Mames Babegenush: Diversity saves us
Danish klezmer band Mames Babegenush has been mixing Nordic tones with Eastern European energy for 20 years. At the Jewish Cultural Festival 2025, they highlighted music's role as a counterforce to homogenization and commercial noise.
photo and text: Martin Farstad Borg
Music as a meeting room
For the band, festivals like this are about more than just entertaining – they create space for encounters between cultures.
“As musicians, we are interested in mixing cultures. We have Eastern European roots, Nordic traditions and music from all over the world in our expression.”
In this way, the concerts become an invitation to experience both differences and commonalities on the same stage.
A world ruled by algorithms
The band expressed concern about how society today is largely controlled by commercial forces.
"Today, the entire world is almost ruled by algorithms, which only focus on the commercial. If we don't open up and gain insight into other cultures, we are losing something essential."
For them, the festival becomes a counterbalance to this uniformity – a place where culture is allowed to grow freely.
Diversity as a counterforce
They emphasize that diversity is a necessity, not just an enrichment.
"Diversity is what's going to save us – from super-capitalism, from big tech. Music and culture are what keep us human."
In doing so, they place music within a larger social context, as a counterforce to fragmentation and isolation.
A festival with reverberations
Mames Babegenush said that they felt particularly comfortable in the synagogue.
"This is our second time playing here, and the fantastic ambience suits our music perfectly. People were dancing, the atmosphere was great – but there was also room for contemplation."
The experience shows how the space itself became part of the music and reinforced the sense of community.
An evening to take with you onward
For the band, the concert in Trondheim was a powerful meeting between cultural heritage and contemporary times.
“I hope we get to come back again – it was a beautiful experience being here.”
The reactions from the audience, with both dancing and applause, showed that the music resonated widely and gave the festival one of its most energetic moments.
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