Reykjavík Grapevine - 26.09.2014, Blaðsíða 2

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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2011
Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
grapevine@grapevine.is
Published by Fröken ehf.
www.froken.is
Member of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association
www.saf.is
Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies.
Editor In Chief:
Haukur S Magnússon / haukur@grapevine.is
Editor:
Anna Andersen / anna@grapevine.is
Journalist:
John Rogers / john@grapevine.is
Journalist & Listings editor
Tómas Gabríel Benjamin / gabriel@grapevine.is
Editorial:
+354 540 3600 / editor@grapevine.is
Advertising:
+354 540 3605 / ads@grapevine.is
+354 40 3610
Publisher:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / hilmar@grapevine.is
+354 540 3601 / publisher@grapevine.is
Contributing Writers:
Björn Teitsson
Davíð Roach
Elliot Brandsma
Hildur María Friðriksdóttir
Kári Tulinius
Larissa Kyzer
Óli Dóri
Óskar Bragi
Paul Fontaine
Ragnar Egilsson
Teresa Bergen

Editorial Interns:
Elín Rós / elin@grapevine.is
Melissa Coci / melissa@grapevine.is
Saskia Vallendar / saskia@grapevine.is
Art Director:
Hörður Kristbjörnsson / hordur@dodlur.is
Layout:
Hrefna Sigurðardóttir
Photographers:
Axel Sigurðarson / www.axelsig.com
Matthew Eisman / www.mattheweisman.com
Nanna Dís / www.nannadis.com
Sales Director:
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Helgi Þór Harðarson / helgi@grapevine.is
Óskar Freyr Pétursson / oskar@grapevine.is
Distribution manager:
distribution@grapevine.is
Proofreader:
Mark Asch
releases:
listings@grapevine.is
Submissions inquiries:
editor@grapevine.is
Subscription inquiries:
+354 540 3605 / subscribe@grapevine.is
General inquiries:
grapevine@grapevine.is
Founders:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson,
Hörður Kristbjörnsson,
Jón Trausti Sigurðarson,
Oddur Óskar Kjartansson,
Valur Gunnarsson
The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken
ltd. Monthly from November through April, and fortnightly
from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be repro-
duced in whole or in part without the written permission of
the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine is distributed around
Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður, Borgarnes,
Keflavík, Ísafjörður and at key locations along road #1, and all
major tourist attractions and tourist information centres in the
country.
You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored (no articles
in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions
expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’).
On the cover:
Arnar Freyr Frostason
Egill Tiny
Erpur Eyvindarson
Emmsjé Gauti
Ragna Kjartansdóttir
Anna Tara & Katrin
Helga Andrésdóttir
Sesar A
Brynja Pétursdóttir
Natasha Monay Royal
Typography/lettering:
Narfi Þorsteinsson
Cover photo by:
Axel Sigurðarson
(www.axelsig.com)
Thanks:
Íslenska gámafélagið
Sævar Sigurðsson
Geoffrey Huntington
Make up:
Ásdís Gunnarsdóttir
Stylist:
Petra Bender
Editorial | Anna Andersen
You Probably Just Want To Read
About The Eruption, Huh?
The biggest news from
Iceland these days is
undoubtedly the erup-
tion. Of course it’s not
everyday that a volcano
erupts. But it’s hardly
a once-in-a-lifetime
event either. Holuhraun
is actually the fourth
Icelandic volcano to
erupt in the last four
years, and it’s been
hurling lava for nearly a
month now.
Sprawled across
three seats on a half-
empty flight back to
Iceland shortly after
the latest eruption be-
gan, I found myself
wondering if it was an
unusually slow day for
travel or if the erup-
tion was scaring people
off. The Eyjafjallajökull
eruption certainly showed the world that our vol-
canoes are capable of stranding people (google “I
Hate Iceland” in case you missed that one). Fear-
ing great damage to Iceland’s tourism industry,
the government poured money into a campaign
(which you may know as Inspired By Iceland)
specifically designed to turn around any negative
press or rumours that the country had become one
big ashtray.
So far this eruption hasn’t been as devastat-
ing as Eyjafjallajökull, as there has been no ash
cloud to contend with, but it hasn’t exactly been
a so-called tourist eruption either. Unlike the
Fimmvörðuháls eruption, which people could go
see, this one is closed off to everyone except sci-
entists and media people who must have an Ice-
landic guide and a spe-
cial permit. For most
people the only way to
see it is from above, and
companies are charg-
ing many hundreds of
euros for the opportu-
nity (pro tip: you can
spend a lot less on a
flight between Reykja-
vík and Egilsstaðir and
you’ll have a fairly good
chance of seeing it).
Disappointing as
it is, there is good rea-
son for closing the area
off to the public. The
gases being released are
no joking matter. If you
plan to sneak in (note:
painting “Icelandic
Earth Studies” on your
jeep probably won’t cut
it at this point), you will
face huge fines and,
worse yet, you might die. The gas is now blowing
across the country, but the unhealthy levels are
fortunately concentrated around the remote erup-
tion site. So for those of you who have Airwaves
tickets but have been holding off on your plane
tickets and hotels, you’ll probably be just fine. We
certainly aren’t running around with gas masks
here in Reykjavík.
Life continues on the island, and in other non-
eruption news, Iceland has a hip hop scene (actually
we've had one for a couple of decades now!). A hand-
ful of people from that small scene are featured on
our cover this issue. Now turn to page 19 to read
more about them and what makes them tick.
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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 14 — 2014
TRACK OF
THE ISSUE
Disco-infused Boogie Trouble are back
in action after a year-long hiatus and are
getting ready to release their debut album.
Their first single off the album, “Augnab-
lik,” features a simple melody and a clean
arrangement reminiscent of the ‘70s. The
lyrics are about the search for true love
with all the uncertainties involved, and the
band even breaks out love’s truest instru-
ment, the saxophone, for a dramatic solo. If
it weren’t for singer Klara Arnald’s cheerful
voice and the upbeat vibe of the song, we’d
be sobbing in a corner over the futility of
life and love. Give the song a listen if the
autumn blues are bringing you down, it’s
sure to cheer up even the sourest of puss-
es. And be sure to catch Boogie Trouble at
Húrra on October 3.
You can download the song on our
website www.grapevine.is.
Boogie Trouble “Augnablik”
Anna’s 48th Editorial