Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.08.2008, Qupperneq 2

2 | REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE | ISSUE 12—2008
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Vesturgata 5, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
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Publisher:
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Editor:
Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / birkir@grapevine.is
Assistant Editor:
Steinunn Jakobsdóttir / steinunn@grapevine.is
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Haukur Magnússon / haukur@grapevine.is
Páll Hilmarsson / pallih@gmail.com
Ben H. Murray / ben@benhmurray.com
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Oddur Sturluson / oddurs@grapevine.is
Sigurður Kjartan Kristinsson / sigurdur@grapevine.is
Stevie Ward / stevie@grapevine.is
James Crugnale / james@grapevine.is
Art Director:
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Gunnlaugur Arnar Sigurðsson (GAS)
gulli@grapevine.is
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The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a
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April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing
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Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 30.000 copies.
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE, TRAVEL
AND ENTERTAINMENT IN ICELAND
COMPLETE CITY LISTINGS – INSIDE!
REYKJAVÍK CULTURE NIGHT
FULL SCHEDULE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jói Kjartans
STYLIST
Ellen Loftsdóttir
MODEL
Benedikt Hauksson
THANKS TO
Hugo Boss & Augað
‘Lo people, and welcome to the 12th instalment
of the Reykjavík Grapevine in the year 2008. I
have just returned from a month long vacation,
and things have changed a bit in my absence. A
big change was made after last issue, when our
assistant editor, Steinunn Jakobsdóttir, decided to
leave us in order to move to Ireland to study. She’ll
be greatly missed here, but at the same time, I be-
lieve she’ll be a great asset to the Guinness brew-
ery. I also came back to find my office filled with
interns from countries overseas. They look like an
innocent bunch, but I have a sneaking suspicion
that one of them is running from the law. Still, I’d
like to welcome them and express my hope that
they will be on their best behaviour for the next
few months.
I hope this issue will be able to be of some
assistance to you during your stay in our city. At
the very least, you should be able to find some-
thing to do on Culture Night. We made sure of that,
if nothing else. As usual the festival should be an
incredible display of both artistic ingenuity and
general public drunkenness. As director Eli Roth
told the Grapevine in an interview in 2006: “I actu-
ally have an idea for a horror film I want to shoot
entirely in Iceland. It’ll be called Culture Night. I
was here for the last one, and I’m basically going
to get a camera and walk up and down Laugaveg-
ur… No, not killing anyone, just documenting the
insanity. I think that will shock and horrify people
more than anything in the Hostel movies”
While things have improved slightly since
2006, due to better planning and larger festival
area, you should get ready for the party. Be care-
ful with the fireworks and remember that there is
a law against driving under the influence. And off-
roads.
Opinion
06 THE GREAT WALL Of ICELANDAn opinion by Alexandra Hertell
08 BLACK fLAG AND THE ART Of MEDITATION An opinion by Padraig Mara
Articles
06 STAYING fOCuSED An interview with mayor Grímur Atlason
08 AN ODE TO MARIjuANA Sólveig Anspach talks about her latest film
10 WHERE TO fIND NECRO-PANTS Grapevine takes the free walking tour
12 CHEAP REYKjAvíK How to eat burgers, bathe and be merry on the cheap
12 REYKjAvíK 2024? Could Iceland’s fledgling capital have what it takes to host the Olympics?
14 TROPICAL ICELAND One steamy day, Iceland breaks the hottest temperatures on record
14 PLEASE YOuRSELf WITH AN ELf Debunking elf-sex myths
16 WANTED: CORPSES OR SOON-TO-BE CORPSES Icelandic artist seeks the dead for video installation
20 THE MAN WHO CREATED THE NINETIES Sigurjón Sighvatsson interviewed
24 CONCERT REvIEW Celestine, Momentum, Ask the Slave and Muck at Iðnó
25 CONCERT REvIEW Stereo Total at Organ
26 THE fuTuRE Of ROCK AND ROLL Is India the Next Manchester?
28 THERE’S NO PRESSuRE Gavin Portland interviewed
30 ART AND ICE – A DIffICuLT COMBINATION? The Grapevine confers with three foreign artists
36 DRAGGED TO REHAB Amy Winehouse won the drag show
37 PRIDE AND PREjuDICE The Grapevine marched on Gay Pride
Destinations

33 THE SERENE ACT Of WATCHING WHALESWhale watching is cool
34 SIGLufjöRðuR Examining the Herring Era Museum in Siglufjör›ur
EDITORIALTABLE Of CONTENTS MASTHEAD
THE COvER
COMIC STRIP BY LÓA HJÁLMTÝSDÓTTIR