by Josh Buchignani

Baard Kolstad kicked off his “Evening with Baard Kolstad” livestream on Saturday May 8th with an explosive playthrough of “The Sky is Red” from Leprous, the progressive metal group that Baard has been the drummer for since 2013. This track consists of a wide dynamic range and meticulous syncopation that Kolstad performs with precision, grace, and dexterity.

He then jumped into a Q&A accompanied by fellow drummer Simen Sandnes, in which Baard answers questions submitted by viewers through the livestream and discusses his background as a street drummer and the experiences in his life that led to him to join Leprous. Kolstad talks through the different projects that he is currently involved in and demonstrates his stick technique and how he utilizes grip in order to maximize use of gravity, efficiency, and sound.

Following the next playthrough of “Para”, by Rendezvous Point, Kolstad is asked to break down the intro of the song and elaborate on the quintuplet subdivisions that the groove is based upon. The playthrough of “Anesthetize”, by Porcupine Tree, displays Kolstad’s rigorous understanding of syncopation and compound meters, as well as the influence that he derived from Gavin Harrison and the group as a whole. Kolstad states that the next playthrough of “Forced Entry”, pays homage to the original drummer of Leprous, Tobias Ørnes Andersen. The playthrough is then followed by a drum solo emphasizing improvisational development. Advertisement

His next playthrough “Dance of Eternity”, by Dream Theater, showcases Kolstad’s influence derived from Mike Portnoy. Kolstad discusses phrasing over bar lines and experimenting with different odd numbered groupings, practice routines, limb independence, as well as his favorite drummers in the black metal scene. Followed by a playthrough of “Moon”, by Leprous. Afterwards, Kolstad is asked to break down the process of learning new songs and goes into detail about the process of songwriting with Leprous as well as life in a pandemic and how it has affected him personally and musically.

Kolstad concludes the exclusive live stream with a requested playthrough of “Red”, by Leprous. This three hour+ performance is a must see for both aspiring and experienced drummers as it gives unique insight into the mind of the exceptionally innovative and skilled Baard Kolstad. You can still purchase a VIP ticket to this event which is viewable thru this Saturday May 15^th at: https://watch.munin.live/products/an-evening-with-baard-kolstad-vip

Here is one of Baard’s drum solo performances from the Live Event!

 

Here is the Leprous ‘Captive’ Drum Playthrough from the Live Event!

 

Visit Baard’s Social Media Pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baard.kolstad
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baardkolstadofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BaardKolstad