S. Burroughs first and only visit in Denmark in Saltlageret in 1983. For further details please see the library’s facebook event. Knud Oddes 2013 poster can be seen here.
With author and filmmaker Lars Movin as guide – as well as the panel guests Martin Hall and T.S. Høeg, two artists who both performed on stage before Burroughs’ reading that night – the 30-year anniversary can be enjoyed as both an introduction to Burroughs in general and to the historical ”Last Chance”-arrangement itself.
The arrangement ends with the showing of Lars Movin’s and Steen Møller Rasmussen’s film about the meeting between Burroughs and Danish writer Dan Turèll, who hosted the event in 1983 – the 74-minute documentary Words of Advice (William S. Burroughs on the Road) from 2007.
SOPRANO DJINA MAI-MAI INTERPRETS MARTIN HALL (03-10-2013 20:29:21)
The Royal Opera singer Djina Mai-Mai will be performing a selection of songs taken from the vast Martin Hall back catalogue on two occasions in November. The concerts have been arranged by theologian and writer at Weekendavisen Søren E. Jensen, a former radio presenter at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation. Djina Mai-Mai will be accompanied by guitarist and producer Johnny Stage at both events.
- Thursday the 7th of November at 19.30 in Hvalsø Kirke (Holbæk)
- Friday the 8th of November at 19.30 in Sankt Jakobs Kirke (Østerbro)
”PHASEWIDE, EXIT SIGNS” RELEASE IN GERMANY AND GAS ON OCTOBER 4 (17-09-2013 13:129:03)
Martin Hall’s critically acclaimed album Phasewide, Exit Signs will be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on Friday the 4th of October. The record will be distributed by Soulfood in the GAS-territory and followed up by a number of interviews with and features on Hall in some of Germany’s biggest sites and magazines such as Orkus Magazine (in the October edition).
During the years several of Martin Hall’s records have been released on the German market. In the 80’s both Relief and Cutting Through received a lot of attention in the country, and in 1997 Random Hold was released by the German label Public Propaganda with subsequent extremely positive reviews. In 2006 Facsimile likewise received a line of excellent reviews.
Throughout the years a cult crowd has followed his releases in Germany and the interest for Hall’s many varied projects can be documented by a long line of articles and reviews in both bigger magazines such as Zillo, Orkus and Sonic Reducer as well as in a number of more obscure underground magazines.
You can read much more about the record by clicking on the album title at the top of this section.
MARTIN HALL WITH BAND AT AARHUS MUSIKHUS ON NOVEMBER 30 (19-08-2013 10:19:11)
On Saturday the 30th of November at 19.30 (CET) Martin Hall will be performing his last 2013 concert, a one-off event accompanied by full band at Aarhus Musikhus. This performance marks the end of a busy 2013, where Hall apart from giving a series of highly spirited spring concerts also released the critically acclaimed album Phasewide, Exit Signs.
The concert in Aarhus has been arranged after a series of requests, since Hall didn’t play here during the spring tour, and will be his first appearance with full band in the city since his televised St. Paul’s concert in October 2009.
The musicians at the concert will be the following:
Martin Hall (vocal)
Johnny Stage (guitar and keyboards)
Henriette Groth (piano, keyboards and viola)
Andreas Bennetzen (bass and electronics)
Sisse Selina Larsen (drums and percussion)
The ticket price is 275 DKR (approximately 37 €).
HALL AT ODENSE SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL ON AUGUST 20 (29-07-2013 11:37:11)
On Tuesday the 20th of August at 20.00 (CET) Martin Hall is headlining the annual spoken word festival in Odense, Denmark’s third largest city and birthplace of world famous author H.C. Andersen. The event will take place is Kulturmaskinen where Hall will be performing his project Fragments of a Memory Journal accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Johnny Stage.
Tickets are available at the festival’s website where you can also see the line-up for the entire festival running from Monday the 19th until Friday the 23rd of August. Ticket prices are 100 DKR in presale and 120 at the entrance.
You can visit English version of the festival’s website here:
NEW VISUAL WORK BY MARTIN HALL AVAILABLE (29-06-2013 12:25:01)
From Monday the 1st of July you’ll be able to buy a new original piece of Martin Hall artwork made available by Det Bruunske Pakhus. The graphic work Memo is reproduced in 100 numbered and signed copies and combines Hall’s poetry, painting and drawing. The print is published in the format 61 x 45 cm and all profits from the sale go to Det Bruunske Legat, a grant given to a young musical talent.
The work can be purchased directly from Det Bruunske Pakhus at the price of 1.200 DKR (approximately 160 EURO). If you wish to buy a copy of the signed and numbered work, please send a mail to Det Bruunske Pakhus at connie@bruunskepakhus.dk or call Connie Shapira during office hours at +45 7210 6710.
The photographic main motive is based on a Christian Skeel work.
6 OUT OF 6 STARS LIVE REVIEW OF HALL’S CONCERT AT THE COURT THEATRE (26-04-2013 12:02:12)
Martin Hall’s sold-out live performance at The Court Theatre in Copenhagen on April 25 has just received a 6 out of 6 star review on Denmark’s leading music site GAFFA. The concert was Hall’s first with full ensemble since his 2009 shows in Denmark and Germany and the summation of the review goes like this:
“It’s often said that Martin Hall is a brand of its own in Denmark. I’m about to object that this is not entirely true. At least I haven’t met that many of his calibre abroad either. At his best Hall belongs to the international top class of performers.”
You can read the full review (in Danish) at the GAFFA site where you’ll also find a line of photos taken during the concert. Photo taken by Jacob Dinesen.
EXCELLENT REVIEWS FOR THE NEW HALL ALBUM (25-04-2013 12:02:21)
The new Martin Hall album Phasewide, Exit Signs – his first solo release in seven years – has been met with great reviews in the press. The highlights go like this:
- ”The ever changeable Hall in disturbingly good shape.” (5/6)
Gaffa (Denmark’s biggest music magazine). - ”Quite simply an aesthetic experience.” (5/6)
Undertoner (leading Danish site for independent music). - ”Breathtakingly beautiful.” (5/6)
Lydtapet (Danish site for independent music). - ”Haunting beauty and a delicate, melancholic desperation.” (4/6)
Jyllands-Posten (Denmark’s biggest newspaper). - ”An altogether stunning experience.” (5/6)
Aarhus Stiftstidende (daily Danish newspaper). - ”This album is a delight to listen to.” (5/6)
BT (Denmark’s equivalent to The Daily Mirror). - ”Beautiful and unique.”
Politiken (Denmark’s equivalent to The Guardian). - ”Extremely present.”
Information (Denmark’s equivalent to The Independent). - ”One of the most important records of 2013. Outstanding.” (5/5)
Nowamuzyka (Polish site for independent music).
The record itself is probably best described as a musical log book, a rather discreetly sounding piece of work that has been recorded in cities such as Montreal, London and Brussels. Hall works with several new collaborators the album, one of these being the Greek-English pianist Othon Mataragas (probably best known from his works with names such as Marc Almond, Current 93 and Peter Christopherson from Coil and Throbbing Gristle). Other tracks feature artists such as Linus Carlsen and The Funeral Tag Brass Band. Well-known Hall collaborators such as Christian Skeel, Johnny Stage and The Vista Dome Ensemble also appear on the recordings.
THE MARTIN HALL CONCERT AT THE COURT THEATRE ON APRIL 25 IS NOW SOLD OUT (19-04-2013 14:21:01)
There are no more tickets available for Martin Hall’s concert on April 25 at The Court Theatre in Copenhagen. You can still get hold of tickets for the following concerts:
Saturday 4th of May: Kulturvaerftet (Elsinore)
Fredag den 10. maj: Kulturmaskinen (Odense)
Both concerts will feature full musical line-up (for individual musicians, please see former notice).
The concert at Kulturmaskinen in Odense ais arranged in association with Club Golem, that has previously arranged concerts with names such as the former Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos and the English outfit The Tiger Lillies. You can read about the night – in Danish – at the club’s facebook site
“MUTED CRIES” – NEW VIDEO OUT NOW ON YOUTUBE (29-03-2013 20:01:15)
”Muted Cries” is a song taken from the forthcoming Hall album Phasewide, Exit Signs that will be released on the 2nd of April 2013. The track is recorded in Montreal and Copenhagen with pianist Linus Carlsen and guitarist Johnny Stage. The video is filmed by the Danish photographer Robin Skjoldborg and edited by Henrik Möll. Additional footage is taken from a performance made by Anastasija Kiake.
NEW MARTIN HALL SOLO ALBUM IN APRIL (23-02-2013 11:03:23)
Phasewide, Exit Signs – Martin Hall’s first solo album in seven years – will be released on the 2nd of April. The formats will include both vinyl and compact disc editions. The record itself is probably best described as a musical log book, a quite discreetly sounding piece of work that has been recorded in cities such as Montreal, London and Brussels.
On the new album Hall works with several new collaborators, one of these being the Greek-English pianist Othon Mataragas (probably best known from his works with names such as Marc Almond, Current 93 and Peter Christopherson from Coil and Throbbing Gristle). Other tracks feature artists such as Linus Carlsen and The Funeral Tag Brass Band. Well-known Hall collaborators such as Christian Skeel, Johnny Stage and The Vista Dome Ensemble also appear on the recordings.
Phasewide, Exit Signs will be preceded by a video for the new song “Muted Cries”. It’s expected to premiere on YouTube in mid-March.
More news will follow soon (video link, tracking list and ways to order).
MARTIN HALL CONCERTS IN APRIL AND MAY 2013 (25-01-2013 10:16:20)
Martin Hall will be performing his first live concerts with full ensemble since his highly praised shows in Denmark and Germany back in 2009. In Copenhagen the concert will take place at the historical venue The Court Theatre (Teatermuseet i Hofteatret) and in Jutland at the Fuglsoe Centre. The confirmed dates are as follows:
Saturday the 20th of April: Fuglsoe (close to Aarhus, Jutland)
Thursday the 25th of April: The Court Theatre (Copenhagen)
Saturday 4th of May: Kulturvaerftet (Elsinore)
Fredag den 10. maj: Kulturmaskinen (Odense)
Whereas Martin Hall’s 2009 live performances were characterized by a set of new arrangements of older songs, the upcoming shows is said to focus on new material. You can read more about Hall’s new solo album Phasewide, Exit Signs in the news section.
At the first three concerts the musical line-up will be this:
Martin Hall (vocal)
Johnny Stage (guitar and keyboards)
Ida Bach Jensen (bass and electronics)
Henriette Groth (piano, keyboards, clarinet and viola)
Sisse Selina Larsen (drums and percussion)
At the concert at Kulturmaskinen in Odense bass player will be Andreas Bennetzen.
NOWAMUZYKA INTERVIEW (23-01-2013 14:05:21)
The following is a brief Q&A interview with Martin Hall made by Łukasz Komła for the Polish magazine Nowamuzyka in February 2013.
What are you listening to at the moment?
Not much actually. I’m been in a quite withdrawn process of writing and recording, so I haven’t had any need for additional sounds. However, I did get hold of LTM’s combined re-release of the duo Deux Filles’ two albums Silence & Wisdom from 1982 and Double Happiness from 1983. The group was said to consist of two French orphans, the girls Claudine Coule and Gemini Forque, but in reality the duo consisted of Simon Fisher Turner, a former child star and teen idol, and Colin Lloyd Tucker. They even did a concert dressed up as the two imaginary girls, fooling everyone in the audience at the time. It’s very inventive, instrumental music with various voices blending in occasionally.
What are you working on?
I’m working on my first solo album in seven years. It’s a very desolately sounding piece of work, a series of news songs that have been recorded in different cities around the world – Montreal, London, Brussels and obviously Copenhagen where I live. I even did a dictaphone recording of a vocal in a hotel room in Białystok during the summer of 2012, when I played at the Podlasie Opera. It’s a very quiet album using a minimum of instruments, but with full orchestral arrangements on a few tracks.
Where do you play in the near future?
At the end of April I’ll be playing a few concerts in Denmark, my first live appearances with band since 2009 here. I’m particularly looking forward to the concert in Copenhagen – it will take place at The Court Theatre, an old theatre built in 1766 with red velvet seating and theatre boxes. Unless we perform exceptionally badly on this occasion, I would expect the night to turn into a quite memorable event – the place is such a unique piece of architectural delight. You really do feel long lost centuries echo down the corridors of the building when entering the place.
RECENT CD RE-RELEASES OF THE HALL BACK CATALOGUE (23-01-2013 12:43:23)
During the last couple of years a fair amount of re-releases with old, otherwise hard-to-get titles from the Martin Hall catalogue have been issued as cd or download. Read more about re-releases such as:
Relief/Cutting Through (remastered cd-edition).
Apparently All The Same (remastered special edition).
Random Hold (remastered special edition).
Before (legendary support gig for New Order).
SS-Say/Pesteg Dred (remastered cd-edition).
Catalogue (box set with 5 audio cd’s and one dvd 1980-2007).
Catalyst (singles 1982-2008).
Recently Presence and Imperfect were released as remastered versions on iTunes as well.
“HOPE IS A LACK OF INFORMATION” LIVE AT THE P2 AWARDS 2013 (21-01-2013 11:45:10)
You can see Andrea Pellegrini’s and Tanja Zapolski’s excellent live version of Martin Hall’s “Hope Is a Lack of Information” at the annual P2 Awards 2013 held at the concert hall of The Danish National Radio on Saturday the 19th of January here:
The album If Power Asks Why which Martin Hall has written for and recorded with the mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini and the pianist Tanja Zapolski was nominated for the specific P2 Award “Lyt til Nyt 2013” alongside works of composers such as Per Nørgaard, Arne Nordheim and Kaija Saariah. You can see all the nominees here:
MARTIN HALL AT THE COURT THEATRE IN COPENHAGEN ON APRIL 25 (02-01-2013 11:21:12)
On Thursday the 25th of April 2013 (20.00 CET) Martin Hall will be performing at the historical venue The Court Theatre (Teatermuseet i Hofteatret), an architectural gem in the heart of Copenhagen. Built in 1766 this unique theatre forms the perfect setting for Hall’s first concert as a singer with band in the capitol of Denmark since his highly praised 2009-performances at The Concert Hall of the Danish National Radio – thereby becoming his first appearance with full ensemble for more than three and a half years.
At the concert at The Court Theatre Martin Hall will be playing primarily new material. Whereas his latest live-performances were characterized by a set of new arrangements of older songs, the upcoming show will feature several new songs as well as selected interpretations of the songs on the recently released album If Power Asks Why recorded by mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini.
The following musical line-up has been confirmed for the concert:
Martin Hall (vocal)
Johnny Stage (guitar and keyboards)
Ida Bach Jensen (bass and electronics)
Henriette Groth (piano, keyboards, clarinet and viola)
Sisse Selina Larsen (drums and percussion)
Tickets are available via www.billetnet.dk. The price for a concert ticket is 295 DKR (approximately 40 euro).
The Court Theatre is a living entity in Danish history, situated at Christiansborg, The Danish Parliament, in the heart of Copenhagen. In the 18th century the Court Theatre was an active institution forming the political and cultural development of the general public. The Court Theatre was built during the 1730’s and in 1766 it was rebuilt and turned into the neo-classicistic style still characterizing the entrance of the place. At the beginning of the 1840’s King Christian the 8th reshaped the theatre, turning the place into its present Biedermeier style with red velvet seating and theatre boxes.
HALL AF FUGSLOE (AARHUS) IN APRIL 2013 (21-01-2013 11:45:10)
On Saturday the 20th of April 2013 (20.00 CET) Martin Hall will be playing at Fuglsoecentret in Denmark, a rarely used concert facility outside Aarhus, Jutland. This performance will be Hall’s first Danish live-appearance as a singer with band since his critically acclaimed 2009 shows in The Concert Hall of the Danish National Radio and The St. Paul’s Church – that is his first concert with full ensemble for more than three and half years.
According to the latest bulletins Martin Hall will be playing primarily new material at the concert at Fuglsøcentret. Whereas Hall’s latest performances were characterized by a series of new arrangements of older songs chosen from his vast repertoire (you can see the selection on the later DVD-release Live at St. Paul’s), the upcoming concert should feature a line of new songs as well as a few selected interpretations of the songs on the recently released album If Power Asks Why recorded by mezzo-soprano Andrea Pellegrini.
Tickets are available via www.billetten.dk. The price for the concert is 295 DKR (approximately 40 euro). Apart from concert tickets Fuglsøcentret also offers menus and accommodation.