When it comes to Iceland, there is only one national sport, team handball. Granted more people play soccer and golf over here than do handball, but our boys in blue came home from the Beijing Olympics with a silver medal setting the standard way too high for any other sport in the country. So could any artist manage to fill a room with people during a handball game against our former colonial lords Denmark? A game that if lost would see our boys getting left behind during the European Championships.
I wasn’t sure, so after having stalled my departure from home to finish the first half I arrived at the Icelandic Culture House in Reykjavik to find a full house as Davið Þór (one of the countries most sought after session players) finished opening up for the one and only Ólöf Arnalds. As I found my seat Ólöf was coming on stage accompanied by none other then Davið Þór for a rare performance in Reykjavik. One thing I always find difficult in writing reviews is putting people’s music into genres. Is there one for a female singer with one of the most unique voices out there a genre? If so Ólöf belongs to that one. At some points during the show it felt more like two friends in their rehearsal space rather then a full on concert. Making jokes at each other, with each other and at moments even with the people in the audience and stopping and starting over when one of the lyrics became to much for Ólöf making her tear up. Even stopping to ask how the game was going, getting a firm reply from the crowd that Iceland had beaten Denmark 27-22.
As I said before Ólöf’s voice is one of a kind and her ability to deliver breathtaking lo-fi melodies alongside it is something people have to see and hear for themselves. The show reminded me of when I saw Will Oldham play in Reykjavik many years ago, it was just him and his guitar and back then I thought that he could have been on stage sans guitar and still made the show a memorable experience for me. The same feeling came over me during this show on the cold Reykjavik night. During this one-off show Ólöf had the support of her musical colleagues in the crowd with the likes of Gunni, Hildur, Silla from múm, Kjartan from Sigur Rós, María from Amiina, Högni from Hjaltalín and Sigtryggur Baldursson from the Sugarcubes to name a few. After an encore or two I’m willing to put money on 2010 being the year that Ólöf blows up around the world and if you dont trust me check out her recent album review in Paste Magazine.
Big thanks to Stuart Rogers at Lofi.tv for hooking Ice Cream Man up!
And just in case you were wondering, Iceland took third place in the tournament and fixed its place as one of the best in the world. Take that you Icelandic National Soccer team you! Ranked below 100 in the world btw!
I watched that game from the Beijing olympics.
Great Photos.