Omnia, a Pagan Folk
Band That Rocks
Image via Wikimedia Commons by Markus Felix (talk to me) (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0
Omnia is a pagan folk band based in Holland. Their music is not for everyone. You won’t find them on I-Tunes or on the racks at Walmart. My husband, who is always on the lookout for good pagan music, found them on You-Tube. When I first heard their song “Alive,” I was hooked.
The band was formed by husband and wife team Jenny and Steve "Sic" Evans van der Harten. Their appearance seems strange at first with lavish tattoos and unusual hairstyles, but really not any stranger than Lady Gaga. They, with the rest of the band, play a gamut of 100% acoustic instruments, such as Celtic harp, hurdy-gurdy, bodhran, guitar, bouzouki, didgeridoo, flutes, bagpipes, and a variety of percussion instruments. Many of these are hand-made.
The band was formed by husband and wife team Jenny and Steve "Sic" Evans van der Harten. Their appearance seems strange at first with lavish tattoos and unusual hairstyles, but really not any stranger than Lady Gaga. They, with the rest of the band, play a gamut of 100% acoustic instruments, such as Celtic harp, hurdy-gurdy, bodhran, guitar, bouzouki, didgeridoo, flutes, bagpipes, and a variety of percussion instruments. Many of these are hand-made.
Dance Like No One Is Watching Art Print - ad
To watch Jenny play the hurdy-gurdy is to watch magic at work. That is not a simple instrument to play, yet she makes it seem effortless. Then she walks over to her standing harp and more magic flows from her fingers. Her voice would probably not get a chair to turn around on The Voice, but it is soft, melodic, and enchanting. They wouldn’t want to be on The Voice anyway, for they avoid commercialized venues and their success is largely word of mouth.
Steve and Jenny live a simple lifestyle, with no television. Their spiritual life is strongly connected to nature and the spirit world. They sing in English, Finnish, German, Latin, Irish, Breton and Hindi. The word Omnia is Latin for “everything.”
My favorite song by Omnia is called “Alive,” and that is what you will feel when you hear it. They ask the question, “do you feel alive today?” and soon I find myself tapping my feet and dancing around.
Steve and Jenny live a simple lifestyle, with no television. Their spiritual life is strongly connected to nature and the spirit world. They sing in English, Finnish, German, Latin, Irish, Breton and Hindi. The word Omnia is Latin for “everything.”
My favorite song by Omnia is called “Alive,” and that is what you will feel when you hear it. They ask the question, “do you feel alive today?” and soon I find myself tapping my feet and dancing around.
Image via Pixabay
Another favorite of mine is “The Raven.” Steve quotes the well known
Edgar Allan Poe poem, but not like you have heard it done before. If
they had presented it Omnia-style in high school, I would have paid more
attention. The song starts out as spoken words and very slowly evolves
into a musical piece that continues to grow in intensity. Quoth the Raven, Nevermore.
Shakespeare Witches of Macbeth art Halloween decor - ad
Shakespeare gets his due as well with their song, “Wytches’ Brew.” It is perfect for a Halloween party.
Double double toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Sadly for me, Omnia usually plays at medieval and folk festivals in Europe. Still, I can listen and enjoy their music from their CD’s and watch them on You-Tube. But, hearing them in person would be magical indeed.
Watch Jenny play the hurdy-gurdey in this song.
Double double toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Sadly for me, Omnia usually plays at medieval and folk festivals in Europe. Still, I can listen and enjoy their music from their CD’s and watch them on You-Tube. But, hearing them in person would be magical indeed.
Watch Jenny play the hurdy-gurdey in this song.
Native American Canvas Wall Art Archer on Horseback = ad
This last song is from Omnia's album called Earth Warrior. Remember this is a pagan band, so they sing....,
"I'm a warrior, Earth warrior
True-born Pagan, yeah
I'm a Warrior, nature soldier
Fightin' for the earth"
.
"I'm a warrior, Earth warrior
True-born Pagan, yeah
I'm a Warrior, nature soldier
Fightin' for the earth"
.
I know you are anxiously waiting for me to tell you where you can get some of this awesome music. Luckily for people who live in the US, we can order them from Amazon.
Omnia is continually putting out new music and perfecting their craft. Here is a sample of their many albums.
"OMNIA brings a musical message of respect for nature, personal liberty and freedom of thought and expression for all."
World of Omnia
If you have made it this far and have watched some of the videos, I would love to hear your thoughts. Unfortunately, like all she other pages on this website, this page is not able to accept comments. But never fear, my creative talents have come up with a solution. If you will hop on over to the blog post, "Can You Feel Alive Today? you can speak your mind whether yay or nay.
Header image via Pixabay