Reykjavík Grapevine - 24.06.2005, Page 42

42
Live Mu
sic Revie
w
A loud droning
sound filled the second floor from
the new stage at Bar 11. Gradually,
it got fuller made richer with
cymbal swirls and bass notes. This
was Bob’s first number; applauded
by the late-to-arrive crowd. Bob’s
ability to electronically manipulate
a chord having been tested, the rest
of their programme consisted of
more structured songs, some even
featuring vocals.
Bob’s little sound machines
played a large role; skewing sounds,
ripping them apart and putting them
back together. However, the gig was
not a simple sound orgy, but rather a
fine example of a great band.
Bob’s songs are rooted in the
adventurous indie rock of Sonic
Youth but also bear a resemblance to
more dreamy acts such as Slowdive
and My Bloody Valentine. Tempo
and meter changes are no problem
for Bob, and going from A to B to
C to D without looking back for a
chorus or a replay is quite normal in
Bob’s world. Amazingly, they pull
it off without ever making you look
the other way. But all those delays
and other stuff have a price; the
price of configuration. Bob allowed
themselves up to three minutes
between songs to twiddle knobs
and press buttons, a very frustrating
experience for listeners and viewers
alike. Once they get that cleared up
Bob will be one of the best bands in
town.
Coral are better known locally,
having put out a self-titled EP a
few years back and having a song in
cinematic catastrophe Gemsar. For
their first couple of songs singer/
guitarist Gunnar obviously had
troubles with his voice, stretching it
in a way that didn’t sound good or
healthy. But by the third number,
“This Dark Globe”, Coral found
its note. The song started with a
charged Muse-like riff, going from
verse to chorus and back for a few
minutes, before blowing up and out
into an improvised twenty-minute
freak-out groove.
by Atli Bollason
BOB AN
D CORA
L
at Bar 11
, Thursd
ay 16
June, 10
pm.
When you’re desperate to have a nice holiday, and the sky is grey and rain
is coming down in sheets, you can make yourself believe that Love Guru,
a portly goofball hip hop persona from Selfoss is entertainment embodied.
This year, though, the weather was decent, and the music had a hard time
catching the crowd’s interest.
The main difficulty was the same as happens when any municipality
organizes a large music festival: the music was supposed to be for
everybody, and therefore it satisfied almost nobody. The early concerts
briefly convinced the crowd to look at the stage instead of the sun or their
own children, KK Band gave a spirited blues performance that goes well at
any festival, and Hjálmar played good reggae for good weather.
Beyond this, Papar and Stuðmenn clowned around well, though
Stuðmenn’s introduction of Icelandic Idol winner Hildur Vala was
unfortunate—she was asked to sing songs obviously out of her range. And
Mínus showed their patriotic spirit by playing their hearts out despite a
sound system that did them no justice whatsoever.
Not far from the festival, members of the staff stumbled across the true
musical highlight of the evening: the performance of the Accordion Club
of Reykjavík, ten accordion players with bassist, guitarist and drummer,
giving dance music for hearty older locals.
17 JUNE
CONCE
RTS
KK Band
, Hjálma
r, Írafár,
Papar, S
tuðmen
n
and Mín
us at Arn
arhóll, A
nd Acco
rdion Cl
ub of
Reykjav
ík at City
Hall.
by Bart Cameron
G
úndi
P
aul / G
rapevine