Iceland Airwaves 2007

I’m getting rather excited about Iceland Airwaves (find it on Upcoming.org and Last.fm). I fly to Reykjavik with my brother, Sam, on Monday 15th October, and we won’t return until the following Monday. Seven whole nights of Icelandic bliss.

Blue Lagoon by Tomosaurus on Flickr

The festival itself runs between Wednesday 17th and Sunday 21st October, and takes over nine different venues in Reykjavik, as well as a ‘hangover party’ in the Blue Lagooon (above) plus more events running in eleven ‘off-venue’ locations including clubs, record stores and coffee shops.

The list of artists playing at the festival is eclectic to say the least, and the schedule is impressive. Just some of the bands I’m looking forward to seeing:

• Amiina (Ray and I even have a dog named after this band)
• Sam Amidon
• múm
• Grizzly Bear
• Plants and Animals
• My Summer as a Salvation Soldier
• Valgeir Sigurðsson
• Seabear
• Loney, Dear
• Kira Kira

I missed last year, but my brother’s enthusiasm for the event meant I had to join him this time around. To give a flavour of it, after the event proper finished, Erlend Øye (of Kings of Convenience) fame played an acoustic set in a church in the middle of nowhere for an audience of three or four people. Fortunately, one of them captured and shared the moment…

Although Sigur Rós (my long-time favourite Icelandic band) are not scheduled to play this year, Sam and I are hoping to take in quite a bit of the local Sigur magic. Having missed tickets for it in London, I’m looking forward to seeing the film ‘Heima‘ which is playing in Reykjavik that week. Plus, Riceboy Sleeps (formed of Jónsi Birgisson from Sigur Rós and Alex Somers from Parachutes) are exhibiting a new video at the Turpentine Gallery in Reykjavík as part of the Sequences Art Festival.

I just need to pack some warm clothes, a notebook, prepare the iPod and get some spare batteries for the camera.

Update:
John Lennon´s Memorial Peace Beacon is in Reykjavik.

It´s turned on on his birthday (October 9th) and off again on the day he was killed (December 8th).