Iceland Airwaves: the Final Countdown B14 #1 and at All Major Tourist Attractions and Tourist Information Centres
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Airwaves Special Mínus + Mr. Silla & Mongoose + Bloodgroup + Ben Frost + Þórir The Lonesome Traveller is Out and About • Going Vegan in Svið-land • Ragnar Kjartansson Finds God Awakening the Couch Potatoes • Icelanders and their Elves • Sequences Art Festival + info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 16 // Oct 5 - Nov 1 2007 2557 CIN Grapevine jona 330 MBL.ai 10/3/07 12:07:01 PM 02 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 16 2007 | Year 5 | October 05 – November 01 The Reykjavík Grapevine Articles Vesturgata 5, 101 Reykjavík www.grapevine.is Elves in Cultural Vocabulary 06 [email protected] Interview with professor Terry Gunnel www.myspace.com/reykjavikgrapevine Published by Fröken ehf. I am Going For a Cup of Coffee 08 Opinion by Viktor Banke Editorial: +354 540 3600 / [email protected] The Grapevine Guide to the Airwaves Personalities 08 Advertising: Opinion by Sveinn Birkir Björnsson +354 540 3605 / [email protected] Publisher: Vegan Iceland? 10 +354 540 3601 / [email protected] The Difficulties of Being a Vegan in Iceland The Reykjavík Grapevine Staff Can We Do This Indefinately? 12 Publisher: Interview with designer Olof Kolte Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson [email protected] Airwaves Special 14 Editor: Interviews with Ben Frost, Bloodgroup, Þórir and Mr. Silla & Mongoose Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / [email protected] Assistant Editor: Singing Painting at Nylo 20 Steinunn Jakobsdóttir / [email protected] Interview with artist Ragnar Kjartansson Editorial Intern: Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir / [email protected] Awakening the Couch Potatoes 21 Contributing Writer: Interview with filmmakers Áslaug Einarsdóttir and Garðar Stéfansson Ian Watson / www.ianwatson.org Art Director: A Buffet of Quality Icelandic Designs 28 Gunnar Þorvaldsson / [email protected] Photographer: Gunnlaugur Arnar Sigurðsson [email protected] Features Marketing Director: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected] Mínus – Reinventing the Formula 16 Sales Director: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson [email protected] Support Manager: Music & Nightlife Oddur Óskar Kjartansson / [email protected] Distribution: Of Men and Mongeese 18 Samúel Bjarnason / [email protected] Steintryggur, Mr. Silla & Mongoose, Pétur Ben and Gabriel Braun at Organ Proofreader: Jim Rice Ganging Up 18 Royal Fortune and Benny Crespoís Gang at Organ Press releases: [email protected] CD, Book and Film Reviews 19 Submissions inquiries: [email protected] Subscription inquiries: +354 540 3605 / [email protected] Outside Reykjavík General inquiries: [email protected] Across the Country in 40 Days 22 Adventures of the Lonesome Traveller, Leg 2 The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from November through April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be info. reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Although Listings B2 the magazine has endeavoured to ensure that all information inside the magazine is correct, Food Reviews B10 prices and details may be subject to change. The Reykjavík Grapevine can be found in Reykjavík, Shopping B12 Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Selfoss, Keflavík, Ísafjörður, Kárahnjúkar and at key locations around road Iceland Airwaves: The Final Countdown B14 #1 and at all major tourist attractions and tourist information centres. Sequences Real-time Art Festival B15 You may not like it, but at least it's not spon- sored. (No articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’). Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 30.000 copies. From the Editor’s Chair Let’s keep this short and sweet. The Iceland Air- not the image that you are presented with in tour elves.” This is bullshit. In this issue I discuss the mat- waves festival is upon us. For us at the Grapevine, guides and travel ads. Let’s get one thing straight. ter with professor of folkloristic, Terry Gunnell, who this is pretty much like Christmas in October. By far, Iceland has its set of problems, much like any other recently surveyed Icelanders attitude towards elves the best weekend of the year. This issue, we bring nation. As a country, we battle pollution, poverty, and and other supernatural beings. Turns out that 8% of Airwaves Special you some of the artists who will be playing this injustice. More importantly, I do not know anyone the population believes in elves. Hardly an other- Mínus + Mr. Silla & Mongoose + Bloodgroup + Ben Frost + Þórir years festival. Our resident Airwaves specialist gives who eats rotten shark more than once a year, and I worldly figure. you a rundown of bands you should not miss. Don’t don’t know anyone who claims to believe in elves. Spot perpetuating the myth! forget to read the Grapevine Guide to the Airwaves Somehow the myth that Icelanders believe in elves, types. It might come in handy for you, especially if every single one of us, has refused to die and this Enjoy Airwaves. you are a tourist. bothers me to no end, especially since Icelanders The Lonesome Traveller is Out and About • Going Vegan in Svið-land • Ragnar Kjartansson Finds God tend to perpetuate this myth themselves, every time Awakening the Couch Potatoes • Icelanders and their Elves • Sequences Art Festival I am sometimes asked about my editorial poli- + info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 16 // Oct 5 - Nov 1 2007 cies. I usually tell people that it is my goal to present they talk to a foreign person. “Ah, but yes! Of course, people with an image of Iceland the way I know it, I believe in elves. Everyone in Iceland believes in On cover: Mínus Photos by: GAS 04 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 16 2007 | Letters Sour Grapes !!! (US), múm, Bloc Party (UK), Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to [email protected]. Hi Iceland, Hi, American Citizen leaves homeland until Bush leaves office I recently visited Iceland (which I like immensely) and picked Has passport but no place to live up a copy of The Reykjavik Grapevine. Chromeo (CA), Deerhoof (US), Auctioning himself to international bidders of the world Just to say that, as a visitor, I liked it very much. It manages You might think I’m crazy, but I’ve decided to leave Amer- to balance the fine line between something that is informative ica until George Bush leaves the Whitehouse. I’m so desperate but readable at the same time. to get away from George W. that I’m selling myself on eBay to the highest bidder. It’s my way of sticking it to the administra- Thanks for a good experience J. tion and speaking out for a way of life which many Americans Frank Tompson Mugison, Trentemöller (DK), still hold dear. I prefer a country with healthcare, clean air and drinkable water. A country where “Evolution,” “Liberal,” and “Kyo- Dear Frank, to,” aren’t dirty words. A country where free speech isn’t viewed Good to hear that you liked our city, even better that you liked as unpatriotic dissention by the status quo. I demand to have a our publication. You are obviously a man of considerable intel- President that leads and makes decisions without first consult- ligence. of Montreal (US), GusGus, ing the Bible and his personal version of Jesus Christ. Editor To the bidders of the world: What you are bidding on is the right to have and house your very own 30-year old American dissident for the period of one Hello,dear Sir/Madam: month. I plan on asking the world to give my homeland an- I would like to know about: education, marriage ,child care, other chance as we both turn the page on this failed admin- baby culture in iceland, costume cultures, folklores and other The Bronx (US), Mínus, istration. With any luck I’ll become a traveling disaster for the related thidngs to the people of far-fetched and perhaps neat current administration. If I can somehow draw their warmon- and health-giving Iceland. Moreover i am eager to find girl ger attention and distract them, we can save the world a lot of friends from iceland. if you could help me to write me back pain. I don’t think Bush will invade your country for housing about some sites or people who would like to make friend me, but you never know. He may classify me as a WMD, bypass and maybe have a travel here in my country and stay for a Lay Low, Buck 65 (CA), the United Nations, destroy everything, surge, and then leave while do not hesitate to do so as a great favour to me. thanks a while patting himself on the back. lot for your assistance and attention. Amiina, Ampop, Annuals (US), Benni Hemm Hemm, Bonde do Role (BR), Changer, Good luck bidding, yours Hussein Haji Citizen X Cut off Your Hands (NZ), Dikta, The Duke Spirit (UK), FM Belfast, Forgotten Lores, http://www.myspace.com/usacitizenx Dear Hussein Haji, http://www.usacitizenx.blogspot.com Eberg, Friendly Fires (UK), Gavin Portland, Ghostigital, Grizzly Bear (US), Hafdis Try reading the Grapevine. Search the back issues and you wil Dear Citizen X, find all the info you need on costume cultures and baby cul- Huld, Heavy Trash (UK), Hjaltalín, I Adapt, Jagúar, Jakobínarína, Jan Mayen, Jeff Who?, Will you clean, cook, and take part in general household chores tures, and what ever other cultures fit your needs. Heck, there during your stay? If so, I would be more than happy to spend a is even an interview with a folklorist in this issue. I hope this Khonnor (US), Jenny Wilson (SE), Kira Kira, Lali Puna (DE), Late of the Pier (UK), small amount of money to bring you over. I would even apply was of some help to you and good luck finding an Icelandic for a permanent resident pass for you.