CONCERT REVIEW: Wardruna - Chelsea Wolfe - Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Kicking off their world tour at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, Chelsea Wolfe delivered a mesmerizing performance as she opened for Wardruna. Her blend of Gothic Rock, Doom Metal, and Folk echoed hauntingly against the cliffs, creating a vibe uniquely suited to the venue.

The band’s dark ambient sounds complemented Wolfe’s eerily beautiful voice, which resonated off the illuminated red cliffs, drawing the audience into an evening of otherworldly musical experiences.

Wolfe’s setlist included gripping tracks like “Whispers in the Echo Chamber,” “Everything Turns Blue,” and “Tunnel Lights,” pulling the crowd in further with each song. “The Mother Road” and “Flatlands” showcased her talent for genre-blending, while “Unseen World” and “Eyes Like Nightshade” highlighted her vocal prowess. She closed with “Place in the Sun,” “Disk,” and “Feral Love,” leaving a strong impression of her musical depth.

Her clearly present Black Metal and Scandinavian folk influences made her an ideal opener for Wardruna’s sole U.S. show this year. Chelsea Wolfe’s performance was a remarkable blend of nature and sound, helping to create an unforgettable evening.

The landscape of Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado was transformed by the ambient sounds of Wardruna. The natural rock formations provided a stunning backdrop for their evocative music—a perfect pairing that drew in a crowd brimming with metalheads and aficionados of Norse Pagan traditions alike. Since their formation in 2003 Wardruna has been on a mission to sing life back into old Norse culture and myths through music, but more recently have taken a turn toward the revitalizing the appreciation we have of the present and what nature presents us with every day…. and there is no better venue than this one for such a journey.

Wardruna’s music is an intricate blend of old and new, featuring instruments like the haunting kraviklyra and the resonant goat horn, interwoven with the raw sounds of nature—stones, trees, and water take center stage as much as the musicians themselves. Their performance included songs from across their discography, starting off with Kvitravn (2021), Skugge (2020), Solringen (2014) and Heimta Thurs / Thurs (2009), all evoking the rich tapestry of Norse legends and lore. But what truly captivated the crowd was the live debut of “Hertan”, a song off their upcoming 6th studio release album entitled Birna (Sony Music). This new work follows “Birna” or the she-bear and warden of the forest. “Birna” more deeply reflects upon the connection between nature and modern society as Wardruna moves to steer away from glorifying renditions of the past and looks remind us of the beauty in our present world.

Wardruna’s ability to effectively bridge the ancient with the modern today speaks volumes to their talent as poets and musicians. The excited crowd echoed this sentiment, their energy amplifying with each song as the acoustics bounced off the amphitheater’s equally ancient sandstone outcroppings. For those lucky enough to be there, the show felt like stepping into another world—a shared, spiritual experience that connected everyone in attendance to the stunning 180 million-year-old Aztec Sandstone cliffs surrounding them, as well as the starry night sky above.

Red Rocks served as the ideal venue for this transformative performance, where the boundaries between art and environment melted away. It is here that Wardruna’s music truly thrives, as they elegantly marry the intensity of metal with the depth of pagan motifs. As the final notes of their 2018 hit “Ormagardskvedi” faded into the night, it was clear that Wardruna had not just performed at Red Rocks; they had etched an indelible memory in everyone’s hearts, turning the evening into a timeless celebration under the stars.