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
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

Radioheart: The Drive & Times of DJ Kevin Cole

A film by Peter Hilgendorf and Andrew Franks

Kevin hosting Reykjavík Calling, Neumos, Seattle, 2011

I caught this film at the MSPIFF 45 last night.

Kevin was a DJ at First Avenue in the 80s (he was Prince’s party DJ!) and he was the founder of REV105, a groundbreaking Twin City radio station in the 90s that my kids adored. REV105 was ultimately bought out by corporate interests but, rather than giving up, Kevin moved on, eventually arriving in Seattle where he worked with the fledgling Amazon and eventually becoming program director for KEXP, the premiere radio station/internet presence in the world. It seems as if almost every modern band of note has performed in their video studios, often with Kevin as the host. I had met and talked with him in Seattle in 2011 and then again in Reykjavík in 2018 and 2023 (during Iceland Airwaves):

Kevin at Kex Hostel, Reykjavík, 2018

He was always gracious, curious and really involved with the Icelandic music scene. Since we shared musical interests I ended up running into him numerous times at Iceland Airwaves in 2023—we compared notes on who to see. One of the acts, Brimheim, was featured in the film.

Kevin and young fans, Smekkleysa, Reykjavík, 2023 

We had also talked about substance abuse, how it could be a problem in the industry, how he dealt with it, and how important it was to continue to seek help. This subject was brought up in the movie, along with KEXP’s efforts to bring mental health issues to a wider audience in its Music Heals programs.

Afterwards, there was a Q&A hosted by Shawn Stewart with Kevin, the director Peter Hilgendorf, editor Andrew Franks and producer Rebecca Staffel.

The audience loved all of it, and they loved Kevin most of all.

Last Call

Chapter 29 of Search For a Dancer, a memoir of a week spent in Iceland in November 2022

As I was leaving Gamla Bíó…

A young stoner offered me a hit from his vape device…

…As if! Fifty years too late.

There was a line for the Ukranian hip-hop band Go A at the Art Museum so I went into Airwaves Headquarters, where there was a stage set up in the old Kolaportið building. The Faroese rapper Marius DC was… well… rapping… in Faroese. A couple of degrees out of my comfort zone, he was energetic but not a lot of fun, and  no dancers. Perhaps it was just the Faroese but it seemed as if things were getting fragmented:

I went across the street to Hurrá, a small club, where I saw the guitar band BRIMHEIM, led by Faroese musician and songwriter Helena Heinesen, pounding out her three chord masterpieces. Hurrá has consistently had the best sound of any the venues but I hadn't seen any other acts in there this Airwaves. Helena aside, sometimes things just don’t work out:

They had gotten good reviews for their show the previous night at Iðno:



Hard rock, with good playing and attitude but I was starting to run out of steam so I headed back to my apartment, first dropping in to Fríkirkjan, the church on the pond.

Arny Margret, a capable singer-songwriter was holding court there. She mentioned that she had played her first public performance a year ago in this very place. She only had one song then, but tonight she played a full set with very tasteful accompaniment from a pianist and electric bassist. Definitely a cut above the usual singer-songwriter. I think she has some future potential and her performance was a definite high note to go out on:



My apartment was only 20 meters away from the church and although the music was still going on, my bed was beckoning.

Farewell, Airwaves 2022!


Search for a Dancer Index…