Soft and Slow at Severa Gjurin’s Acoustic Gig (2014)

Arhiv Arhiv Last updated 11 June 2026

Venue: SiTi Teater
Concert date: January 23, 2014
Attendance: 250
Ticket price: €13.50-15

The vibe at SiTi Teater is generally tailor-made for acoustic shows; the smaller hall and cozy atmosphere are perfect for acoustic ventures like Severa’s. On the day of the gig the hall was jam-packed, with people from all age groups (from the youngest to the oldest) and a special, buzzing feeling in the air. After the lights went down and the chatter on my left died away, Gašper Peršl crept onto the SiTi Teater stage to take his place behind the drums, Žiga Golob took the double bass, Dejan Lapanja settled onto his guitar stool, and Severa Gjurin stepped up to her spot at the main mic. The concert kicked off with Mlini in vetrovi, no hesitation and no pointless “working the crowd”.

The dynamics control (the shifting volume of the instruments and vocals) was incredible; during the parts of songs where only Severa and Dejan were playing, you could hear someone clicking a ballpoint pen across the hall. Severa’s voice blended beautifully and seamlessly with Dejan’s guitar improvisation; the songs they performed together developed quietly but persistently into richly arranged pieces. After Brez sramu in brez strahu came Severa’s acoustic take on Obsedela Sva Sama by Avtomobili. The transformation of the arrangement, spiced up further by Severa’s persona, got a warm reception from the crowd, just like all the covers did. Special mention goes to Oh, My Heart by R.E.M., which Severa delivered with a considerably heavier dose of melancholy. You have to understand that slipping into another artist’s work (in our case Michael Stipe’s) takes its emotional toll; it’s hard to relive someone else’s songwriting while keeping your own touch. Severa and her band pulled it off with five stars. Sweet and quiet before, in the climactic moments she poured out her emotional charge in a determined, piercing way.

The show carried on with dynamic ups and downs; an easy start, a strong climb, a dynamic descent. The backing band, who worked with Severa among other things during the Olivija era, built a solid foundation throughout the night for the singer to lean on. This was no pop-star ego trip, swapping out the backing band every year. They all breathed together, stuck together, and interpreted the songs and the feelings on the same wavelength; songs like Mlade oči, Ti si moje srce, Sej vame, and others radiated a tangible warmth that completely won over the audience at SiTi Teater. Muzika za Babice, the brainchild of Žiga Golob, deserves special mention in an already insightful batch of songs. A simple arrangement with the double bass, whistling, and murmuring at its core; the audience was eagerly waiting for the vocals, but Severa stubbornly held them back until the very end of the song. For the theatrical finale the band served up Kakor da se nič ni zgodilo, one of the gentlest and most innocent songs in Severa’s catalog, written together with Gal and dedicated to everyone affected by the flood.

Usually the “encore” pulls the listener at a concert away from the very thing that drew them in. Why leave the stage, wait, and come back? If the performance is good, play the whole show and leave the listeners hungry for another gig, another performance. Still, after coming back out, Severa won over everyone in the crowd, down to the last person, with an acoustic cover of Sentiš-Navadni by Zmelkoow. Bob Dylan’s Not Dark Yet further justified the return to the stage, and the band wrapped up the night, punchy and heartfelt, with Kjer je toplo, a simple and honest song, perfect for closing an excellently executed concert, both in terms of “eye candy” (Dejan’s total immersion on guitar and Severa’s charming persona) and technical execution (Peršl’s incredible jazzy playing style and volume control).

After a gentle thank-you and goodbye, the whole audience shuffled toward the doors. On the way out, through the rows of chairs and promo flyers, I was trying to sum up the SiTi Teater experience in a single sentence. Sorry, it can’t be done. Gjurin paints music with words, honestly and without restraint, with the fervor of a true creator and performer. And the element of improvisation adds to a dynamic picture that varies from show to show and always offers a fresh experience. Yesterday’s concert was living proof of Severa’s multilayered talent as a performer and interpreter; she balanced the insight of her lyrics with incredible dynamics control and flawless cooperation from her backing band. If innocence has a sound, it’s the voice of Severa Gjurin.