UPCOMING SHOWS
19-07-2026Zappanale 
(Bad Doberan, DE)


PAST SHOWS

2025Herzberg Festival
(Burg Herzberg, DE)

Ponavafest 
(Brno, CZ)

Wassermühle Barrien (Syke, DE)

Lesecafé Odradek
EX:IN | IN:EX
(Chemnitz, DE)
2024WORM 
(Rotterdam, NL)

Jazzclub 
(Karlsruhe, DE)

Freakshow Festival (Würzburg, DE)

Bimhuis
An Interplanetary Night
(Amsterdam, NL)

Jazzcafé Dizzy (Rotterdam, NL)

2023Immerhin 
(Würzburg, DE)

Jazzclub
(Villingen-
Schwenningen, DE)

Brasserie Terminus (Saarbrücken, DE)

Popcentrale
Bobby Kinghe
(Dordrecht, NL)

White Cube
(Hamburg, DE)

New Grounds
(Rotterdam, NL)

Simplon
(Groningen, NL)

Cinetol
SITP Summer Festival
(Amsterdam, NL)

De Perifeer
Perifest
(Devenster, NL)

Café de Zolder
(Groningen, NL)
HALA
avant-pop, progressive rock, post-punk 

 
cute, absurd and evil

 
With shocking effect and energy HALA explores a diverse theatrical interplay based on the vocalist Helene Matthia's fairytale-like compositions. At times it feels as if Nina Hagen got lost in a Tim Burton movie.

Their music sounds nearly absurdist and evil, and scatters from progressive rock, avant-pop and (free) improvisation to avant-garde and cabaret; 

with Helene Matthia on voice, Arno Bakker on sousaphone, Jorrit Westerhof on guitar and Gerri Jäger on drums.

The band was formed in 2017 in the basement of Atelier "Il sole in cantina", Cantina Records in Groningen, which is known for its experimental journeys.  

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Herzberg Festival 2025
  • Ponavafest Brno 2025
  • Freakshow Festival           Würzburg 2024
  • Bimhuis Amsterdam 2024
  • SITP x Cinetol Summerfestival Amsterdam 2023
  • Perifest Deventer 2023
  • RAUW x Jazzinternational   Rotterdam 2022
  • Schnittpunkte der Musik Festival Austria 2021
  • ZomerJazzFietsTour         Groningen 2019
  • Jazzfestival Karlsruhe 2018



PRESS QUOTES

‘Herzberg band of the week: HALA’
- Rock Magazine Eclipsed
concert announcement | www.eclipsed.de


'Helene Matthia and HALA are surprising and audacious'
- Rinus van der Heijden
album review 'HALA' | www.jazznu.com


'Free improvisations transform into contagious rock rhythms and
funky dance tunes'
- Eddy Determeyer
concert review | www.draaiomjeoren.com


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