Hess is More: Apollonian Circles

The seed for Apollonian Circles was planted when Hess Is More – in an expanded international edition – took over Charlottenborg during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 2019. Since then, the project has evolved through numerous performances, including at Winter Jazzfest in New York and, most recently, 18 acclaimed shows at Teater Republique. Now, the musicians behind the latest Copenhagen production – among them vocalist Mette Lindberg and bassist Ida Duelund – are ready to present the music from the performance at Kold Festival in Kolding in 2026.

Hess Is More began as an electronic solo project by Danish drummer and composer Mikkel Hess and has since developed into a larger ensemble of musicians across the Atlantic. Over the past two decades, the group has released 10 albums along with several EPs and special editions. Their live performances have achieved near-cult status, repeatedly landing them on lists of the world’s best live bands.

In January 2026, a truly special tour will kick off across Denmark, as Hess Is More brings the collective, ever-evolving concert experience Apollonian Circles on the road. The interdisciplinary performance, which won Concert Experience of the Year at the Danish Music Awards Jazz 2022, invites audiences into a dreamlike world of music, light, costumes, and scenography. Each performance is unique, and no one can quite know what the evening will hold until it unfolds.

“The cliché ‘I’ve never seen or experienced anything like it’ was transformed into a spellbinding reality. A close, rhythmic sensory bombardment awakened, moved, and touched. A two-hour unique musical total experience that proved Hess – and life – is more than you know.” - allthat.dk

Mikkel Hess is a renowned Danish composer and drummer, known for his innovative blend of jazz, krautrock, and electronica. His ensemble has achieved international recognition and toured worldwide. Hess is the central creative force behind Apollonian Circles, yet once the doors open, the performance becomes a collective, egalitarian work co-created and shared with the audience.

The idea for Apollonian Circles emerged in 2019 and has since involved a range of artists, with productions in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and New York. Alongside Hess, the core team includes major creative contributors: Tue Biering, known for his boundary-pushing theatre productions, serves as director consultant and dramaturgical co-creator; the set design is by award-winning Christian Friedländer in collaboration with Dicki Lakha, while internationally acclaimed designer Henrik Vibskov is behind the costumes.

In January, the project will tour Denmark, inviting audiences to step into a theatrical setting dominated by a large, beautifully set table functioning as both stage design and concert platform. Apollonian Circles is a cross-aesthetic concert performance where music, scenography, costume, and lighting are guided by an underlying dramaturgy. From the moment audiences arrive, they are transported into a mysterious, dreamlike parallel universe – outside time and place – where anything can happen.

At the center stands the table, adorned with shifting otherworldly artefacts and ornaments. The musicians approach it together with the audience, gradually transforming it into a stage from which they perform out into the space. Through a magical interplay of art forms and styles, Apollonian Circles dissolves the boundary between artwork and audience, creating an experience that defies comparison to any traditional concert format.

Every show has sold out
Since its first performance in 2019 at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Apollonian Circles has drawn full houses at every presentation. With its unique energy and sense of togetherness, the performance has already become a must-see for many – some even returning several nights in a row.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for one night after another, when my body became an instrument quietly dancing with you in the dark! Thank you for the most beautiful dinner ever!” - Sarah Grünewald, TV host and actress
“Mindblowing! […] A kind of concert-imprint on your mind. It felt almost like a religious experience. It was truly amazing […] A huge recommendation! You really need to watch out for this! From now on, I’ll see it every time!” - Signe Lindkvist and Iben Hjejle, Sitter podcast

The concert is presented in collaboration with MusikKolding and Kolding Egnsteater.

Line-up:
Mikkel Hess – drums & vocals
Mette Lindberg – vocals
Raisa Castro – percussion & vocals
Cecilia Raisa Castro – percussion & vocals
Ida Urd – bass
Rasmus Vestervig – guitar
Nikolaj Hess – grand piano

Creative team:
Composer & bandleader: Mikkel Hess
Set designers & props: Christian Friedländer and Dicki Lakha
Costume designer: Henrik Vibskov
Director consultant: Tue Biering
Artistic producer: Kat Jarby, Kaja Management