ICELAND AIRWAVES 2004
The lead up to the Iceland Airwaves festival each October has the same impact on me as Christmas has on a seven year old. The days before see me frantically planning outfits, attempting to stockpile sleep whilst singing and whispering like a maniac. As usual the excitement was more than I could handle and now I have returned I can say once again it rocked and once again I return a broken woman, but a happy one.
Ask the advice of anyone who has been to Airwaves and you will undoubtedly be warned to dress warm, dress well, get as much sleep as you can beforehand and prepare yourself for one of the best times of your life combined with truly painful drinks prices.
There is an air of fairytale about Iceland itself and the Airwaves festival. Primarily the locals give more than a little magic to your stay. People are nice in Iceland. Now I am no fool, and there are, of course, arseholes in every corner of the globe - its just I have yet to meet one who lives in Reykjavik, although undoubtedly they must exist. Its a city which just doesnt breed fear and hate in the way somewhere like London does. You see a couple of exquisite girls in a bar and mark my words theres more than you could imagine - looking as high maintenance as they get, and instead of looking you up and down assessing your weaknesses they wave, smile and invite you round their house for a cup of tea.
The city, enchanting in October with the first wisps of winter, seems beyond busy during the festival and this is because many Icelanders travel to Reykjavik for the event as do over 1,000 foreigners. This might not seem much in comparison to Glastonbury et al but the whole country has a population of only around 290,000 with around 180,000 living in Reykjavik itself (note: Londons population is over 7 million).
Instead of an outdoor event such as we are used to in the UK, your festival pass allows you entry to the many venues dotted around the city. This year there were seven, all very close by and each vaguely linked to a type of music per night. There are no tents, unless you fancy a torrid love affair with Jack Frost, and this is one of the reasons that aside from its very reasonably priced tickets (38) Airwaves can be a bitter taste for those on a low budget.
Apartments and hotels are the way forward and although pricey this means you actually have a chance to go home, wash and change and compete with the Icelanders style. The place oozes its own form of dynamic fashion which produced the looks and attitude of Urdur (Earth) of Gus Gus and Bjork. There are a good few clothing shops to dent your visa card, Sputnik being my personal favourite more expensive vintage 80s batwings than Pat Butcher could shake an earring at. Unfortunately, clothing is quite expensive which along with the prices of alcohol and eating out you feel like youre haemorrhaging kronur like its going out of fashion.
So why bother if its so expensive? Since its birth in 1999 Iceland Airwaves has consistently showcased acts of quality and variety. The organisers have taken it upon their shoulders to ensure that along with the home grown artists such as Gus Gus, Minus, Quarashi and Sigur Ros and the international big boys like Fat Boy Slim, The Hives and Suede, they provide a platform for the less mainstream (The Kills, Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Chicks on Speed, yourcodenameis:milo, Killa Kela, TV on the Radio) and as yet undiscovered acts who finally get the foot up they need. Around half of the 1000 or so foreigners who set foot ashore for the festival are media press, A&R agents etc - a sure sign of concentrated musical genius in the square mile. They come to check out the international acts as well but they want to see what the locals have to offer. The well known bands as well as the unheard of Icelandic acts who get a chance to show an outside audience exactly what they are made of.
This year there was the usual heady mixture of music hip hop, metal, punk, electro, drum and bass, rock, indie and pop. The States provided The Bravery and The Shins, Canada leant us The Stills and us Brits brought along Keane and yourcodenameis:milo for the ride. Its nigh on impossible to review the festival without a 10,000 word dissertation. There are so many bands to see you will always miss ones you desperately want to see but equally youll stumble across a new favourite, as I did with Icelandic metallers Sign and previously with Minus and Sofandi.
Youll be exhausted when you leave the festival but yet wonderfully peachy skinned if you get down to the annual Blue Lagoon hangover party usually held on the Saturday. It feels as if you are in Ibiza and someone has shaken the space-time continuum inside out. Cold outside, very cold with geothermally heated water lapping around you. Throw in some of the most beautiful people you have ever set eyes on, funky grooves and free bright blue booze and bobs your uncle.
Iceland Airwaves is fantastic because you get the variety of a major festival, a stream of parties you can hardly keep up with and additional organised events involving art, food and history. But the real magic is that its all wrapped up in tiny package. It feels intimate. Youll recognise and be recognised by other partygoers, artists and locals alike and getting lost is a rare occurrence. The air will almost hurt you its so clean and your Editor Matt and I are convinced something in the heavily mineral-ed water is a hangover cure.
I would recommend undoubtedly that you go, if I wasnt afraid you might steal it from me.
*********************************************************
Next up will be my new favourites Sign....keep an eye out
xb
The lead up to the Iceland Airwaves festival each October has the same impact on me as Christmas has on a seven year old. The days before see me frantically planning outfits, attempting to stockpile sleep whilst singing and whispering like a maniac. As usual the excitement was more than I could handle and now I have returned I can say once again it rocked and once again I return a broken woman, but a happy one.
Ask the advice of anyone who has been to Airwaves and you will undoubtedly be warned to dress warm, dress well, get as much sleep as you can beforehand and prepare yourself for one of the best times of your life combined with truly painful drinks prices.
There is an air of fairytale about Iceland itself and the Airwaves festival. Primarily the locals give more than a little magic to your stay. People are nice in Iceland. Now I am no fool, and there are, of course, arseholes in every corner of the globe - its just I have yet to meet one who lives in Reykjavik, although undoubtedly they must exist. Its a city which just doesnt breed fear and hate in the way somewhere like London does. You see a couple of exquisite girls in a bar and mark my words theres more than you could imagine - looking as high maintenance as they get, and instead of looking you up and down assessing your weaknesses they wave, smile and invite you round their house for a cup of tea.
The city, enchanting in October with the first wisps of winter, seems beyond busy during the festival and this is because many Icelanders travel to Reykjavik for the event as do over 1,000 foreigners. This might not seem much in comparison to Glastonbury et al but the whole country has a population of only around 290,000 with around 180,000 living in Reykjavik itself (note: Londons population is over 7 million).
Instead of an outdoor event such as we are used to in the UK, your festival pass allows you entry to the many venues dotted around the city. This year there were seven, all very close by and each vaguely linked to a type of music per night. There are no tents, unless you fancy a torrid love affair with Jack Frost, and this is one of the reasons that aside from its very reasonably priced tickets (38) Airwaves can be a bitter taste for those on a low budget.
Apartments and hotels are the way forward and although pricey this means you actually have a chance to go home, wash and change and compete with the Icelanders style. The place oozes its own form of dynamic fashion which produced the looks and attitude of Urdur (Earth) of Gus Gus and Bjork. There are a good few clothing shops to dent your visa card, Sputnik being my personal favourite more expensive vintage 80s batwings than Pat Butcher could shake an earring at. Unfortunately, clothing is quite expensive which along with the prices of alcohol and eating out you feel like youre haemorrhaging kronur like its going out of fashion.
So why bother if its so expensive? Since its birth in 1999 Iceland Airwaves has consistently showcased acts of quality and variety. The organisers have taken it upon their shoulders to ensure that along with the home grown artists such as Gus Gus, Minus, Quarashi and Sigur Ros and the international big boys like Fat Boy Slim, The Hives and Suede, they provide a platform for the less mainstream (The Kills, Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Chicks on Speed, yourcodenameis:milo, Killa Kela, TV on the Radio) and as yet undiscovered acts who finally get the foot up they need. Around half of the 1000 or so foreigners who set foot ashore for the festival are media press, A&R agents etc - a sure sign of concentrated musical genius in the square mile. They come to check out the international acts as well but they want to see what the locals have to offer. The well known bands as well as the unheard of Icelandic acts who get a chance to show an outside audience exactly what they are made of.
This year there was the usual heady mixture of music hip hop, metal, punk, electro, drum and bass, rock, indie and pop. The States provided The Bravery and The Shins, Canada leant us The Stills and us Brits brought along Keane and yourcodenameis:milo for the ride. Its nigh on impossible to review the festival without a 10,000 word dissertation. There are so many bands to see you will always miss ones you desperately want to see but equally youll stumble across a new favourite, as I did with Icelandic metallers Sign and previously with Minus and Sofandi.
Youll be exhausted when you leave the festival but yet wonderfully peachy skinned if you get down to the annual Blue Lagoon hangover party usually held on the Saturday. It feels as if you are in Ibiza and someone has shaken the space-time continuum inside out. Cold outside, very cold with geothermally heated water lapping around you. Throw in some of the most beautiful people you have ever set eyes on, funky grooves and free bright blue booze and bobs your uncle.
Iceland Airwaves is fantastic because you get the variety of a major festival, a stream of parties you can hardly keep up with and additional organised events involving art, food and history. But the real magic is that its all wrapped up in tiny package. It feels intimate. Youll recognise and be recognised by other partygoers, artists and locals alike and getting lost is a rare occurrence. The air will almost hurt you its so clean and your Editor Matt and I are convinced something in the heavily mineral-ed water is a hangover cure.
I would recommend undoubtedly that you go, if I wasnt afraid you might steal it from me.
*********************************************************
Next up will be my new favourites Sign....keep an eye out
xb
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
after reading this though, i might just go for the airwaves festival this year... i won't steal it from you, i'll just go quietly.