Day 4
Oh Saturday, the weekend’s climax. There is still so much going on, but don’t let yourself be tricked into a silly routine. Why? Because festivals are also about discovering new things, that’s why. So we hope some of our suggestions will help you in this purpose.
Sudden Weather Change
Sudden Weather Change are four dudes that make alternative rock in the gritty, overfeedbacked style of the 90’s. This may feel a bit of a nostalgic stunt to older geezers like myself, or it may rather appear plainly eccentric to youngsters that are used to see computers on stage all the time. Don’t let your concert-going self be fooled by descriptions though: just trust your ears.
The Twilight Sad
Scottish The Twilight Sad are one of the popular foreign acts of Airwaves 2011. Often praised by emo crowds, they like to describe their music as folk meets noise, or something along these lines. The Twilight Sad’s members more than once made it clear that their intention when performing live is to let their fans enjoy a different experience than what they could get from listening to their albums at home. Well, isn’t this what live music is all about?
James Murphy
This name will make former LCD Soundsystem’s followers flutter. LCD Soundsystem put an end to their uber-acclaimed career last April, with an epic 4-hour show in New York. Murphy has since moved on, to accomplish his other music projects. Now he is bringing his DJing persona to Airwaves 2011.
Samaris
Samaris make tasteful trip-hop with a distinctive Nordic sound. The band comprises three members (voice, computer and clarinet) and their minimal approach is one of the aspects that make them so special. Singer Jófríður Ákadóttir, lending her haunting voice to Samaris’ songs, is a full-time member of Pascal Pinon.
Swords of Chaos
With Swords of Chaos, Airwaves gives hardcore fans of hardcore music their slice of bliss. Swords of Chaos are not everybody’s cup of tea, but their loyal supporters never left one of their shows without proper satisfaction imprinted on their — sometimes wasted — faces. To make a long entry short, dudes rock hard. Faint of heart? Beware.
Dad Rocks!
You can laugh all you want, but this is a name it’s definitely hard to forget. This proves that besides unquestionable musical capabilities, Snævar Njáll Albertsson has also a good ear for the gimmicks of the trade. Dad Rocks!’s debut full-length album will be out soon. In the meantime, you can have fun with Snævar’s show at Airwaves.
GusGus
This band is one of the pillars of Icelandic music. GusGus have been enjoying a sort of legendary status in Iceland for years, but they are very popular also abroad. Their last album, Arabian Horse, was a huge success in their home country. This is to say that the Reykjavik Art Museum is going to be packed on Saturday for GusGus. If you want to get in, make sure to be there before the venue reaches its maximum capacity. This is a friendly advice: better safe than sorry.
Day 5
That’s the epilogue. For year 2011, that is. What would do on your last festival day? A few more ideas.
The Heavy Experience
This five-piece band from Reykjavik is capable of merging suggestions from different music genres, incorporating diverse elements spacing from blues to post-rock, without losing anything in terms of energy. The band’s eponymous debut EP released in 2010 was highly praised by the local press. A full-legth album is expected later this year.
Reykjavík!
Ultra-popular band in native Iceland, but perhaps a little overlooked abroad, Reykjavík! are one of the constant presences of the festival. They played quite a lot of shows in- and off-venue, so there is a chance you have seen them already at least once. They are one of the main acts of Airwaves 2011’s final day.
Rich Aucoin
I didn’t have a clue about Rich Aucoin before Airwaves. Then I saw him perform off-venue. For Rich, music is communion: performer and public must share the experience on the same level. Dude has a rich — no pun intended — collection of crazy stage antics and he invites attendees to join in a full immersion happening. Audience will have to play along, so be prepared. Lotsa fun and WTF moments guaranteed. At any rate, a fantastic way to close your festival.