Reykjavík Grapevine - 24.08.2007, Side 22

RVK_GV_13_007_MUSIC_76_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 13_007_REVIEWS/MUSIC/LIVE
This exciting new multimedia exhibition tells the story from an island’s dramatic
birth from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean through its forty year history to the
current day – and beyond, glimpsing the future 120 years hence.

The exhibition explains the Government’s decision to submit an application
to UNESCO to designate Surtsey a World Heritage Site.
The Culture House - Þjóðmenningarhúsið
National Centre for Cultural Heritage
Hverfi sgata 15, 101 Reykjavik
Telephone 545 1400 www.thjodmenning.is
Open daily between 11am and 5pm
The admission fee grants entry to all exhibitions at the Culture House. Adults ISK 300. Senior citizens ISK 200.
Students ISK 200. Free entry for children 16 years of age or younger. Admission is free on Wednesdays.
SURTSEY – GENESIS. EXHIBITION AT THE CULTURE HOUSE
The rambunctious howls of Ljótu Hálfvitarnir, or
Ugly Idiots, greeted me mid-brisk-walk towards
the big stage at Miklatún Park early during
Culture Night day. Upon the sound I happily
slowed my pace a bit and checked my watch
to see I was only four minutes late. Although
the show had clearly started preposterously
punctually, I found myself trailing behind a
steady stream of family folk racing towards
the giant block of a stage.
The self-described “cross-eyed entertainers
from the north” were a huge hit among what
I could see of the hundreds of people sprawled
across the park’s vast grassy knoll. The crowd
consisted, and continued for the rest of the day
to consist of, what I can’t help but call “older
people,” their sugar-high children, and their
dogs. I sat down on the warm grass and tried
to think good thoughts. Much to my delight
a dog sitting next to me, watching the stage,
started squealing.
A band called Vonbrigði, or Disappoint-
ment, took the stage and proved once and
for all that irony is in fact dead. Sitting in front
of me an old lady whispered to her friend,
“probably just horrible noise,” before promptly
standing up and leaving once the horrible noise
began. The crowd, enthused by the sunshine
and a chance to get out of the house and
drink beer for an evening, were lapping up
this most recent disappointment, a hard-rock
band with the same line-up and wardrobe as
from their founding in 1981. Their drummer
ripped off his shirt, flaunting his grey chest
hair. The crowd nodded with pleasure.
Pétur Ben was the show’s clear highlight,
and I mean this from a personal standpoint,
not the crowd’s. Until Pétur demanded from it
some acoustic sensitivity, I had hardly noticed
the horrible sound quality emitting from the
monstrous speakers. Through feedback and
mixing that alternately drowned out and com-
pletely cut off his vocals, Pétur’s enchanting
sound wedged its way out, managing the day’s
best set.
My first Mínus experience was similarly
rendered obsolete thanks to the shitty sound
system, which was spitting out a clutter of
noise that was far beyond what the band could
possibly have been responsible for. AMPOP
were the show’s headliners, and were granted a
longer set, as they had clearly been deemed the
most generically pleasing of the acts. They did
their shallow pop thing and it finally dawned
on me that this was not in fact a concert I had
been witnessing for the past two hours, but
a ceremony of mass gratification. Quantity
of sound was clearly being emphasized over
quality, as its highest aspiration was not to do
the bands any justice, but rather to reach the
furthest ear in the park.
The concert ended as ludicrously punctual
as it had begun, and although now it had
cooled, and the crowd consequently decreased
by half, it was clear that the day’s objective had
been reached. What horrible, horrible family
fun.
Idiot Culture for the Masses
Text by Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir Photo by Gulli
Who: Ampop, Mínus, Pétur Ben,
Vonbrigði, Ljótu Hálfvitarnir
Where: Miklatún Park
When: August 18, 2007
A diverse mix of concertgoers flocked to bar
Organ on a Wednesday evening. Four bands
were about to perform but only one would ac-
tually hit the spot. The night’s concerts peaked
with Jan Mayen’s performance some two hours
into the programme. Too bad they weren’t
the headliners.
First act of the night was noisy rock band
The Foreign Monkeys, a young and confident
four-piece from the Westman Islands. The
winners of last year’s Battle of the Bans were
not in the best shape that night, but still got
the crowd worked up with intense and pure
rock tunes, ‘Black Cave’ in particular.
Next in line was the established indie-pop
band Dýrðin, who tried to move the show to a
more danceable direction. Their first song made
for a promising start but the lack of diversity
and strong vocals soon became utterly wearing.
The small crowd that had moved closer to the
stage seemed to like their cheering summery
pop songs and bizarre lyrics (‘I’m a bubble
girl / in a bubble world’) but I honestly can’t
say that I understand Dýrðin’s cuteness that
reviewers have been raving about. The only
thing that made their set enjoyable to watch
was singer Hafdís, not because of singing skills
but an energetic stage performance, which
was something to admire.
Luckily, Jan Mayen immediately kicked-off
with their no-bullshit guitar-driven indie-rock
and brought back my hope for a good evening.
Their set was almost entirely focused on the
recently released album, ‘So Much Better than
Your Normal Life’, with two exceptions. At the
point they played ‘Nick Cave,’ the hit song
from their first full-length album, ‘Home of
the Free Indeed,’ the crowd went wild, head
banging and screaming “Nick Cave is a real
motherfucker” while throwing each other
around the floor. This moment was definitely
the night’s highlight.
With a rock-star voice and unpretentious
attitude, singer and guitarist Valli owned the
stage. His joy of performing shined through
every expression on his face and backed by
guitarist Ágúst, strong drums and smooth
bass-lines, the band reached familiar heights
when presenting the new material, especially
when playing ‘Joyride’ and ‘We just want to
get everybody high’, proving once again that
they are fully capable of rocking the roof off
of any venue in town. Watch out, their release
concerts are only days ahead.
This should have been a great opportunity
for the following act to work their magic. The
crowd was ready to party and in the right fra-
me of mind for some more quality live stuff.
Sadly, the US melodic pop group The Besties
didn’t deliver the task. Fronted by two female
singers/keyboardists, the band never seemed
to find their way, although they looked happy
and seemed to be enjoying themselves. The
sad thing is that the same didn’t apply to the
many concertgoers who, one by one, fled
the scene, leaving the place emptier by the
minute.
Right Vibe, Wrong Headliner
Text by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir Photo by Gulli
Who: Foreign Monkeys, Dýrðin,
Jan Mayen, The Besties.
Where: Organ
When: August 15, 2007
Step into
the Viking Age
Experience Viking-Age Reykja­vík a­t the
new Settlement Exhibition. The focus of the
exhibition is a­n exca­va­ted longhouse site which
da­tes from the 10th century ad. It includes
relics of huma­n ha­bita­tion from a­bout 871, the
oldest such site found in Icela­nd.
Multimedia­ techniques bring Reykja­vík’s
pa­st to life, providing visitors with insights
into how people lived in the Viking Age, a­nd
wha­t the Reykja­vík environment looked like
to the first settlers.
The exhibition a­nd
museum shop a­re open
da­ily 10–17
Aða­lstræti 16
101 Reykja­vík / Icela­nd
Phone +(354) 411 6370
www.reykja­vikmuseum.is
…but he never meant shit to me” – to borrow the words of Public Enemy’s
Chuck D. I was busy babbling incoherently at the tender age of one when
the King passed away in an undignified manner, thirty years ago. Now
everybody is busy remembering Elvis. We have bloggers posting Youtube
clips of Elvis in various stages of sweat, ranging from a mild dew, to per-
spiring like a medium size waterfall. The print media shows us still clips
from these videos and the recording industry tries to sell us yet another
compilation of greatest hits and the Youtube videos on DVD. Elvis’s daugh-
ter, Lisa Marie, is planning a duet with her father – or a hologram image
of her father – probably to be shown live during Superbowl – sandwiched
between comercials.
I am a little sad that I never got the chance to experience Elvis first hand,
but also a bit relieved. Sad because Elvis was one hell of a performer and
relieved because me and my generation got something much better than
Elvis.
I am referring to the greatest rock ´n´ roll album made, of course; Guns
‘n’ Roses debut album, Appetite For Destruction, which is celebrating it’s
twentieth year. Appetite made me who I am today. Without it I might have
regarded Lisa Marie’s stunt a little cute and might even be a little excited.
Thanks to Axl Rose I know what complete shit that performance will be.
Appetite For Destruction was a dangerous album. It frightened people.
Kicked them in the nuts. It was not an album your parents liked. It was
not politically correct – whichever way you looked at it. It was rock ‘n’ roll.
And it was dangerous.
It is the album in my collection that I listen to the most. I will defend it
anywhere and against anyone. People who listen to Appetite For Destruc-
tion are, in my mind, better people than others. It is a timeless masterpiece.
Even the sub standard tracks, like Anything Goes, are fucking awesome
and way better than anything else.
And here’s the deal: Elvis used to matter to people like this. Elvis used
to be dangerous. Parents used to hate Elvis. They could not understand this
crazy gyrating of the hips. He made women faint. That is rock ‘n’ roll.
And without Elvis there would be no Axl Rose or Appetite For Destruc-
tion. So in a way Elvis is a hero to me. I’m just hoping that Axl will quit
before he starts sweating lika the bloated king – but it’s probably a little to
late for that.
“Elvis Was a Hero
to Most...
Text by Páll Hilmarsson
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