Each October in ReykjavIk some kind of a magical aura drapes the city, its called Iceland Airwaves!
This was my Airwaves week this year:
Tuesday is winding up, and Im at Reykjavik Fm, a local radio station where I have a radio show each week that introduces new and fresh rock music. This week, I did a special show about the Iceland Airwaves festival that has been a major part of the Icelandic music scene since 1999. I played interview after interview taken by phone, of bands that were playing this years festival, so many great bands. In only 4 days 130 Icelandic bands and over 50 international acts played the festival.
On Wednesday the fun began; the three biggest venues had not been open so there were just four places you could go to that night. Because my own band played the festival and we had to practice, I only saw one band that night. Smoosh, three sisters 11, 13 and 15 years of age played an entertaining set, consisting of beautiful indie pop. Their last song was a cover of Bloc Party’s “Modern Love.” After the Smoosh show was over me and my band Weapons went to our rehearsal room to practice.
Thursday at 4pm I went to Nordic House in ReykjavIk where 30 Icelandic bands met 30 big names in the music business for a speeddate. My band was one of the lucky 30 bands and for 2 hours I went from table to table trying to convince people, for five minutes each, that my band was worth listening to. People from big labels, Myspace, press and many concert organizers from all over the world. When this was over, everybody that was associated with Iceland Airwaves were invited to a “take off party.” The party took place in an art gallery that was transformed into an airport. At the party, to Retro Stefson a group of nine teenagers from ReykjavIk played a fairly good show, but the sound in the art gallery was kind of bad. Next I went to downtown ReykjavIk to catch some shows at the festival. The first show that evening was at the to Moshi Moshi night at to NASA. The first band that I saw was to Best Fwends, two goofballs from Texas, that spent their first couple of songs simply goofing around. But their set was very entertaining and funny; also they’ve got a couple of really good tunes. Next I saw Retro Stefson again and they were really good this time and the sound was much better than at the party. The French electro trio to The Teenagers were up next and I had been looking forward seeing them live, unfortunately they sucked. I guess they are one of those bands that are only good on record, not live, which is a shame. After that show I went to my band’s rehearsal room for a practice.
Friday my band Weapons had a show at Gaukurinn. It was the Drowned In Sound night and we were up first at 8 pm. Its an honor playing at a festival with the kind of a vibe that Iceland Airwaves has and we had so much fun at our concert. Next up: to Sudden Weather Change proved that they are a really good live band; they played Pavement inspired indie rock, which was very interesting. After them, to Jan Mayen took the stage, a powerful foursome that got the crowd dancing. to ReykjavIk! a hardcore band from the city of ReykjavIk turned the place upside down with noise and energy, singer Boas leaped into the crowed several times during their 30 min set. Deerhoof were up next and they played an ok show for a completely packed room. At 12pm I went across the street to the Icelandic Art Museum where Of Montreal were playing, in strange costumes. They were good but I kind of expected more from a band that released one of this year’s best albums.
Saturday began at local record shop SkIfan, where we played an off venue concert. I turned up at 3pm and saw two Icelandic post-rock bands play. For a Minor Reflection and Miri, both band were good and both sounded a bit like Explosions in the Sky, in their own way. My band played next and the sound was awful. Sign were up after us and played their emo rock. At 10 pm I went to see Mugison at NASA, a couple of years ago he played alone with his computer, now he has an extremely tight rock and roll band backing him up. He got one of the best crowd reactions of the whole festival and in my opinion was one of the best performers this year. 11 pm was the time I had been waiting for, the time Ra Ra Riot took the stage at NASA. Ra Ra Riot did not disappoint me a bit; they looked like a street band playing for food, with a cello and a violin and a singer that ran all over the stage. Of all the bands that people are trying to compare to Arcade Fire they are the only band that measures up to that. I ran to the Art Museum to catch the biggest act of the festival, Bloc Party. I watched the show from the press balconies and it was the most enjoyable show for me at the festival. Bloc Party were very tight and even played a new song, which they released the week after as a single, its called “Flux” and is like nothing they have ever done before. I went home after the Bloc Party show, tired but satisfied.
Sunday, there were only three places open for concerts. At NASA The Magic Numbers were playing a special Coca-Cola world show. This was kind of a secret show. Coke planed this many months ago as a part of a concert series all over the world with interesting bands in strange places. There were so many people at this concert that I was stuck in the corridor, which was horrible so I left after a couple of songs. I went to Gaukurinn where two Icelandic bands got an extra show: Who Knew and Sudden Weather Change. Both bands played joyful and enjoyable shows. Who Knew sound like the Icelandic answer to Wolf Parade. Cut Off Your Hands finished this years festival at Gaukurinn. They were fresh from their performance at the CMJ music marathon in New York but the sound was not with them that night. As I walked home after the festival was over, I was already looking forward to next year’s festival.
