After having lived out of a back pack for the past 10 months or so and found myself couch surfing and in various other forms of accommodations in some 12 countries, finally being at home in Iceland is a welcomed relief. Since deciding to move back home a few months ago it’s been on the books to do some traveling this summer and see places that I haven’t seen before or in a long time. So the first trip of the summer was decided, travel to the east part of Iceland and check out the much talked about LungA Arts & Music festival that takes place in the seaside town of Seyðisfjörður. The road trip started with an 8am 7hour bus ride to Akureyri in the north of the country and after picking up a car there I was off to Seyðisfjörður arriving later that night. During the summer time the sun really doesn’t go down so I made my way down the step hill-side to the bottom of the fjord and even though its summer I still was only doing 10 looping down the hill not sure how people do it in the wintertime with 10ft snow layers covering everything.
The festival started in 1998 as a music festival but only lasted for two years in that format. Now the festival puts more effort into widening artistic ideas and working with people between the ages of 19 and 25, with art and music workshops running trough the week and ending with packed music line ups during the weekend.
After getting settled it was time to go for a walk and check out the town, walking around I noticed that almost every other house had a gallery in it and I´m pretty sure this town of 720plus inhabitants has to have the most galleries per capital found in the world. My first music experience of the festival was walking into the local cinema where three musician were setting the jazz free, collaborating were Davíð Þór and Helgi from Flís along with local guitarist Goddur, so glad I walked in when I did because the music was just to good to have missed.
Thursdays highlight was the fashion show held in a big steel workshop shed just outside of town and what a unique show. Many of the designer taking part had been working on their outfits during the week with Danish designer Henrik Vibskov who also provided the music for the night by being one of four drummers that kept the beat going as these up and coming designers showed of their designs.
Friday saw the Kimi Records tour roll into town for a showcase later that night where local and visiting bands like Björt, Króna, Prins Pólo, Létt á Bárunni, Miri, Swords of chaos, Sudden weather change and Reykjavík! took the stage belting out the tunes way into the night, unfortunately for me some sleep deprivation was catching up with me so after the local boys from Miri finished their set in the packed venue it was nap time for me.
Saturday in the final day of the festival and it went out with a big band finishing off with a concert in the festival HQ Herðubreið. And after tackling the local pool and a whole lot of chilling it was time to catch the first band of the night Skakkamanage 50% local with husband and wife Svavar and Berglind living in the town and as always they put one hell of a show for locals and outsiders alike and having Iceland’s funniest cartoonist Hugleikur do the introduction was just icing on the cake. Like the night before sleep was something I craved so thought I would be ideal to take a little 30min power nap and what a big mistake that was! Woke up 6 hours later and had missed, B.Sig, Mugison, Jagúar and Gus Gus, but you live and learn and next time I feel like taking a nap at a festival Ill just power through it, that’s for sure. I’m sure this will not be my last time attending this great festival, even the 9hour drive back home to Reykjavik went by quick after such a great week that saw around 9000 people attend the festival.
