Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.05.2010, Side 17

noblandið Stefán, Cliff Calvin,
and Ensíimi. Tickets 1.200 ISK.
Prikið
13:00 to 14:00 Back to the '50s with
Danna Deluxe.
Rósenberg
22:00 Live music.
Salurinn
21:00 Concert: Litla Flugan "Little
Fly". Tickets 3.500 ISK.
Sódóma
22:00 Kimi Records presents
Stafrænn Hákon (alt/ambient/
rock) and Snorri Helgason (indie/
folk).
Thorvaldsen
0:00 Resident DJs.

15 SAT
Apótek
0:00 DJ Fly. Beer for 550 ISK.
Austur
23:00 Live DJs.
Bakkus
21:00 DJ Kári.
Bar 11
0:00 A good selection of DJs..
B5
21:00 Live DJs.
Celtic Cross
01:00 Live music.
Cultura
22:30 House DJs.
Den Danske Kro
Live music. 2-for-1 beer from 16:00-
19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Háskólabíó
19:00 & 22:00 Mannakorn Concert,
3.900 ISK.
Kaffibarinn
22:00 B-Ruff & gísli galdur.
Kaffi Zimsen
21:00 Resident DJs Nino and Dra-
matík.
Karamba
23:45 Dans-Hans.
Prikið
16:00 to 17:00 DJ Addi Intro.
Rósenberg
22:00 Live music.
Salurinn
17:00 & 21:00 Concert: Litla Flugan,
"Little Fly". Tickets 3.500 ISK.
Sódóma
22:00 Árstíðir (acoustic folk).
Thorvaldsen
0:00 Resident DJs.
16 SUN
Den Danske Kro
Hangover night. 2-for-1 beer from
16:00-19:00. Beer 500 ISK after
19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Gerðuberg Cultural Centre
14:00 Beatstalk Tunes: Music with
young composers.
Kaffibarinn
22:00 Alfons X.
Kaffi Zimsen
21:00 Movie Night.
Karamba
20:00 Spilakvöld Maísólar.
Prikið
22:00 Hangover Cinema presents
Anaconda.
Rósenberg
21:00 Uppistand Svava.
17 MoN
Bakkus
21:00 Movie Night, 1984.
Den Danske Kro
Live music. Shots for 400 ISK. 2-for-1
beer from 16:00-19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Kaffi Zimsen
17:00 Best Friends Night: 2-for-1
beer.
Prikið
22:00 to 23:00 Two glasses red wine
and cheese for 1.000 ISK. DJ Hol-
lywood.
Rósenberg
21:00 Live music.
18 TUE
Den Danske Kro
Live music. 2-for-1 beer from 16:00-
19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Prikið
22:00 Playstation football/soccer
tournament with DJ gauti. Beer 350
ISK from 15:00 to 16:00.
Rósenberg
21:00 Memfismafían.
19 WED
Den Danske Kro
Pop music. 2-for-1 beer from 16:00-
19:00. Beer 500 ISK after 19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Rósenberg
21:00 Fuglabúrið
20 THU
Bakkus
21:00 DJ Ákni.
B5
21:00 Live music.
Cultura
22:30 House DJs.
Den Danske Kro
Live music. 2-for-1 beer from 16:00-
19:00. Beer 500 ISK after 19:00.
Dubliner
22:30 Live music.
English Pub
22:00 Live music.
Kaffi Zimsen
17:00 Ólafsvaka 490 ISK beer night.
Karamba
22:00 Pedro Pilatus .
P
Multi-instrumentalist Sammi MCs.
Prikið
12:00 to 13:00 Steindi Jr. and Bent,
then stand-up by Dóri DNA with
DJ Krúsi Klárar.
Rósenberg
21:00 Live music.
Sódóma
21:00 Mikael Lind (electronic/
experimental), Matthew Collings
(electro-acoustic).
Thorvaldsen
All day. Mojito Night. Mojitos for
1.000 ISK.
Since conquering the francophone World
Music charts over the last decade, Amadou
& Mariam from Mali have recently taken
the rest of the music world by storm.
Often referred to as ‘the blind couple from
Africa,’ their latest album, Welcome To
Mali, included collaborations from artists
such as Damon Albarn and K‘Naan.
This helped propel them towards a new
audience and venture into unchartered
territory.
Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam
Doumbia met in 1977 at Bamako‘s
Institute for the Young Blind. Amadou was
already a working musician and Mariam
was a singer for weddings and traditional
festivals. They married and began making
music as a duo in the early 1980s, gaining
instant recognition in their homeland.
Throughout the course of their
career, their music has evolved from
traditional Malian songs to incorporating
many elements of rock, soul and electro. In
the ‘90s they were signed to Universal in
France and collaborated with Manu Chao
on their breakthrough album Dimanche à
Bamako.
Now on the verge of playing All
Tomorrow’s Parties in England and the
FIFA World-Cup opening ceremonies in
South Africa this June, the pair is making
their first trip to Iceland to kick off the
Reykjavík Arts Festival on May 12th. I had
the chance to speak with Amadou about
their music, their career and the hidden
blessings of being visually impaired.
Are we right in assuming this will be your
first time in Iceland?
Yes, we have toured all over the place but
we’ve never come to Iceland. But we are
very pleased to go there. It’s great to go to a
country we’ve never been to before.
With the release of Welcome to Mali, have
you found wider recognition from the
Anglophone world?
Yes, very much. We have had the
opportunity to be on many television
programmes in England and in the
United-States, which we never thought
we would do. It really gave us a whole new
media coverage.
Your lyrics cover a wide range of topics, all
the way from love songs to political songs
for the people. Is this a reflection of your
Malian culture?
It’s very reflective, because in Mali we sing
about everything. The people really listen
to singers and artists because they are at
the centre of the culture, and they bring
messages to the people.
What is the impact you see your songs as
having, and what is the impact you would
like them to have?
The impact we would like to have is for
people to listen to our songs and try to live
as we do through them. We want people
to be inspired by our lyrics and for them
to become driving elements in everything
they do. Especially to bring awareness to
people as well. We want to tell them that
life can be good today but bad tomorrow,
but you have to accept everything because
things can always change.
Are you’re ready to take on Iceland?
I think everything will go well and we will
have a good crowd. We are always ready to
party and make people dance. Our music is
meant to make people move.
Rebecca Louder
Visualizing A Universe Of Hope
Amadou & Mariam bring their message across borders