Way out West – Original Music from Esbjerg

WAY OUT WEST – Original artists from Esbjerg.

Esbjerg’s songwriters are releasing singles and albums at a fast pace these years, touring, and receiving excellent reviews, awards, and nominations.

This year we present a Songwriter’s Circle during Esbjerg Festival, highlighting what our local songwriters have to offer.

A songwriter’s circle is a well-known format, popular in Nashville and at the Tønder Festival. Songwriters take turns presenting their self-written songs. The audience experiences a concert with diverse songs from artists across different genres, while also getting a glimpse into the songwriters’ process and hearing their reflections.

This concert features a group of independent artists from Esbjerg, each breaking through in their respective genres. All deeply rooted in Esbjerg soil – way out west.

The concert presents music from:

Marcus Honore (Viva La Wolfe) – With a love for Townes Van Zandt, Zimmerman, and John Mayer, Marcus seeks the very essence of what a song can achieve—just a man and his guitar.

Eigil Bak (Bakland) – who writes: “Almost every other date on the calendar tends to have something to offer. Songs about poets at Torvet, tumbleweeds in Kongensgade, or bunker safaris at FZ50. The song became a passion, and passion turned into song.”

Johnny Houmark (South of Sundays) – the former frontman of Esbjerg-based band Powderhog. Currently active with South of Sundays, Houmark's songwriting receives significant acclaim both nationally and internationally. His songs have recently been nominated for awards such as Den Hårde Tone’s Single of the Year and three categories at the Gaffa Awards 2025.

GLIMTVIS, comprising Rikke Egholm Ravn and Rasmus Pedersen – two experienced musicians who should have comfortably settled into adulthood but struggle with it—adult life and everything one "ought" to manage. This struggle results in personal, relevant songs aimed at others who find themselves similarly fumbling through life. Among their works is the album The Nashville Confessions, written on a kind of pilgrimage to Nashville.

Ninna Andreasen, whose songs such as "Rockersangen," "Den Sidste Vinterdag," "Kridthuset," and "Mellem dig og mig," have moved audiences to tears for over 15 years—sometimes with laughter, sometimes tenderness. Her repertoire is crafted for lovers of catchy folk songs dealing with just about anything except romance and love.

Min Veninde Signe – who describes her songs as “a safe space—a conversation between you and your close friend in the living room, discussing train journeys, subtle stress symptoms, and long-distance relationships.” Her gentle singer-songwriter universe radiates warmth, calm, and musicality, and her relatable, intimate lyrics help you feel seen, mirrored, and less alone.

Experience a concert filled with diverse musical expressions and stories—and an invitation into the stories behind the songs.