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

Dance Party

Chapter 22 of Search For a Dancer, a memoir of a week spent in Iceland in November 2022

After leaving the urban-techno-gloom of Hafnartorg, arriving at Hildur Yeoman’s Boutique was akin to being teleported from a Stasi prison into a lively slumber party. Vibrant clothes from the shop surrounded us giving the space the feeling of a bedroom (or a very large clothes closet!) With the welcoming vibes and fab fashion emanating from the duo that is Cyber the audience was up for anything and they received a performance for the ages, or at least for a Friday afternoon.

Jóhanna Rakel

It was a wild show. The couple’s coordinated dance moves fit the hip-hop backing tracks of Karaoke Song perfectly (see 1st video below.) Some added social commentary was thrown in on the song No Cry - a riot of a song about a disconsolate twerker’s* dealings with sadness (but not romantic sadness!) It had a scream-along part in the middle that the whole crowd got into (see 2nd video below).

Salka Valsdóttir

Salka is another Icelandic Renaissance artist, she also performs as Neonme and with the outrageous feminist rap collective Daughters of Reykjavík. An accomplished audio engineer, Salka has worked in theatre productions in Iceland and Germany. I sensed that her relationship with Jóhanna was more than professional, in a very good way. What a delight to see two women on the same wavelength, with an obvious and deep affection for each other, prancing about in pajamas!

A dance party is nothing without dances, amiright? :





I came to Iceland looking for a dancer and I found two! Cyber’s intense set was too soon over. There was a hole in my Airwaves schedule,—none of the early evening acts were must-sees—so I headed over to Þjóðleikhúsið (The National Theatre), where an evening of drama and even more surprises awaited.


*Disconsolate Twerker™ FITK



Search for a Dancer Index…

I Want To…

Crowd, Iceland Airwaves, 2023

… return to Iceland.

I’ve done pretty well in honoring my new year’s resolution to stop posting about things Icelandic on FITK. Perhaps my new feelings contain a bit of jealousy; in a couple of weeks The Weaver is off on a Scandinavian cruise—starting in Reykjavík! Or, perhaps, these ruminations are just a bit of stock-taking on my part.

I’ve taken nine trips to Iceland in the last twenty-five years. Each was great in its own way: each had moments of illumination, each made me look at the world in a different way. Some of their appeal was in just getting away from home and going to a place that, for a few weeks anyway, seemed like I was living in an enchanting world. Iceland is far from perfect; it has its own problems, and the people that I’ve gotten to know there certainly have their own tribulations. Still, the those Icelanders I’ve met and talked to have been a joy. I prefer going in late October/early November: airfare is cheap, the weather can be very fine, the theatre season is in full swing, and the Iceland Airwaves music festival is being held with 12 hours of music every day. Swimming outdoors every day (free for seniors!) and talking with the locals is great, meeting with old blog-pals is nice (if bittersweet at times), and there is a place where I could stay that I love. And the rush of being in a crowd of friendly strangers is a definite plus:

Crowd at Lucky Records, 2023

On the other hand some negatives are:
Earthquakes.
Volcanoes.
The world situation.
The weather in Iceland can be horrid (I have been unbelievably lucky in the past—how long can that streak continue?)
Icelandic theatre has taken a bit of a downturn in the last few years.
The music scene, especially Iceland Airwaves, seems to be a hollowed-out shell of its former glory.
I’ve exhausted my Icelandic correspondents’ hospitality; once every eight years is fine, every two years is abusing it.
The lovely place where I stayed last time is much more expensive now than it was in 2023, and is unavailable.
It is hard to put an exact price on trips such as these but what I used to do for under two grand is now closer to four—more money for a lesser experience—that math is not hard to figure out.

The other factor that figures in these considerations is my age. I’ll be 75 in July. I’m in good health now but that may change. While getting to Reykjavík is relatively painless, enjoying the city on foot requires a good set of legs and some stamina, with lots of hills and heavy winds. Will I be still doing solo trips in my 80s?

That last question may actually be a reason to do it now.

Despite all these misgivings, and while my musical tastes have changed over the years, I still find it thrilling to see a performer in the moment, stealing the show:

Jóhanna Rakel, Cyber, 2023, Iceland Airwaves

Epilog

Chapter 31 of Search For a Dancer, a memoir of a week spent in Iceland in November 2022

Three days after I had returned home I developed Covid. I quickly infected The Weaver.

It was a weird strain; we both got really sick and we both developed conjunctivitis. I went deaf. A few weeks later our first grandchild was born and he was sick, too (but not with Covid). Thankfully, by New Years Day we had all recovered.

Then I began to write this story.

I have been looking onto returning in 2023 but my interest seems to be waning. Flights are 50% more expensive, lodging is double, the Iceland Airwaves acts booked so far are, for the most part, uninspiring. Even the new theatre season lacks appeal. And I’ve read all of Halldór Laxness! The law of diminishing returns—forestalled by two decades of cultural discoveries—seems to finally have taken effect.

This party is over.

But… I will miss my days spent in Reykjavík ‘cool and crisp’; walking to the pool; chatting with the locals; lunches with old blog-pals; afternoons idly roaming the streets; the anticipation of the evening’s cultural offerings. And those nights!

Iceland has been a major part of a third of my life.

Is the memory of a dancer in a noisy cellar enough to sustain me? Will these random scenes be enough to last the rest of my lifetime?
Krónan:

Iðno:

Perlan with Hringbraut:

Jofriður Ákadóttir:

Ásthildur Ákadóttir:

Marta Ákadóttir:

Jóhanna Rakel:

Karólina Einarsdóttir:

Björnsbakarí:

Baejarins beztu:

Tjörnín:

The charms o' the min', the langer they shine,
The mair admiration they draw, man;
While peaches and cherries, and roses and lilies,
They fade and they wither awa, man… ~ Robert Burns

                                    THE END

Wednesdays in Iceland – #10

Karaoke Song



What a blast!

Cyber is a spin-off from the immensely popular and influential musical collective Daughters of Reykjavík. This video was shot in Yeoman, an upscale fashion boutique in downtown Reykjavík. This song is a parody of a pop karaoke but they have also done a ton of other material, as a duo and with guests—check out their YouTube performances.

Salka Valsdóttir (aka Neonme)and Jóhanna Rakel are the performers here.

Another great Iceland Airwaves 2022 off-venue show.

Three Muses

Melpomene:

Jóhanna Rakel

The Muse of tragedy.

In Greek mythology, Melpomene is typically portrayed as serious and pensive, reflecting the solemn nature of tragedy. She is said to inspire playwrights, actors, and poets who seek to explore and depict the darker aspects of human existence, such as suffering, loss, and the inevitability of fate. Throughout history, Melpomene has been an enduring symbol of tragic artistry, inspiring countless writers, artists, and performers to create works that explore the depths of human emotion and the complexities of the human condition.

Polyhymnia:

Salka Valsdóttir

The Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymn, dance and eloquence.

Polyhymnia was revered by Greek poets, orators, and musicians who sought inspiration for their hymns, prayers, and speeches. She was believed to inspire individuals to express themselves eloquently and to convey profound truths through language and gesture. Polyhymnia played an important role in inspiring creativity and fostering spiritual and intellectual growth.

Terpsichore:

Eivør Pálsdóttir

In Greek mythology, Terpsichore ("delight in dancing") embodies the beauty, elegance, and rhythm of dance.

Terpsichore was honored in various festivals and celebrations and occupies a central place in Greek mythology as the Muse of dance and choral poetry, embodying the joy and beauty of artistic expression through movement and music.