Iceland

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Selected Flippist impressions of Iceland:

2025

Iceland Airwaves 2025
A Parish Chronicle
Verðbólga
Sódóma Reykjavík
Reykjavík Abstracts
#61
I Want To…
Red Dog Farm
Öx Redux
Echoes
Nine Muses

2024

Touch
Trilogy
Hívtur Dagur
Hótel Borg
Reykjavík University
Tombstone for a Child
Drekinn
Symmetry
Reykjavíkur
Your Absence is Darkness
Song in Blue
Cold Fear
Öx

2023

Fyrir ást á pylsum
Iceland Airwaves 2023 Index
Eleven Years Ago Today
Dreaming of Airwaves III
Blackout
The Dancer
Terra Incognita
Dance Party
Touched
Back to School
Be the Wolf
Granny Pants

2022

Search for a Dancer (2022 trip memoir)
Hekla
The Calm Before the Storm
Between Mountains
Hotel Borg
Hjartagarður
Hallgrímur and Silja
First Lady
Fríkirkjan
Listasafn Reykjavíkur
Faktorý
Sunrise Session II

2021

Harpa
Awesome Auðurs
Hand Knits and Wool
Kjötborg
Harbour Views
School of Housewives
IWR
Husavík
Peculiar Postcards
Sunrise Session
Jósa and Lotta

2020

Marta’s Dance
Jófrður’s Chicken
More Iceland in Autumn
The Dogs of Iceland
Poppy’s Return
She Made a Difference
Miss Iceland
New Dreams
Ghost Town
Hard Times in Ultima Thule
Reykjavík Calling
Virtual JFDR

2019

The Sacrament
Iceland Airwaves… Not!
Iceland Airwaves Begins!
Iceland Airwaves 2019
The Island
Alda’s Iceland Update
Faces in the Crowd
We Are Proud Autistic Women
Living the Dream
Valkyrie
Ófærð
Duos

2018

Pied-á-terre
Hot Dog Stand
Airwaves
Hitman’s Guide to Housekeeping
Páll Óskar
Iceland Airwaves Countdown #2
Iceland Airwaves Countdown #1
101
Snow Day
The Legacy
The Sun’s Gone Dim…
Woman at 1000°

2017

Things are Going Great
Either Way
Bokeh
Imagine…
Snowblind
The Undesired
Tour Guide
Pascal Pinon With Strings
Shadow District
Gnarr
Art Vs. Nature
Icelandic Invasion at ASI

2016

Jófríður Ákadóttir
Ekki vanmeta
Bolstaðarhlið 8
Dreamscapes
Sundur and the Circle
Reykjanesfolkvangur
Signs of the Times
Iðno at Night
Strangers in the Night
Table for One
Morning Commute
Tough Choices
All those moments…

2015

The Situation Girls
Ufuoma and Vigtyr and Me
The Batty has Landed
Vesturbæjarlaug
Heimkoman
Imagine…
Rúntur
Cats of Reykjavík
Fimm Konur
Shitstorm in Iceland
Thinking About Iceland
Vonarstræti
portal 2 xtacy
Alda Among the Hidden People
Reading Between the Lines

2014

Advent Calendars
Sugar Mountain
Dramatic Reykjavík
The Pets
Hallgrímur's Magnificent 7%
Unraveled
The Most Dangerous Woman in Icelandic Music?
The Whispering Muse
Alda on Performing Arts
Reykjavík by Bicycle
Doing the Math
Imagine 2014


2013

88
Samaris—Promise and Problems
Reykjavík By Night
The Stones Speak
Soléy at Faktorý
Iceland for Night-Owls
May Media Madness
Quiet Revolution
Two Women in the Dark
Do Not Underestimate
Patio Conversation


2012

Samaris
Ghost Suburb
No Photos Please!
Iceland Airwaves - 2012
The Future of Hope
From the Mouth of the Whale
The Blue Fox
Aldrei fór ég Suður
A History of Iceland

2011

Reverse Viking
Devil's Island
Full Circle
Convergence- Jar City, Geonomics, Under the Glacier
My Soul to Take
Under the Glacier
Mama Gógó
A History of Icelandic Literature
Interview
Eva and the Devil's Servant
Biophilia
Pascal Pinon on Parade!
Nordic Fashion Bash
Webcam Winter Wonderland

2010

Girl Group
The Icelandic Issue
Honour of the House
McSweeney's
Skólavörðustígur
Nordic House
Fríkirkjan
Pictures from the Past I
Pictures from the Past II
Siggi Ármann
Fan Letter
Cosmic Call


2009

Airwaves
Mals og Menningar
The Corner Kitchen
Frida in Iceland
Guð Blessi Ísland
Batty's Saga - I
Batty's Saga - II
Batty's Saga - III
Batty's Saga - IV
Iceland at the Crossroads
The Sea


2008

Jacobinarina
Búðir
Finding the Keys
Midnight Serenade
Windows of Brimness
Dreaming of Iceland
What You Can Do
Early Laxness
Icelandic Cinema
Parenthetical Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós and Heima


2007

Alex on Icelandic Music
Voices
Tickle Me Emo
Collectively Speaking
Halldór Laxness Top Ten
Björk's Top Ten
Volta
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Breakfast
Burning Down the House
Amiina in concert
Glacier


2006

A Most Charming Witch
A Piece of Iceland
High drama with Auður and Ibsen
An Evening in Sirkus
Water
Kaffi with Kristín
Brekkukotsannáll
Spying on the Russians
Midnight in Reykjavík
Another Night Scene
Drawing Restraint 9
Unravel
Hyperballad


2005

Dís and Cold Light
The First Time
Brave Little Yaris
The Parade
Dreamscape
...“It's not up to you… ”
Sigur Rós and Amiina in concert
Interview


2004

Three Women at Nauthólsvík
Kolaportið
Þjóðleikhúsið
Snow White
Nauthól Revisited
Adventures in Auto Rentals
The Flight Home
Swim Date
On Bolstaðarhlið
Má Mí Mó
Encounter with the Merchant Prince

Highs and Lows- Reykjavík Calling II

Northeast meets Northwest as Ólöf embraces David at the end of the show

With the lights out it's less dangerous...
Here we are now entertain us...
I feel stupid and contagious...
Here we are now entertain us...

Smells Like Teen Spirit ~ Nirvana

The second pairing of KEXP's Reykjavík Calling concert at Neumos in Seattle was more than successful, it was absolutely inspired. Guðrið Hansdóttir is a singer/songwriter from the Faroes, with a fine voice and guitar chops to match. Her songs concern nature, and nature in the Faroes means lots of rain. Tomo Nakayama was born in Japan and grew up in Seattle, he was no stranger to mists and fog either. His ethereal singing and masterful playing might be considered a bit precious by some, but he was a perfect complement for Guðrið. Trading lead vocals, singing harmony on most songs, this unlikely duo from the opposite ends of the earth really captured the intent of the concert, with numerous highlights in their nature-inspired songs. They captivated the packed venue.

And they had met only the day before!



Snorri Helgason is a troubadour from Iceland, I had seen him in the power-pop band Sprengjuhöllin in 2006. This was a whole 'nother thing. His "partner" was the salt-of-the-earth David Bazan with his primal "bummer songs". Both performers were competent, but neither was very charismatic. Snorri had a top album in Iceland last year, I think his strength may lie in his writing:



Take a deep breath. Okay. The next act was Sean Nelson, performing with a yet-to-be named band. I really would rather not write about his performance, I'll just throw out a few concepts: Buzz Kill. Unbridled Ego. Neurotica.
He barely interacted with the rest of the performers, I think he thought this concert was being held for the sole purpose of showcasing for his new "act". He single-handedly cleared the room of all but the most die-hard Ólöf Arnalds fans. The picture says it all:



Finally, chanteuse Ólöf Arnalds took the stage. She is a paradoxical musician, capable of esoteric art-song and bawdy pub-tunes. She started off with the story of how she learned to play guitar by listening to the Nevermind album, including a spoofed version of Polly. She then tried an acoustic a capella version of a poem by the Faroese writer William Heinesen, but yakkers at the bar wouldn't hear of it.

She played tunes from her new EP of covers, with some wild singing (she definitely is one of a kind!) but this night was not going to be a "serious" performance for her:



Sean Nelson and his band then slooowly returned to the stage, sabotaging what momentum Ólöf had established, with a knuckle-headed mash-up of Lou Reed(?) and Ólöf's own Klara. The finale was a ragged version of, what else- Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit! Everyone (everyone but too-cool Sean) got into the "spirit" although I doubt if anybody really knew the lyrics.

North by Northwest- Reykjavík Calling

It was a spur of the moment trip, triggered in part by my frustration at being unable to attend Iceland Airwaves. I found myself heading to the Pacific Northwest, to Seattle, home of my eldest son, and home to arty coffee-houses:



Inviting bistros:



Funky bookstores:



And, of course, rain:



There was a whole raft of Icelandic and Nordic related events going on last weekend in Seattle, which is how I ended up outside Neumo's, standing in a sodden queue, waiting to get into KEXP's Reykjavík Calling, a concert featuring four performers from the North Atlantic. Each performed solo with musicians from the Seattle area also sharing the stage, and, at times, dueting with their Nordic counterparts. The MC was none other than program director extraordinaire
Kevin Cole, formerly of the legendary Minneapolis station Rev 105, who put together this show and also was the driving force behind KEXP's astounding coverage of last month's Iceland Airwaves. In addition to their live coverage, they are currently in the process of archiving audio and video performances- poke around their site for an unbelievable amount of Airwaves and other great music.




The first artist of last Friday's concert was Nive (Nee-vey) Nielsen, from Greenland. Her pleasant, simple songs were just the thing to get the crowd into a good mood (she even took a trippy Kazoo solo). She was paired with Seattle's Shelby Earl, an enthusiastic performer of her own folk/country tunes. Nive's voice had a yearning, almost melancholy component on some songs, invoking long dark nights surrounded by snow and ice.

Tomorrow: Highs and Lows...

West Coast

Hawaii 2006:
Snarky Hula
The Tramp on the Street
The Vanishing Middle
Hula Girls Redux
Kim’s Rhinoceros
Sherwood Forest
The Glowing Icon
Hula Girls
Hau Tree Lanai

Carmel-Big Sur 2020:
Carmel Capers
More From Carmel

San Francisco 2018:
Britex-Isaia-Sear’s
Museé Mechanique
Sutro Heights-Cliff House-DJ Cousin Mary
North Beach
Chinese New Year
Hopwater Distribution
Art Appreciation
Talk to Me!
Ferry-Sausalito-Alcatraz
Del Popolo, Tonga Room, Level III
Spaces
Painted Ladies
Baker’s Dozen
Recap
Mysterious San Francisco
Joy on Powell 
Travelogues of Hell
Ain’t Got No Home
Conquest
Sammy and the Cheese
Mysterious San Francisco Redux
Double Scoop of Sharon
Tim Maleeny

Palm Springs 2017:
Midwinter Getaway
La Quinta
Joshua Tree
Palm Springs Modern
Bombay Beach
Salvation Mountain
East Jesus
Slab City Library
Signs of the Times
Road Trips

Seattle and Washington State:

2019:
The Busker’s World
The 40 Bus to Ballard
Street Scenes
Beatlemania

2017:
Farmers Market
More From Seattle
Sleepless in Seattle 

2014:
More on the Emerald City
Roadhouse (Quilcene)
Face at the Window
If You Meet the Budda on the Road…
Whistling Vivaldi on the Quad
Abstract Thoughts

2013:
Market
Dive Bar
Doors
Agalmatophilia
Voodoo Child

2011:
Life of a House
Pike Place People
Connections
Reykjavík Calling I
Reykjavík Calling II
Nordic Fashion Bash

2007:
Scenes from a Seattle Sunday
Ichiro, Rem, and Arnauldur
Snow (Mount Baker)
Strange Moment of Time (Mount Baker)
Onward! (Bellingham)
Crabby

Reykjavík Calling

What a difference a week makes.

Last Sunday I was nightclubbing, this Sunday I am at home, and have been at home, almost all the time, all week. I did make a few “essential” trips: groceries (where it was very interesting to see what people did not panic-buy), the auto parts store (to get a new car battery) and the liquor store (to test out the new battery.) We’ve got plenty of videos and books (and toilet paper) and the Weaver has just started a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. I’ve got my hands full with the Friday serial fiction (which has mutated into a Covid-19 novel, currently set in the summer of 2020—earlier installments have been updated to reflect the new story line.)

If you haven’t had enough of the Covid-19 virus yet a webcast from the Reykjavík Grapevine gives a look at the pandemic from a different, Icelandic perspective:



Hosted by Valur Grettisson, editor-in-chief, and Hannah Jane Cohen, listings director and culture editor at the Reykjavík Grapevine, this Monday through Friday wrap-up of the current state of affairs in Iceland is a refreshing change of pace from the usual main stream media talking heads. Valur is a quintessential Icelander-speaking-English with all the wry humor and quirky delivery one would expect. Hannah, New York-born, is the perfect foil for Valur. it is obvious that they have a deep personal rapport—a relationship that leavens but never trivializes the serious issues they discuss. I would love to see them continue to do a “daily show” when this is all over. Don’t miss Hannah’s shirt in Covid-cast #5, guaranteed to lift one’s spirit in such troubled times.

Here is a personal appeal from Hannah asking for support of the Grapevine:



If you don’t want to join the club, you can also make a one-time contribution.

I owe them big time—a lot of my Icelandic ‘inside’ information comes from The Grapevine—so I felt compelled to contribute.

Heck! I was even featured in it once!

I hope you and yours are doing well.

UPDATE: Covid-cast #7 is down to the last two Grapevine staffers: Hannah, and Poppy—the intern!

UPDATE UPDATE: Covid-cast #8 is up, Valur is back, broadcasting from home, but Hannah and Poppy are now missing. 

Seattle Connections

A weekend in Seattle is just the thing for breaking out of a rut. A big difference in Seattle that I've noticed from other destinations is that people in public places will talk to you- a lot. The least trigger- a book, a shared observation, standing in a line, and someone will start a conversational river; everyone seems to be searching for something. I was standing in line for the Reykjavík Calling concert and started talking to the woman in line. She was there to meet a friend who had been instrumental in creating the Nordic Fashion Biennale! During the concert Kevin Cole came up to me and started talking about his Iceland connections. An older woman also began talking to me, she was there to see Ólöf Arnalds; both of her great grandparents immigrated from Iceland. Later, after the concert, I ran into a guy I had met in Iceland in 2009.

Random images and impressions:

  
Leifur Ericksson Statue, former Icelandic Unitarian Church, both in Ballard

The older parts of the city have narrow streets and small lots, giving Seattle an almost European feel at times. The districts- Capitol Hill, Fremont, University, Green Lake, Ballard and others, retain a small town feel. The explosion of good coffee-houses (Starbucks #1!), restaurants, bakeries and other "social" businesses reflect this:

  
"Pie" is everywhere- both fruit and meat, English Pub serving books and ale

Rather than demolish it, Seattle turned its old coal gasification plant into an art installation. The hilly terrain makes for meandering roads, picturesque to be sure, but not for the faint-of-heart driver. Lush parks invite hikers, and the various waterfront areas can turn anyone into a flânuer. I think even Lenin would succumb to the city's charms.

  
Gasworks parks, Authentic Soviet Lenin statue in Fremont

Pike Place Market has been a tourist draw for many years, it was on the verge of being destroyed in the late '60s. Yes, it is a tourist trap, but a vital one. The market's salvation spurred similar efforts throughout the city. There is enough turnover that a visit every three or four years finds dozens of new places of interest:



I mentioned Kevin Cole, the senior program director of KEXP. He came to Seattle from Minneapolis, where he had been part of the REV 105 experiment. When that station changed ownership he made his way west and oversaw the growth of what once had been a small university station into a national (and even international) media powerhouse. It is unstinting in its support of local music; its Iceland Airwaves endeavors are important not just for the festival itself but is also part of a conscious effort to make Seattle more of a world city. Seattle already had very strong ties with Japan and the Orient, the relatively short flight to Iceland opens it to all of Europe.

  
A "big leaf maple" leaf in Carkeek park, yours truly at KEXP