Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.06.2016, Page 30

THE HOUSE AT EYRARBAKKI

Opening hours: May 1st - September 30th daily 11.00-18.00 or by an agreement
Tel: +354 483 1504 & +354 483 1082 | husid@husid.com | www.husid.com
Árnessýsla folk museum is located in Húsið,
the House, historical home of the Danish
merchants built in 1765. Húsið is one of the
oldest houses in Iceland and a beautiful
monument of Eyrarbakki´s time as the
biggest trading place on the south coast.
Today one can enjoy exhibitions about the
story and culture of the region, famous piano,
shawl made out of human hair and the kings
pot, are among items. Húsið prides itself with
warm and homelike atmosphere.
The House at Eyrarbakki
“Icelandic singer-songwriter Mugison already has a reputation
abroad for bleak magic, on record and in solo appearances..”
“This is Beck on an Iceberg,
Björk with a headache
..a towering talent”
“Mugison is Tom Waits
harmonising with Will
Oldham, and all the vistas
Beck is supposed to
suggest shoot up.”
Mugison
performs his own songs both in
English and Icelandic
VERY MANY TIMES A WEEK
TALK ING WILL BE 96% IN ENGL ISH BETWEEN SONGS
Concerts & Nightlife Listings
May 20 - June 2
This year Iceland will host Radio-
head, Deftones and Die Antwoord
during the Secret Solstice Festival
from June 16-19. It's a chance to en-
joy the midnight sun in Reykjavík
while seeing a great lineup of mu-
sic. You could party in a glacier, en-
joy a beer in a secret lagoon or take
in the view from an epic boat party.
It all depends on what you want.
It's strange to think that this
festival is only three years old. The
solstice has been a cause for cele-
bration for thousands of years. Yet
at only three years old, the festival
is hosting a lineup that many festi-
vals around the world, which have
been around a lot longer, would
love to have.
I sat down to interview the man
behind the festival, Fridrik Olafs-
son or Fred Olafsson—depending
on where you know him from. But
Fridrik or Fred, he's the guy bring-
ing Radiohead to Iceland.
Why did you start the festival?
I’ve been promoting parties for
long enough. It was a natural step
to take it to the next level. I was
doing a party in an old club here
called Faktorý and the party was
around solstice. Ben Pearce was
playing and we thought, “Why isn’t
there a festival here when there is
24 hours of sunlight?” We’ve been
playing with the idea of having a
festival here for ages. You might
as well celebrate the longest day of
the year.
What’s unique about this festival?
Having it in Reykjavík, with the
amazing views around it and utiliz-
ing the hotels, the campsites and
pool parties, have made it really a
unique experience. The satellite
parties have also given it some-
thing special. We had our first par-
ty inside a glacier last year and the
secret lagoon party, but this year
we are having three parties in the
glacier plus loads more interesting
venues, including a boat party and
a farm rave. You can combine your
festival with sightseeing. You’re
not just at the festival site and then
stuck there. You can actually do
stuff through the festival.
Has music always been an important
part of your life?
My dad started the first indepen-
dent record label in Iceland, Skí-
fan. He sold that back 2000, but
the record industry, selling physi-
cal records, collapsed. Basically, I
grew up in record stores. I always
wanted to work in music. I did
other things like beverages, con-
struction and other odd jobs, but I
thought I would eventually become
an agent. I ended up becoming a
promoter. I started doing parties
in London and Reykjavík. I moved
back to Reykjavík three years ago to
start this festival.
The younger you, would he be
surprised at all the people you’ve got
to meet doing what you do?
That’s the thing. I’ve been run-
ning around backstage for six or
seven years at festivals all over. I’ve
been blagging my way backstage
all over the world. I’ve been doing
market research for years, running
around Glastonbury with thirteen
wristbands on and getting in ev-
erywhere. So, I’ve met a lot of these
artists before. Last year, booking
Wu Tang, that was pretty fucking
cool. I mean Radiohead is coming
this year and I’m looking forward
to just meeting Die Antwoord.
What's the most important thing
to remember when attending the
festival?
Meeting new people and the mu-
sic. That’s what it’s all about. Even
if you plan to see a bunch a stuff,
you’ll probably miss half of it, but
you’ll discover new stuff. That’s
what a festival is about.
Music 'Tis the season
"I’ve been doing market research for years,
running around Glastonbury with thirteen
wristbands on and getting in everywhere."
Bringing Radiohead
To Iceland
Words YORK UNDERWOOD Photo ART BICNICK
29The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 7 — 2016