Tónlist

Here is the list of the various Icelandic and other Nordic/Arctic musical groups I’ve mentioned in FITK over the years:

Áki Ásgeirsson
Amiina
Andy Schauf
Apparat Organ Quartet
Árný
Árný Margrét
Atli
Ásthildur Ákadóttir
Ateria
Áuslaug Magnusdóttir
Æla

Baggalútur
Bára Gísladóttir
Bárujárn
Bedroom Community
Benni Hemm Hemm
Between Mountains
Biggi Hilmars
Björk
Björt
BKPM
Bláskjár
Borko
Bríet
Brimheim
Buff

Cosmic Call
Cyber
Daníel Bjarnarson
Ditka
DJ Margeir
Dr. Spock
Egill Sæbjörnsson
Eivør
Elin Hall
Elisapie
Evil Madness
Flesh Machine
Fókus
Frid Fufanu

Gabriel Ólafs
Geðbrigði
Ghostigital
GKR
GDRN
Greyskies
Gróa
Grúska Babúska
Guðmundur Óskar Guðmundsson
Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson †
Guðrið Hansdóttir
GusGus
Gyða

Hafdís Huld
Halla Tómasdóttir †
Halli Guðmundsson
Ham
Hekla
Hekla Magnúsdóttir
Hellvar/Heiða
Hildur Gunðadóttir
Hildur
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson
Hjaltalín
Hjörvar
Högni
Hraun
Hudson Wayne
Hugar
Iðunn Einars

Jakobínarína
Jana
JFDR
Jófríður Ákadóttir
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Jóhanna Elísa
Jóhanna Rakel
Jonathan
Jonfri
Joshua Wilkinson †
Júniús Meyvant
K.Óla
Kaktus Einarsson
Kalli
Kevin Cole †
Kimono
Kira Kira
Kiriyama Family
Kitchen Motors
Kjallarakabarett Kónguló
Kristín Sessala
Kvikindi

Langi Seli Og Skuggarnir
Larus Halldór Grimsson
Liva Mo
Ljáðu Okkur Eyra
Lupina
Mag og Tómas
Magnús Jóhann
Marius DC
Markús & The Diversion Sessions
Marta Ákadóttir
Mikado
Mezzoforté
Mr. Silla
Mugison
Múgsefjun
Mukka
Múm
My Summer as a Salvation Soldier
Mysterious Marta
Neonme
Nini Julia Bang
Nóra

Oculus
Ojba Rasta
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólöf Arnalds
Orphix Oxtra
Osmé
Óttarr Proppé
Pale Moon
Páll Óskar
Pellegrina
Pascal Pinon
Pellegrina
Peter Evans †
Petúr Ben
Rakel
Red Barnett
Retro Stefson
Reykjavíkurdætur
Róshildur
Rokkurró

Salka Valsdóttir
Samaris
Screaming Masterpiece
Shadow Parade
Shahzad Ismaily
Sigrún
Sigrún Stella
Sin Fang Bous
Sindrí
Siggi Ármann
Sigur Rós
Ske
Skúli Severrisson
Sóley
Sólstafir
Sprengjuhöllin
Stórsveit Nix Noltes
Sunna Margrét
Svavar Knútur
Sycamore Tree
Systur

Tappi Tíkarrass
Team Dreams
Tilbury
Toggi
Úlfur Eldjárn
Ultra Mega Technobandið Stefán
Una Torfa
Uni
Unun
Útidúr
Valgeir Sigurðsson
Vicky
Wim Van Hooste †

† = Fellow Travelers

Iceland Airwaves Update - Day Three

The day program at the Nordic House is getting better and better, with interesting acts doing personal and intimate songs in this cozy auditorium. The first act today was billed as Oh Land, (Nanna Øland Fabricus), a gifted natural singer from Denmark who played her beautiful songs on piano (both grand and toy) with a bassist. Her song I Feel Like Running described her feelings when she had been told that she would never dance again (she had been a ballerina). Heavy stuff:



A bass-less Casio Kids (from Norway) normally play the big venues (as they would later that night) but fit in here just as well with their "acoustic" set. They've been known to do a kindergarten tour from time to time, but make no mistake, they are great musicians- George Martin even produced one of their albums:



The next act was Toggí, who usually fronts a band, but played solo today. His well-crafted songs were interspersed with hilarious banter. If he decided to pursue stand-up he would be a knock-out. A group of preschoolers came in to enjoy the show as well:



Finally, Agent Fresco performed completely acoustically. Their lead singer contacted me, complaining about what I had posted, so I deleted all my references to them.

I ran into Wim Van Hooste (sitting behind the photographer in the Toggi shot), whose Icelandic music blog I've followed for years. He introduced me to his Icelandic friend Heiða and we all shared notes. I managed to squeeze in a couple more off-venue shows including the Nick Cave-inspired Hudson Wayne at the fabled 12 Tonar record store:



For the start of the evening festivities I saw the Icelandic Surf band Bárujárn ("Bare Iron") ripping it up at Sódóma. The addition of a theremin gave the music a nice coloration. Great, loud, crazy, with a bit of a tendency toward heavy metal, but I'm not a purist:



Stopped by Iðno and heard composer Daníel Bjarnarson and his chamber orchestra. Real classical music, although seeing Daníel conduct at the keyboard of a Fender Rhodes piano gave me a little flashblack of Gil Evans. The first piece, All Time to Silence Comes was a tone poem and most effective. They played some additional works which were all well received:



I hadn't got quite my fill of riot grrrls, so I returned to Grand Rokk to see the Danish group Darling Don't Dance. Not as polished as last night's Vicky but more in the style of the old Minneapolis group Babes In Toyland. They even did some effective feedback solos. Makes my heart glad to see these young women empowered with high-power Marshall amplifiers- AND THEIR GUITARS WERE IN TUNE!: