Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.03.2016, Side 36

8
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We’re located at Laugavegur 120
Ísafjörður wants you to know that
it's awoken from wintry slumber
and it's celebrating with the thir-
teenth annual Aldrei fór ég suður
festival. Never mind the thick layer
of ice caked onto the streets, nor
the piles of snow obscuring all
but the heads of the churchyard's
headstones: the sun has finally
crested above the mountains that
encircle this Westfjords town, and
promises to continue its climb into
sleepless summer. Time to play.
The thirteenth iteration of the fes-
tival, taking place over Easter week-
end, will feature a wide array of mu-
sical acts, from songstress Emilíana
Torrini, whose words plumb the
lyrical depths of human experience,
to newcomer GKR who, by rapping
about breakfast and school-day
malaise, seems to do just the same.
Other acts this year include rap
duo Úlfur Úlfur, electro-poppers
Sykur, and throwback outfit Ri-
saeðlan. In addition, the organisers
recently announced that actor and
songwriter Laddi, who is known
for assuming comedic personas
in his performances, will leave
his characters behind and per-
form a rare straight-up music set.
Can-do spirit and DIY approach
The festival is a celebration of
music, but it’s also a showcase of
Ísafjörður's can-do spirit. Started
as a labour of love amongst friends,
the festival has maintained its DIY
approach, albeit on a larger scale:
the festival is expected to at least
double the local population of
3,000. Despite this draw, however,
admission has always been free.
This year, the concert breaks
with tradition with a new venue,
moving to the warehouse of a
shrimp processing facility, across
the street from a handful of houses
which constitute Iceland's old-
est extant cluster of buildings. But
the festival will extend beyond the
warehouse walls. Off-venue events
such as concerts, comedy shows
and art exhibitions will ensure
that there’s never a dull moment.
I never went south
Although the festival's name, which
means "I never went south," is a
playful jab at Reykjavík, Kristján
Freyr Halldórsson, one of the fes-
tival's organisers, isn't interested
in playing into any petty rivalry
between the capital and the rest
of the country. "Our goal is just
to get people to Ísafjörður, to ex-
perience this town, the area, and
the Westfjords," Kristján tells me.
Having grown up in Hnífsdalur, a
small village down the road, he ex-
udes civic pride as we walk around
town. He points out the barbershop
where he got his childhood haircuts.
"They still call the younger barber
'the boy,'" he says, "even though
he's been there for forty-five years."
As we approach the library—for-
merly the town's hospital—Hálfdán
Bjarki Hálfdánsson, another festi-
val organiser, tells me he was born
in what is now the coatroom. Such
is the small-town vibe of Ísafjörður.
The more I talk to the organisers,
the more I realise that "music fes-
tival" is a misnomer. Aldrei fór ég
suður is also a community gather-
ing and a big party that brings to-
gether locals and travelers, kids and
adults, musicians and spectators
alike into a city-wide celebration.
SHARE: gpv.is/afs16
MUSIC
WHERE FUCKING COOL MEETS FUCKING COLD
Go West
And Don’t
Come
Back
Aldrei fór ég suður
puts Ísafjörður in focus
By Eli Petzold
Photos by Ari Magg & Art Bicnick