A Downer Crowd, Icelandic Bro-Hop And Synth Driven Lolita Fantasies
The evening started quietly at Hressingarskálinn on Saturday evening, not a lot of commotion going on as venue opener Jara took the stage. Being the first one up, she was obv
Going Out With A Bang
There were eight shows of varying quality and styles showcased at Gamli Gaukurinn on the big Saturday night. First up were Skepna, a rock band that just released a self-titled [&he
A Walk On The Mild Side
Just off Laugavegur behind some tall red doors lies Gamla Bíó, a grand seated theatre with a high balcony circle and a spotlit stage. Despite being in the heart of […]
The Big Sleep At Harpa Kaldalón
Kira Kira, an experimental noise band fronted by Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, opened up Harpa Kaldalón with a song I imagine is similar to the sound of a dinosaur being born
Different Flavours Of Electronic
VÖK Vök is a young band, formed only earlier this year. Already within that short time they’ve managed to win the prestigious Icelandic battle of the bands, Músíktilrauni
Too Much Polish, Not Enough Passion – Iðnó pt. 2
No, you don’t need hand gestures to accompany each vocal flourish, and no, you don’t need to tell the crowd to move closer to the stage (pet peeve of mine, that one). And you m
Very Solid! – Iðnó pt. 1
It was an early start at Iðnó on Saturday. The band Vigri went on stage just after seven o’clock and played extremely melodic and well crafted electronic music. The vocal [
Jon Hopkins Destroyed My Face
An unedited conversation about the bands I saw last night, which ended up being a ridiculous amount of fun. Not that surprising considering the night ended with John Hopkins brin
“Oh, and FOKK YOU MATTI!!!!!” – Amsterdam Pt. 2
IN THE COMPANY OF MEN As I arrive at Amsterdam to do the second part of the METAL NIGHT FROM THE BOWELS OF HELL (and stuff), I meet my compadre […]
Icelandic Metal Is Alive And Well – Amsterdam Pt. 1
Trust The Lies is a young, upcoming metalcore band. They are obviously well rehearsed for the occasion, with all melodic changes delivered without a hitch, and their timings are im
This Was Special For Mykki Blanco
One of the most notable shows of Airwaves 2013 was about to begin, featuring Nolo, Ghostigital, Mykki Blanco, Gold Panda, and Savages at the Reykjavik Art Museum on Saturday night
“…Then The Bass Came In” – Harlem Pt. 2
Venue impressions: very hand painted, intimate feel. Feels like a lot of DIY loft venues I’ve been to in NY, so mission accomplished I guess. Great stuff to be looking [&hell
Like Sticking Your Head In Warm Ambient Goo – Harlem Pt. 1
ARNI² Fresh from their blistering set last night (where they apparently played nowt but banging hardcore techno), Árni Grétar and Árni Vector decided to take a different tack t
The Norðurljós Is Thoroughly Rocked
APPARAT ORGAN QUARTET Several times during their show, someone in the Apparat Organ Quartet told the crowd, “Apparat loves you!” And we all loved them right back. Appar
Objectivity On Holiday – Gamli Gaukurinn pt. 2
It’s quite a mammoth task to try and cover every single gig that happens at Airwaves, and slip-ups are going to be pretty much inevitable. And a slip-up is what […]
Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp – Hressó pt. 2
Sure, I've seen this band play a hundred times before in countless dive bars and various shitholes across the United States, but this is the spirit of Rock and Roll and Dimma are l
An Acceptable Night Out In The Cold – Hressó Pt. 1
Sitting down in a booth at Hressó, like so many times before, I raised an eyebrow as a female led group joyfully played through pop songs on stage, smiling from […]
A Night Filled With Promise – Gamli Gaukurinn pt. 1
Gamli gaukurinn is a bar with a small stage in one corner. It is in no way perfect, but with the addition of Harpa Concert Hall to the Iceland Airwaves […]
Colour Me Impressed – Iðnó Part Two
Belgian outfit Girls In Hawaii ran a very tight ship in the packed Iðnó, regularly engaging with the crowd and getting them to swoon from side to side. During their performance,
The Inexhaustible Indie Venue – Iðnó pt.1
The former half of Iðnó’s Friday line-up was interesting. The night started promptly at eight with a set from Jóhann Kristinsson. His music is in many ways conventional i
An Amazing Evening
You know how dogs sometimes spend so long with their owners that they start to resemble one another? John Grant and Iceland have a similar relationship going on. If there’s ever