Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.10.2018, Síða 39

Visiting The
Family, And
Enjoying It
Norðanpaunk is the annual assembly
of Iceland’s underground scene

Words: Phil Uwe Widiger Photo: Alma Líf Þorsteinsdóttir
Festival
Norðanpaunk is an annual three-day
DIY gathering “for difficult people
who listen to difficult music." It took
place in Laugarbakki from August
3rd-6th 2018
There are very few events like
Norðanpaunk. In fact, I’ve never
been to one that even comes close.
Norðanpaun k is an annua l
gathering of the Icelandic punk
community and, aside from be-
ing an opportunity to meet (un)
familiar faces from the Icelandic
underground scene, you also get
to enjoy three days of music form
both local and international un-
derground bands. Located rough-
ly two and a half hours north
of Reykjavík, in Laugarbakki, it
is the epitome of DIY culture.
Nobody gets paid; instead, vol-
unteers help out
providing food,
set t i ng up the
stage, checking
w ri stba nds a nd clea n i ng up.
Everybody can help and I’m sure
a lmost ever ybody does. Even
though the police might have a
look from time to time, I reckon
they just come because they are
jealous. In the past three years
that I’ve attended the festival, I
haven’t seen a single fight. And
for a BYOB gathering, that means
something.
A small family
A fair portion of the 450 attend-
ees perform at the festival, with
quite a few of them appearing in
several bands. The people you are
hanging out with at the camp site
are sure to be blowing your mind
on stage later.
Actually, there are two stag-
es—there’s the main stage, and
then there is the hallway, which
more often than not becomes a
mosh pit. Conveniently, the first
aid room is located right next to
it. More frequently used, however,
is the draw-
ing space next
t o t he m a i n
stage, where
paper and pencils are provided.
The resulting artworks of the
attendees is hung up all over the
venue for everybody to admire.
Weird and extreme
The line-up ranges from punk,
t o h a rdcore, t o bla ck met a l ,
to electro, to indie, and so on.
Rea l ly, ever ybody who ma kes
extreme or weird music is wel-
come. I delved into the darkness
of Hekla’s theremin, got bruised
in Dead Herring’s mosh pit and
accepted the neck pa i n a f ter
Mor phol it h’s i n sa nely heav y
doom performance. I also trav-
elled back to the ‘70s with Lucy
In Blue’s marvelous psychedelic
prog-rock (where the hell is the
second album?), attended N Y-
IÞ’s satanic ritual, and got my
ea rs st abbed by Wiegedood’s
sharp-as-a-k nife black meta l
riffs. When the programme for
t he day i s over, people wend
their way to the bonfire right
next to a huge wooden sword,
where, if you are lucky, you will
be able to attend a secret music
ritual (spoiler: a performance
by masked lo-fi duo Madonna +
Child).
Nothing but love
As you can guess, Norðanpaunk’s
fifth edition further secured the
festival’s place in my heart. It
feels like the whole underground
family got together—relatives
from near and far—to enjoy three
days of great music, having fun,
and helping each other without
the pressure of authority.
And it just works. It sure as
hell fucking does. Even the sun
came out to celebrate. Norðan-
paunk, I love you. See you again
next year.
Share this: gpv.is/music
Freaky family reunion
“The whole
underground
family got
together to
enjoy three
days of great
music, having
fun, and
helping each
other without
the pressure
of authority.”
39The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 14— 2018
Einskis-mannslandNo Man‘s Land
Ríkir þar fegurðin ein?Where Beauty Alone Reigns?
02.06.–30.09.2018
Hafnarhús
Tryggvagata 17
101 Reykjavík
Kjarvalsstaðir
Flókagata 24
105 Reykjavík
Open daily
+354 411 6400
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