Reykjavík Grapevine - 26.08.2011, Page 8

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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 13 — 2011
Comic | Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir
Whoo! Our resident comic Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir is BACK, with an EXTRA LONG comic this time
around, so as to make up for all those issues where we were depraved of her awesome skills.
Welcome back, Lóa!
Festivals | Iceland Airwaves!
The brightest spot of the typically
gloomy and rainy weeks of the Icelandic
autumn is undoubtedly the Airwaves
music festival. Attracting thousands
from around the world each year, the
popularity of the festival is booming. So
much so, in fact, that at the time of this
writing there are only a few tickets left
available (under 1.000)—months before
the festival actually begins. It would
seem as well that most of this atten-
tion comes from the overseas market,
as there are 50% more package deals
(tickets plus airfare and hotel accom-
modation) sold than last year.
This is due in no small part
to the fact that Björk Guðmundsdót-
tir will be playing at the Harpa music
hall during the festival, with seats and
standing room available for two shows
on a “first come, first served” basis for
Airwaves ticket holders. According to
festival organisers, Björk's show will
"feature a range of specially conceived
and crafted instruments, among them
a bespoke digitally-controlled pipe or-
gan; a 30 foot pendulum that harnesses
the earth's gravitational pull to create
musical patterns—creating a unique
bridge between the ancient and the
modern and a bespoke gamelan-ce-
leste hybrid. These devices reveal some
of the physical processes that are the
subject matter of the songs."
BJÖRK IS NOT ALONE
Björk playing at Airwaves is big news
in itself, but she's not the only act set to
perform. Among other famous names,
Yoko One and the Plastic Ono Band will
also grace the stage. That's two living
female legends in the same music fes-
tival, and while these two acts in them-
selves would make for a great time,
there are still other high-calibre acts in
the mix.
First on the list is the Brit-
ish alternative rock band The Vaccines
(featuring a fancy Icelandic bass player,
Árni Hjörvar of Future Future, etc.).
From the other side of the Atlantic is
an altogether different act, Brook-
lyn's black metal band Liturgy. While
America isn't exactly renowned for its
output of black metal acts, one review
of these guys described their sound as
"a minimalist, grim, dissonant and bliz-
zardly fast black-metal sound exhibited
in their debut recording 'Renihilation'
that could rival with the grimiest and
disgustingly-looking band coming out
from the depths of Norway."
As far as Icelandic artists go,
dance music legends GusGus will be
performing, as well as For A Minor Re-
flection, ex-Amiina Kippi Kaninus, elec-
tropop band Sykur, the melodic punk
rock of Vicky and Mógil will be bringing
some jazz and classical to the festival.
Organisers also point out “from our lit-
tle island in the north we bring you the
unique singer-songwriter and multi-
instrumentalist Ólöf Arnalds, whose
voice has been described as ethereal,
and otherworldly and we couldn't agree
more. And since we're talking Icelandic
artists, why not keep it in the family?
Ólöf's cousin Ólafur Arnalds is also a
multi-instrumentalist and a composer
of bewitching soundscapes.”
As someone who has been
following and covering Iceland Air-
waves for the past six years, I can hon-
estly say I've never been this excited
about the impending event. This might
very well prove to be one of those once-
in-a-lifetime music events that evokes
the magic and energy of the experience
every time you look back on it.
Better get your tickets or
package deals now, before they sell
out—if they haven't already.
Airwaves 2011: Get Hype!
PAUL FONTAINE