Located in the basement of Þjóðleikhúsið, Iceland’s National Theatre, it is not well-known, and certainly not in any tourist guides I’ve seen. I suspect it was originally intended for exclusive use of the patrons of the National Theatre—it is rarely used for public events. Which is too bad, it is a very groovy place; intimate; 50s vibe. That aesthetic may be best illustrated by the ambiguous triptych that is on the walls of the club lounge area:
My experience there was in October of 2006, at Iceland Airwaves, when a small crowd braved the cigarette smoke (remember those days?) to see several acts perform, including the Doors/Radiohead-influenced Shadow Parade:
She kept the crowd in thrall with her story-songs, aided by prodigious alcohol consumption and her teetering on 4 inch heels as she wandered through the crowd:
But the best act I saw there was the venerable (18+ years and still going strong) rockabilly/surf band Langi Seli Og Skuggarnir:
Twangy!
Here’s a funky video of Langi Seli and his group showing the band (and its audience) rocking out in the cabaret one night in October, 2006:
Art is the keyword for the day. I thought I would try a more highbrow approach to my music venues. After a morning of delightful conversation with a completely charming Icelandic blogger, and yet another glorious afternoon at the pool, I was ready for anything...
1900 hrs - The Reykjavik Art Museum. This venue is in the canvas domed courtyard of an old industrial building. A full stage with all the rock show features, light shows, massive subwoofers etc., the band Ske hit the stage, an experienced outfit, with everything you could want from an arena rock band. Good arrangements, a confident lead singer with some evocative lyrics:
… she doesn’t drink wine, but if she’s asked she'll take a glass… now she is wasted…
A good start:
2000 hrs - Over to Iðno, the old Craftsmen hall. A beautifully restored auditorium, the Bedroom Community (group of artists) presented Egill Sæbjörnsson, starting things off with some clever performance/video pieces including a most amusing animation. Very arty:
2100 hrs - Sam Amidon, from the US, who did an old folk-music type act, supplemented with odd dance interludes. He began with a strange, dirge-like version of O Death. His voice could be described as fragile, or, perhaps more accurately, weak. He was joined by some Icelandic performers that augmented the sound nicely:
2200 hrs - Nico Muhly from New York- came on with his original piano compositions. He shared the stage with an Icelandic violinist for one tune. Stunning:
2300 hrs - Valgeir Sigurðsson performed with a guitar, Echoplex and computer. He was joined by six other musicians, and with them (and his samplers) he created a wall of sound. If Sigur Rós didn't already exist, this would be quite the deal. Still, it was impressive:
0015 hrs - and over to the National Theatre's basement. A little gem of a room (think 50's nightclub) the Icelandic rockabilly group Langi Seli Og Skuggarnir held forth with a great take on the rockabilly style. The dancing was fervoured and the mood was more roadhouse than art house. They were a lot of fun:
Best music of the day…Nico Muhly, Sonata for piano, violin and computer, no contest.
