FRE E

Andri Snær Magnason Complete Mayoral Coverage Tattoos, Rock and Stephen Colbert And the Best Iceland Nightlife Guide in the World

ISSUE 06 / 19MAY - 01JUNE 2006 ISSUE SIX: MAY 19 – JUNE 01 YEAR 4

Articles The Reykjavík Grapevine crew

06 The Immigrant Vote The Reykjavík Grapevine An Interview with Intercultural Centre Director Einar Skúlason Faxaskála, Faxaporti, Faxagötu 2 www.grapevine.is [email protected] 14 Grapevine Mayoral Election Guide Published by: Fröken ehf.

18 Stephen Colbert Reinvents the Bomb Editor: 540-3602 / [email protected] Advertising: 540-3605 / 868-8187 / [email protected] Marketing: 540-3603 / 869-7796 / [email protected] 20 Being Terrified Distribution: 540-3601 / 694-2538 / [email protected] Production: 540-3608 / 849-5611 / [email protected] A column by Þórdís Elva Þorvaldsdóttir Bachmann Listings: 540-3600 / 847-7335 / [email protected] Subscription: 540-3601 / 694-2538 / [email protected] 38 Tattoo City Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / [email protected] The Grapevine Discovers Another Per Capita Record Editor: Bart Cameron / [email protected] Marketing Director: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected] Production Manager: Oddur Óskar Kjartansson / [email protected] Features Staff Journalists: Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson / [email protected] Paul Fontaine-Nikolov / [email protected] Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / [email protected] Welcome To My Nightmare 22 Columnist: Þórdís Elva Þorvaldsdóttir Bachmann / Discussing the Dreamland with Writer Andri Snær [email protected] Advertising Sales: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / [email protected] Helgi Þór Harðarson / [email protected] Director of Photography: Guðmundur Freyr Vigfússon / Essentials [email protected] Photographers: Óskar Hallgrímsson / [email protected] Friðrik Tryggvason 12 Grapevine’s City Council Guide Art Director: Gunnar Þorvaldsson / [email protected] Designer: Björn Lárus Arnórsson 34 Purchases to Justify Existence Proofreader: Erika Wolfe Distribution: Sæmundur Þór 36 Dining, Eating and Grubbing On Cover: Andri Snær Magnason 44 Grapevine Guide to Gaming: Casual to Serious Printed by: Ísafoldarprentsmiðja ehf. # of ground copies: 30,101 Music & Nightlife We are always looking for articles. 42 French Kisses and Fucking Media People Send your submissions to : [email protected] Live Concert Review: Iggy Pop and the Stooges You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored. Þú mátt vera lengur úti 48 Clear View of the Future (No articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. í 66° Norður. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’.) Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Finds a Voice

Outside Reykjavík

50 Mind the Menacing Bumblebees Rock climbing in Hvalfjörður

52 Good Morning, Mr. Spencer Interview with rock n roll incarnate Jon Spencer of Heavy Trash

54 Öskjuhlíð to Gay.is The Grapevine follows the gay Iceland rumour mill

www.66north.is  SOUR GRAPES EDITORIALS Complaints, criticism, suggestions, praise, money, anything at all: Contact [email protected] or send your mail to: The Reykjavík Grapevine, Faxagata 2, Faxaskála við Faxaport, 101 Reykjavík. Seeking Foreigners Once upon a time, the Reykjavík Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson’s interview vine, which is essentially a symbol of Hello, dled this article. Very well written your leader. But I’ve had a long Grapevine was packed with Germans, with Intercultural Center Director immigration and foreigners, has been Regarding your undated article in and appreciated. Thank You! trip, could we stop at a Thai mas- Dutchmen, Finns, Canadians, and Einar Skúlason. Skúlason points out growing in power, prestige and staff. http://www.grapevine.is/undirflok- Thank you, Sarah Allen. Everyone sage place first?” the occasional American crank, all that foreigners should really be stand- With more money, we’ve reached kar.aspx?id=7 (REVERSING HIS- else can read our facts about Iceland joining together to voice our curiosi- ing up, especially after a private citizen out and found that foreigners don’t TORY, an interview with Salmann at our website, www.grapevine. Your boyfriend had no idea... ties about Iceland and to try to create paid for a Gallup Poll to see if Iceland- want to be anywhere near a vocal Timini, chairman of the Icelandic is, which hopes to overcome stereo- a community of foreigners interested ers were interested in a nationalist paper. The joke I get from writers or Muslim Association), I would like types perpetuated by guide books and He sounds like a keeper, marry in sticking around for the long haul. party. When the results came back educated people, which is less and to refer you to the following quote advertising. I might also point out the him. Scanning the pages of this issue of the that 30 per cent of Iceland was ready less amusing, is “I barely get my work from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ writings of our columnist Þórdís Elva Grapevine, I can’t help noting: we lost to ship people out, Skúlason booked permit stamped without making any West_Bank (Wikipedia). Þorvaldsdóttir Bachmann as an excel- But be warned, danger lurks else- our foreigners. a series of meetings for foreigners to waves.” Prior to 1967, there was no lent source for challenging stereotypes. where... I know the foreigners are there, or voice their complaints. This is something to think about full-fledged university in the West at least some are there. In fact, I even I believe Skúlason’s heart is in the this Election Day. For tourists, Bank. There were a few lesser In case your boyfriend is walking know the foreigners are reading our right place, but, as a foreigner, in the welcome to a seat of democracy and Bart Cameron, Editor institutions of higher education; for RE: Happy Hookers down a street and a girl on a corner paper, as they email regularly, and our weeks after this Gallup Poll, I sure as a progressive country that is going example, An-Najah, which started I’m glad Ms. Þórdís is OK with calls out to him, “Hey handsome, pick up rates are doing well. shit wasn’t going to congregate with through an awkward transition. For as an elementary school in 1918, prostitution. Living in a country want to have a good time?” She’s The question is, why aren’t other foreigners, just as, in the weeks immigrants, please consider voting became a community college in like Iceland - with a low incidence not looking to go to the ballgame. foreigners writing in the Reykjavík after Toshiki Toma, priest for foreign- or getting involved in the discus- 1963. As the Jordanian government of poverty and a relatively inex- And if your boyfriend is surfing the Grapevine? On the one hand, we are ers, received a death threat, I was a sion—maybe by writing for us, maybe did not allow the establishment of pensive drug treatment system net, let him know there have been political and we don’t pay well. But little edgy. Come to think of it, in the by getting over to the Intercultural such universities in the West Bank, - it’s no surprise that her notions of cases of people finding pornogra- we never paid well and we were always last year there was also an extended Centre, maybe by sponsoring a Gallup it was necessary for Palestinian prostitution are her cherry-picked phy without even trying. Shocking political—though we used to stick to campaign to deport “professional Poll. For Icelanders, thank you for students to travel abroad to places examples of people who gleefully but true. one side more than we now do. And protestors” who came from abroad, supporting us and joining our team, such as Jordan, Lebanon, or Europe sell themselves for movie tickets or Harry then, we’re not any less popular, we there has been constant coverage of but, please, take a look around. Immi- to obtain their undergraduate and airplane flights. Detroit have constant applications for writers foreigners and drug trade, including grants made the Grapevine and a few graduate-level degrees. After the Þórdís should maybe take a trip to and staff, they just all happen to be coverage of Eastern European mafias other cultural institutions here, and region was captured by Israel in the west Philadelphia, or New Delhi, Oh shit. No you didn’t. No you didn’t. Icelandic. in a popular local newspaper. now those key members of Icelandic Six-Day War, several educational or East Los Angeles, or just about The answers to where the foreign- It’s a mixed bag. As the ground society are disappearing. That should institutions expanded into full- any other major city in the world ers went became apparent as I read has gotten more hostile, the Grape- tell you something. fledged undergraduate institutions, where you’ll find both a high Dear Editor, while others opened up as entirely incidence of poverty and poor drug I wish to apply through you to new universities. In all, no less than treatment resources. For poor wom- publish my name and address in 7 Universities were commissioned en, especially poor women who are your most popular newspaper for in the West Bank since 1967 addicted to drugs, their options are me. I have to state that I am a real So Sue Me This is in stark contrast to your very few in such cities. I can assure African who wants Pen Friends ‘The Nanny State’ is a British turn Alþingi mightn’t be smart. To make actually been convicted for talking article, and reflects on the author’s that they’re not happy to be turning from your country so that we may of phrase, used to describe the gen- correct decisions they think other nonsense in Iceland, the unspoken tendencies (to slander Israel) or lack to prostitution. For her to assert share ideas and know each other’s eral tendency of people in power to people need the wisdom of govern- understanding being that most of of professionalism (in not checking that “those who trade sex for money culture, etc. continue to legislate ad infinitum, or ment to decide exactly how to behave the nation would be behind bars the facts) are often no more enslaved than” a Publication has therefore neces- until every conceivable and incon- and even how to speak and think. In if our anti-idiocy laws were widely Regards, girl who blows a security guard to sitated my application and I shall ceivable form of risk is eliminated. the minds of many of our legisla- enforced. Alcohol importers are even Ehud get a seat on a plane is just flat-out be extremely grateful if my request There is an Icelandic equivalent in tors, the mere mention of revolt or a starting to get away with letting Tel-Aviv inaccurate and a testament to how will be given an exceptional con- ‘forræðishyggja’, or governmental pa- nice relaxing cigarette is so danger- people know about their beer, albeit sheltered she must be. sideration to enable me to achieve ternalism, which refers to a govern- ous that the very words describing under the guise of promoting visually Ehud, Additionally, it’s a shame that my aim. ment policy of deciding what is best the concepts must be regulated and identical cans of non-alcoholic beer. You are referring to an introductory the same woman who discussed Below are my particulars: for you as an individual at virtually monitored by them. These kinds of laws are there for a paragraph to an interview, in which prejudice against Thai people in Name: Lydia Wood. Address: P.O. every turn. Sometimes, intrusively so. We have hate speech legisla- reason, though—the government is the following is stated: “Born in the previous issue should per- Box DA 654, Akim Oda, E/R There are a lot of intrusive, anti- tion here, too, which is to me not seeking to raise the helpless masses. Jerusalem in 1955, Tamimi experi- petuate the old stereotype of Thai Ghana, West Africa. libertarian and frankly unnecessary just a blatant affront to our right to Putting all our Nanny Laws enced his country go from bad to worse women being sex workers in this Language: English. Marital Status: Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson, Nanny State laws in Iceland. One freedom of speech, but an insult to to shame are the laws, still on the when the 1967 war broke out. The column - without even stopping to Single. Hobbies/ Interests/ Wishes: Journalist such law actually makes it illegal to our intelligence. Outlawing people’s books, regarding blasphemy. While Palestinian university system wiped consider why the women offering Here I am, lonely single me! My mention tobacco or tobacco products right to publicly humiliate them- the punishment isn’t forty lashes out, he decided to go to the United her boyfriend a “happy ending” name is Lydia wood and I am 26 in any way that is not unequivocally selves with racist or homophobic or public stoning, the idea that the States to study. In 1971, he stopped in might be in the situation they’re in. years old. I have an impressive negative and condemning. Presum- rhetoric is not going to do anything police can knock on your door and Iceland on his way over and promptly I’ll continue to look forward body with nice hair and eyes. I ably, then, writing: “I encourage to help them change their pathetic arrest you for blaspheming against a stayed here.” to reading Grapevine, as all your have never been married and enjoy everyone to violently overthrow the little minds about the issue, it just religion you might not even belong This was written in early 2005, staff are doing a fantastic job. My music, travel, reading, sports, visits, government and then have a deli- shuts them up for the sake of our to is seriously disturbing to me. It’s a under the guidance of a different edi- only hope is that Ms. Þórdís learns cooking, fun, beaches, nature, cious cigarette afterwards” is not al- comfort. It also does a disservice to symptom of the fact that our suppos- tor. However, I see no error. First off, the difference between starting culture, etc. I would like to meet lowed, but “I encourage everyone to those of us who might like to know edly secular society still has a state Mr. Nikolov didn’t write universities, a discussion on a topic with an and correspond with a special, violently overthrow the government exactly how crazy and evil these church into which every citizen is he wrote university system—those intelligent argument and just plain kind, loving, caring, honest, sincere and then think seriously about the bigots are when free to speak their born by default. The notion that the studying in neighbouring countries demonstrating her ignorance of man for beautiful friends, love and dangers of smoking-related diseases” minds. If the guy whose anti-war government has a responsibility, or during the invasion were unable to reality outside of our tiny island. marriage. Any race, age, national- narrowly evades the wrath of the rhetoric you like so much also hap- even a right, to protect God himself return home. Sóley Jónsdóttir ity and religion. Write soon. authorities. Then again, there are pens to think the world is run by against defamation by harassing its Still, I don’t typically consult the Please, kindly try as much as pos- no doubt also laws against speaking seven Jewish bankers from a vault in citizens is an anachronism and an Wikipedia for historical fact. The Þórdís will respond in time. Until sible to help me to meet or have in favour of rebellion, as well. Our Switzerland, you’re probably going to absurdity. Wikipedia is edited by the public at then, I would like to point out that she someone special. Also, you can masters think of everything, you see. want to be informed so you can steer So the next time the govern- large, it is not an academic enterprise. referred to the assumption of… that extend my advert into any company They know best. well clear of him in the future. The ment passes a thought-crime law or In addition, the very article you quote is… I would like to… what’s that? you know in your area. It is, to some people, completely best defence against patently ridicu- does something silly, irresponsible, has a large disclaimer pointing out Dinner’s ready? Yeah, mom. I’ll be God Bless You. unthinkable that a person could ever lous lies is to expose them and tear criminal or immoral, just remember that “the neutrality of this article is right there. Sorry, my mother’s calling, Yours Respectfully, independently come to the conclu- them apart publicly, not to throw this: There’s nothing quite as sweet disputed.” I have to go. Lydia Wood sion that smoking was bad or that people in jail for telling them. and refreshing as that first post-revo- The previous editor had greater P.S: I enclose U.S. $5.00 as my leading an armed contingent into To be fair, very few people have lutionary cigarette. interest in this case than I, but is your little contribution so that you may argument that the Palestinian situa- RE: Column By Thórdís consider me and truly help me. tion greatly improved after 1967? I’m So you and your boyfriend didn’t Thank you. afraid you’d have a hard time finding know about these traditional mas- a source that wouldn’t “slander Israel” sage places that lined your street in That’s it. There is no fucking God. on that topic. Berlin. Lydia, your $5 will sit somewhere in the office, until it is unceremoniously Lunch special! You guys had no idea what goes on stolen by the many visiting journalists From 11.00-14.00 The luck is Hello, in them. Every guy[except yours] who come here to ask us about elves. My name is Sarah Allen and I am knows what goes on in them. an Icelandic-American. I just fin- with you ished reading your article entitled Your boyfriend had no idea... I’m taking a vacation. But before Key Facts About Iceland and I was I do, let me tell you all, those who very impressed. The issues that The other day i was going to one, I question Þórdís will suffer the you covered are very distressing and patted my dog good-bye, told him wrath of Þórdís. It’s as true today give our country a bad reputation. where I was going, and he barked as it was when I got it in a fortune I have felt distressed for some time out to me, “ruff ruff”. Which cookie in 1986, in Berlin. about the negative publicity Iceland meant wear a rubber. has been receiving. (I saw that Oprah episode when it aired and Your boyfriend had no idea... felt very angry about how it was handled.) I just wanted to send you The other day I was visited by a Soup of the day + 1/2 panini + koffee = 870 kr. a pat on the back for how you han- space alien. He said, “Take me to Espresso bar open every day 08.00-00.00 - Lækjatorg (main square)  The Immigrant Vote An Interview with Intercultural Centre Director Einar Skúlason On top by gunnar hrafn jónsson photo by gúndi

The Intercultural Centre, standing directly of glaciers, across from the National Theatre, plays a vital role in Reykjavík’s immigrant community. Their staff provide an array of services and information, publish a magazine and even run in the streets a coffee shop on the ground floor. The Grape- vine went to speak with the centre’s director, Einar Skúlason, and asked him about the of Reykjavik work they do there, what life is like for im- migrants in Iceland, and what part he thinks they will play in the upcoming elections.

/// The Centre’s magazine has been covering the upcoming elections in some detail. What kind of reaction have you been seeing from the immigrant community? – I’d say most people I have spoken to have shown some degree of curiosity, but there is a significant segment of immigrants with voting rights that doesn’t seem to feel these elections are any of their business.

/// Do you think they are afraid of rocking the boat? – The general feeling seems to be more along the lines of: “This is not my concern.” Which is odd, because when you are a taxpayer and a citizen of a particular society you are obviously going to need to interact with many aspects of service and governance in that society. When the time comes to actually vote and influence practical and political issues, however, people back off and become strangely indifferent.

/// There has been much talk of forming an anti-immigrant, nationalist party in Iceland. This is obviously a worrying prospect for the people you represent, has it given more impe- tus to your attempts to involve immigrants in Icelandic politics? Social Affairs, in our last issue and the parties the diversity of the immigrant community in been trying to get across. Iceland is a demo- – I don’t think people have responded strongly currently in government were apparently very Iceland. cratic country, we have a parliamentary system enough. I expected a much more pronounced pleased with the result. They have requested a and it is possible to affect change through that reaction to this kind of talk. A dialogue must great number of copies to take on the cam- /// What campaign issues concern immi- system. Apart from our efforts to promote this be established between immigrants and, for paign trail and pass out at workplaces that have grants the most, in your experience? approach, the political parties themselves will lack of a better term, ‘those in charge.’ There is a high percentage of immigrant workers. After – The school system is a major concern, as are also need to open up to a much greater extent. a relatively small group of people in our society the elections, we have a series of meetings day care facilities, as the way those institutions who wield more influence than others, and if planned with representatives of all the parties, are run can touch on many critical issues such /// The Intercultural Centre is the main immigrants do not become a part of that group during which we plan to go over what went as language proficiency, cultural identity and hub for non-native residents and citizens of there is a distinct danger of a cultural chasm right, what went wrong and how we can better tolerance. Secondly, there is housing, particu- Iceland, which of your services are most in opening up. Sadly, we have already seen this involve new Icelanders in the election process larly its rising cost. demand? happen in some European countries. in the future – both as voters and candidates. – The translation and legal services, definitely. /// Do they tend to vote along ‘left-right’ We translated over thirty five hundred docu- /// Do you think it’s generally difficult for /// The politicians seem to be interested, political lines? ments last year and have a registry of about two immigrants to have to give up language and then. What kind of impact do they think the – One thing that worries me sometimes is hundred interpreters. As far as the legal side customs to blend in? immigrant vote can have on their election the degree to which the political leanings of goes, we have a perpetually booked lawyer here – You know, one often sees full page articles in prospects? political parties in Iceland can be translated that gives free advice, mostly pertaining to major newspapers like Morgunblaðið, touting residency permits and such. Many people come the achievements of some ‘West Icelander’ here without the expectation of settling down, with far-fetched family ties to Iceland. Can “I’d say most people I have spoken to have shown only to change their minds. They then require you imagine the reaction here, if a major Thai legal advice on how to go about applying for newspaper ran regular stories highlighting some degree of curiosity, but there is a significant the paperwork their family would need to join the emergence of a culturally distinctive ‘Thai them – in cases where that is even possible. It Town’ in Reykjavík? I think making part of the segment of immigrants with voting rights that doesn’t should be noted that, as of two years ago, it city a Thai language zone and renaming the became a lot harder to get such permits. streets would probably result in some mixed seem to feel these elections are any of their business.” reactions, to say the least. /// Lastly, what do you, and the people who – Some very rough math indicates that we have into terms that outsiders can relate to. I think come to your centre, need the most right /// What was the main goal you had when you around 9000 potential voters of non-Icelandic the political landscape in Iceland is not all that now? launched your quarterly magazine? origins. varied, most of our politicians seem to straddle – There is not nearly enough being done to – Mostly we try to focus on education people the middle and there isn’t any fascist or com- help people learn the language in a timely and about their rights and other practical informa- /// But most of them not terribly interested in munist party to draw away the fringe. Thus it’s affordable manner. Politicians pay lip service tion relating to life in Iceland. In the last issue exercising their right to vote? important to explain to people that the Inde- to this problem, but there is little movement to we had a feature on the kennitala system, for – Sadly, I don’t think there is nearly enough pendence Party is not ultra-conservative and be seen. example. National identification numbers are interest in these elections. We hosted a series the Left Greens aren’t actually a communist new to many people, and many of them find it of open meetings with representatives of all the party, either. We don’t have those extremes. /// Árni Magnússon, then Minister of Social hard to understand why you need some kind of parties, and a number of translators, but only Affairs, once told the Grapevine, when asked centrally registered numerical code to do the a handful of people showed up and we had to /// Do immigrants in Iceland feel empow- how he could defend the policy of making simplest things, such as rent a video. We also cancel the last three in a series of twelve. ered, generally speaking? 150 hours of Icelandic classes mandatory make a point of interviewing varied people – I’m afraid that would be the exception. There while doing nothing to curb their rising cost: /// Did you get the feeling that those who did has been some talk about moving democracy “That’s life.” from all over the world, if only to give a small WIND- AND WATERPROOF SOFT SHELL since 1972 insight into the different cultures and societies show up were learning from the experience, in Iceland to the grass roots level and making – That’s an interesting way to put it. I wonder they hail from. though? politics more local, but non-native Icelanders if “well, that’s life” would still be his response – Actually, I think the politicians learned the as a group have not been part of that trend. if government mismanagement of immigra- ICEWEAR CLOTHES ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL MAJOR TOURIST SHOPS /// Do Icelanders, particularly those in posi- most from the experience. For one thing, they tion issues were to actually ignite serious social tions of authority, freely grant interviews as all seemed to come away understanding how /// Couldn’t that be key, then, to increasing strife in this country in the future. well? How are the authorities treating you in meaningless the word ‘immigrant’ is when the election turnout – to give immigrants Drífa ehf, Sudurhraun 12 C, 210 Gardabaer, Iceland, Tel +354-555 7400, Fax +354-555 7401, [email protected] general? trying to describe such a disparate group of a better opportunity to become invested in – The relationship is quite good. We inter- people. I think the main thing the Iceland- their adopted society? viewed Jón Kristjánsson, the Minister for ers came away with was an appreciation of – Well, that’s basically the message we have News in Brief

by gunnar hrafn jónsson, sveinn birkir björnsson and paul f. nikolov compiled by steinunn jakobsdóttir photos by frikki

President to Lay Cornerstone to asking her suggestive and personal ing that the previous charges were Economically Unviable Dam questions such as “What is it like to unrelated and not relevant to the The president of Iceland, Mr. have a husband who’s not a Jew?” specifics that were being discussed Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, placed The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, on the program in question. the cornerstone for the construc- JTA, has reported that during the tion of an operational house for the exchange the First Lady responded Kárahnjúkar dam on May 12. Ar- with various insults of her own, Stoke Holding Sells Shares riving in a chartered jet, 180 guests including the statement: “This is In Stoke City CAMOUFLAGE ICELAND in Egilsstaðir witnessed the event why everyone hates the Jews.” Stoke Holding, a company belong- and took a tour of the dam site. Moussaieff told RÚV that in ing to Icelandic investors, agreed Meanwhile, the Icelandic the heat of the moment she may earlier this month to sell its 60% Nature Conservation Association have gone too far, but that the share in Stoke City Football Club, issued a statement claiming that the rudeness of the security staff was to Peter Coates, former chairman of dam’s economic viability is grossly inexcusable. Stoke City FC from 1989 -1998. overstated. Both parties have agreed to the According to the statement, deal in principle, and the matter the price of energy is 1.20 ISK per Controversy Escalates Over should be resolved with in two Kwh. This is a lower number than Baugur Case weeks. Stoke Holding CEO Gun- the Icelandic Nature Conservation A recent series of reports by RÚV nar Þór Gíslason was unavailable Association used in an earlier pro- news program Kastljós sparked for comment. jection of the economical viability fresh rows and controversy earlier A group of Icelandic investors of the dam. According to that pro- this month over the legal case be- bought Stoke City FC in 1999. jection, the dam’s worth is minus 40 ing pursued against the owners Former manager of the Icelandic billion ISK, in relation to a normal of financial and retail behemoth national team, Guðjón Þórðarson, required rate of return. Baugur. Representatives of Baugur was installed as manager. After a In a conversation with The accused Kastljós editor Þórhallur turbulent three years at the club, Grapevine, the President of the Gunnarsson and his staff of bias where Þórðarson clashed with Icelandic Nature Conservation As- and of being personal friends with members of the board repeatedly, he sociation, Árni Finnsson, said, “We Baugur’s main accuser, Jón Gerald was let go. obtained this information from a Sullenberger. In came Tony Pulis, who was person we consider to be an ex- Amongst those to come forward later let go, after clashing with the tremely reliable source. We thought with their own statements regard- board on the matter of choosing today would be a good day to reveal ing the program’s reporting so far homegrown players at the expense the information.” are Baugur’s Chairman Hreinn of Icelandic talent. Loftsson, its former CEO Tryggvi Next up was the Dutch Jon Jónsson, current CEO Jón Ásgeir Boskamp. He resigned after Iceland’s First Lady Involved in Jóhannesson and his father and clashing with the board and team Diplomatic Incident in Israel Bónus’ founder Jóhannes Jónsson. officials. Dorrit Moussaieff, the Israeli-born One of the main issues this time Despite turbulent times, Stoke wife of President Ólafur Ragnar around is the credibility of Sul- City has been promoted once Grímsson, was detained at Israel’s lenberger as a source. The Reyk- during the Icelandic reign, and fin- Ben Gurion airport recently, after javík district court, which recently ished this year 13th in the table for BOOK YOUR she got into an argument with threw out a different set of charges English League Championship, the security personnel who refused to against the Baugur owners that equivalent to the former English 1st Ó! · 8806 YOU’LL FIND CINTAMANI ICELANDIC acknowledge her British passport. were prompted by allegations made division. ADVENTURE OUTDOOR WEAR TO FIT YOUR EVERY Part of the incident was captured on by Sullenberger, has in a previous film and shown on Israeli televi- decision found him to be an unreli- NEED AT OUR CENTER FOR ADVENTURE sion, where it was described as an able witness and one motivated by Women Challenge Football WITH US! STORE IN DOWNTOWN REYKJAVIK. international incident. personal grievances. Authorities FREE INTERNET AND BOOKING SERVICEs. Moussaieff, who was in Israel While the Baugur represen- The Association of Icelandic Wom- on a private visit, is a British citizen tatives continue to criticise the en’s Movements issued a statement despite being born in Jerusalem in Kastljós reporters’ decision to omit the 4th of May, challenging the CINTAMANI OUTDOOR STORE // LAUGAVEGUR 11 // 101 REYKJAVIK 1950. She told RÚV that the air- any references to that fact and to Icelandic Football Association and port staff demanded that she pres- give extensive airtime to Sullen- the German Embassy in Iceland ent them with an Israeli passport. berger’s statements, editor Þórhal- to put a stop to the increase in the When she couldn’t produce one, she lur Gunnarsson has defended his number of prostitutes in Germany says they were rude and aggressive, program by issuing a statement say- during the World Cup in football A seafood feast a delicious secret in the center of town

this summer. country’s leading authorities on to file a standard tax return form. According to The Coalition economics, that indicate that people However, most of those have now Against Trafficking Women, an in the mid to low income bracket been made available in English. estimated 40,000 women will be are effectively paying two to three “imported” from Mid- and Eastern times more of their total wages to Europe to Germany, where prosti- taxes than they were in 1995. Apologies for Straying From the tution is legal, to accommodate the When asked to elaborate, Asphalt Path booming business created by the Sigurðardóttir told the Grapevine: Magnús Oddsson, Chairman of influx of 3,000,000 football fans, “This is my second parliamen- the Icelandic Tourist Board, has mostly males, who are projected to tary query regarding this matter, apologised for an advertisement attend the football World Cup. and once again the minister has in which a heavily modified jeep 000028_IH_ad 17/5/06 3:29 pm Page 1 In Berlin, brothels are being confirmed that he deceived us was seen driving through rough constructed, and reports of drive-in about taxation under his govern- Icelandic terrain. Oddsson told sex huts have appeared. ment. All leading economists and Morgunblaðið in the beginning of According to the issued state- commentators agree that the figures May that the accompanying text: r e s t a u r a n t ment from the Association of clearly show that people with low or “Where monster trucks create the Icelandic Women’s Movements, this average incomes have a significantly roads” was entirely inappropriate Laugarvegi 55b equates sports and sex, objectifies heavier tax burden today than they and deeply regrettable. women as sex toys for men, and did before the current government The reason for the controversy www.vinogskel.is increases human trafficking. came to power. Árni Mathiesen, is the fact that off-road driving Geir Magnússon, the manager Geir Haarde and Friðrik Sophus- is technically illegal in Iceland. of The Icelandic Football Associa- son have probably increased taxes Despite having large swathes of un- tion told the Grapevine that the on this significant group of people inhabited countryside with no road board would convene to address the more than any other Finance Min- system and far outside the beaten challenge. isters in the history of Iceland.” path, and despite the fact that ag- gressive subsidized agriculture is largely to blame for the sorry state Finance Minister Accused of Decep- Tax Returns to Be Presented in of the country’s ecology, off-road tion Seven Different Languages driving has been fingered by politi- Former Minister of Social Affairs, Next Year cians as a main culprit in erosion Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, strongly The Icelandic Internal Revenue and was consequently outlawed here criticised the current Minister of Service has announced plans to many years ago. Finance, Árni Mathiesen, for what provide non-Icelandic speakers with Oddsson told Morgunblaðið: she called “lying to the parliament tax returns in their native languag- “This came as a strong shock to and the nation.” es, starting next year. The languag- me, as I have spent years fighting In a parliamentary session early es in question are: English, Russian, against the publication of depictions in May, Sigurðardóttir accused Spanish, Chinese, German, French of off-road driving in Iceland.” Mathiesen of “denying reality” as and Polish. He added that the ad agency he still stands by his claims that So far the scheme is limited responsible had been contacted and his party has lowered the average to those who pay income tax and ordered not to let the advertisement person’s tax burden. She pointed possess no assets other than savings, be republished in any form in the to figures, supported by all the and everyone else will still have future.

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www.icehotels.is Tel: +354 444 4000 bsp creative ltd 12 Sveinn Birkir Björnsson gives us Grapevine’s Government Guide Grapevine’s City Council Guide Who They Are and How They Vote And this issue’s question is . . . What is the key issue the citizens of Reykjavík will be voting on in the upcoming elections?

The Leftist-Green Party (Vinstrihreyfingin- Leftist-Green Party: “The service for the people.” Dagur B. airport. The location of the airport Grænt Framboð) big issue in this election is Eggertsson, primary candidate. is the biggest city planning and Guiding principles: Far-left, pro-environmental, anti-NATO, feminist. that the citizens of Reykjavík Progressive Party: “In my transportation issue facing us. Mayoral candidate: Svandís Svavarsdóttir must guard City Hall from the opinion, with the way politics have There was no real conclusion from Current number of seats on city council: 2 government. It is imperative that been developing, the voters should the 2001 election. We are a clear Registered members: about 1,400 the parties sitting in majority on consider whether they would like alternative in this matter.” Ólafur Strange but true: Mayoral candidate, Svandís Svavarsdóttir is the daughter of Parliament do not claim power in one party to be in majority on city F. Magnússon, primary candidate. former minister and leading left figure Svavar Gestsson. Reykjavík as well. There are many council. They would not want one Independence Party: “I think Website: www.vg.is important issues for the citizens of party to be in majority in parliament, the voters must decide whether E-mail: [email protected] Reykjavík that have been stranded and only have to consider narrow they want a vote for one united Tel.: 552-8872 by the government.” Svandís party interests. People have a group with a clear vision and Address: Pósthólf 175, 121 Reykjavík Svavarsdóttir, primary candidate. good experience with coalition lucid policies or if they want Social Democratic Party: “The governments, and the people of to bring in another coalition key questions regard development Reykjavík have a good experience concoction under the guidance of and services and how we want our with coalitions on city council.” Björn Dagur Eggertsson.” Vilhjálmur Þ. city to be run. We put an emphasis Ingi Hrafnsson, primary candidate. Vilhjálmsson, primary candidate. on moving the administrative power Liberal Party: “The key issue is The Social Democratic Party closer to the citizens. We want to that this is a second chance to vote (Samfylkingin) be responsible but still invest in on the location of the Reykjavík Guiding principles: Left-centrist, social-democratic Mayoral candidate: Dagur B. Eggertsson Number of seats on city council: 4 Registered members: about 20,000 Strange but true: Mayoral candidate Dagur B. Eggertsson wrote a two volume biography of former Progressive Party chairman Steingrímur Hermannsson. Website: www.samfylking.is E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: 414-2200 Address: Hallveigarstígur 1 (2nd Floor), Box 160, 101 Reykjavík SPECIAL OFFER The Progressive Party 15 MAY-15 JUNE (Framsóknarflokkurinn) Guiding principles: Right-centrist, pro-EU, pro-heavy industry; believes in fewer economic and environmental regulations while strengthening the social system. WHALE WATCHING TOUR Mayoral candidate: Björn Ingi Hrafnsson Number of seats on city council: 2 Show this coupon at the Ticket Office located at Registered members: about 10,000 Strange but true: Björn Ingi Hrafnsson, the party’s primary candidate, was the Reykjavík harbour (Ægisgarður) and receive a special one of the most vocal supporters of the Iraq invasion. discount. Valid only for the 09:00 am departure. Website: www.framsokn.is E-mail: [email protected] For sale at the Whale Watching Centre only. Tel.: 540-4300 Address: Hverfisgata 33 (2nd Floor), 101 Reykjavík Regular price ISK 3.800

Special Offer ISK 3.420 The Liberal Party (Frjálslyndir) Guiding principles: Right-centrist, emphasising ÍSLENSKA AUGLÝSINGASTOFAN/SIA.IS KYN 32098 03/2006 the rights of fishermen and increasing government transparency. RE 10 ÞINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK Mayoral candidate: Ólafur F. Magnússon Number of seats on city council: 1 Duration: 41/2 - 5 hours Registered members: about 2,000 Strange but true: Ólafur F. Magnússon, the party’s primary candidate, was a Operation: English: All year - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday member of city council as a representative for the Independence Party. at 12:30. For sale at Reykjavík Excursions tour desks only Website: www.frjalslyndir.is E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: 552-2600 Regular price ISK 4.300 Address: Aðalstræti 9, 101 Reykjavík Special Offer ISK 3.870 Includes: Bus fare and guidance. Lunch and refreshments The Independence Party not included. Note: Some walking is required on this (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) excursion. Pick-up at hotels and guest- houses Guiding principles: Right wing, believes in further privatisation in all areas 30 minutes before departure. of society; anti-EU Mayoral candidate: Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson Number of seats on city council: 6 Registered members: about 34,000 Strange but true: Mayoral candidate Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson has confessed on his homepage that he is easily brought to tears. For more exciting daytours Website: www.xd.is check out our brochure E-mail: [email protected] at your hotel or Tel.: 515-1700 Address: Háaleitisbraut 1, 105 Reykjavík information center.

For bookings or information: Telephone: (+354) 562 1011 • [email protected] • www.re.is Our Sales offices: Hotel Loftleiðir, Hotel Saga, Hotel Nordica and BSÍ Bus Terminal 14 We’re the Party that Cares for Old People AND Babies The Grapevine Guide to the 2006 Reykjavík Mayoral Elections

by sveinn birkir björnsson

There is considerable anticipation regarding held today. over certain issues.” at least we had two candidates that hated each the upcoming elections in Reykjavík. Going The turmoil surrounding the coalition has The location of the Reykjavík airport other. into the election, it looks as if the Independent put the Independence party in a favourable has been blown up to be a big issue, which is The total number of registered voters in Party might win back City Hall. For decades, position. According to the same IMG Gallup curious, considering that the issue was put to Reykjavík in the upcoming elections is 86,000. The Independence Party had a stronghold on poll, the party would receive 49% support in the polls in the 2002 elections and the deci- Every Icelandic citizen above the age of 18 is city elections, receiving a majority in every the city elections, enough to put eight people sion to relocate it has already been made. All eligible to vote. In addition, all foreign citizens election from 1930 – 1994, with the exception on city council, thereby securing a majority. the parties, with the exception of the Liberal who have had legal residence in Iceland for at of one term, 1978-1982. In terms of politics, the race for City Hall Party, have agreed that the airport should be least five years on election day, i.e. from May In 1994, other parties formed a political is really a race for bragging rights. There are no relocated. There is a committee looking at 27th 2001, and are at least 18 years old have coalition and subsequently won the election clean-cut lines in form of ideological differ- different options for the relocation, but it is not the right to vote and run for seats in the city that year, and they have managed to maintain ences between the parties. expected to reach conclusions any time soon. elections. Scandinavian citizens (Danish, power in City Hall for three terms. Negotia- “I can understand that people have a Other issues that have been in focus are the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish nation- tions for the continued co-operation of the difficult time seeing the difference between costs of day care for pre-schoolers and the con- als) have the right to vote after three years parties in the coalition fell through last year. the different campaigns,” Social Democrat ditions of the elderly and traffic congestion. residence in Iceland prior to Election Day, i.e. As a result, The Progressive Party now faces mayoral candidate Dagur B. Eggertson told On all issues, the parties are more or less in from May 27th 2003. The number of foreign extinction. According to the latest IMG Gal- The Grapevine, possibly offering the under- total agreement. At the end of the day, this will citizens with voting rights in the city elections lup poll, the party would not get a representa- statement of the year. “People seem to have laid probably be the most boring campaign fight in is about 2300. tive voted on city council if the election were down their arms and come to an agreement the history of man. During the last elections,

The Independence Party with their family. Well, Reykjavíki- schools by letting parents be more active about the airport, but they have said ans, you asked for it, you got it. The in school administration. Now that is that the airport should be relocated. Primary candidate: Vilhjálmur Þ. Independence Party, the corporate innovation. I know this may all sound about Vilhjálmsson. 60-year-old lawyer and watchdog, has figured out how you can Other platform highlights include: as fresh and innovative, as the Hey a current member of the city council. spend more time with your family with New developments and apartment Ya song did when you heard it on the an innovative four point plan. buildings, solving traffic congestion radio for the 8000th time that month. The Independence Party has built their Not really. The innovative plan con- problems with better flow through big- The Independence Party knows this campaign platform around the curious sists of reducing the costs of pre-school ger intersections, preferably by placing as well, they are just saying they are slogan “Time to live.” The slogan, (at least they are not promising to make key traffic veins in tunnels under the better equipped at executing this joint and the platform, is based on a poll it free like everyone else), integrat- city, and better care for the elderly. platform. that revealed that 95% of the people ing schools, sports and arts, as well as And the airport? of Reykjavík want to spend more time muddled statements like improving Well, they have spoken very vaguely

Social Democratic Party would want to emphasise if he gained “The city needs to focus on diversity, congestion problems with better flow power in City Hall. not just luxury. We have to make a through bigger intersections, preferably Primary Candidate: Dagur B. Eg- “We must place an emphasis on housing rental market a viable option by placing key traffic veins in tunnels gertsson. 33-year-old doctor and a developing a campus area and a knowl- for people,” Eggertsson told us. under the city. current member of city council. edge industry around the universities, In addition to suggesting new And the airport? we need to promote the financial sector, development plans, the platform “The decision regarding the airport “Personally I would want to improve tourism and the smart economy. The highlights include: Improved care for should be taken in a professional man- the competitiveness of the city,” Egg- foundation for this is to strengthen the the elderly, making pre-school free, in- ner, with no rush of judgement,” Eg- ertsson told the Grapevine. “We need to service level of the city and the welfare tegrating grade school, sports and arts, gertson said. Whatever that means in build a city that is competitive with the of our citizens,” he added. improving schools by letting parents terms of their position, the party in has, best cities in the world,” mayoral can- The Social Democrats have pro- be more active in school administra- in the past, claimed the airport should didate Dagur B. Eggertson answered posed developmental plans for 6000 tion and improving public transporta- be relocated. when asked to spell out what issues he new apartments in the Reykjavík area. tion. They also propose to solve traffic

Leftist-Green Movement centres and school meals,” Svandís sexes. A key aspect would be to revoke And the airport? Svavarsdóttir, the party’s primary can- wage confidentiality. It is a tool that is “The airport is a non-issue. It has Primary candidate: Svandís Svavars- didate, told The Reykjavík Grapevine used to safeguard the current wage-dif- already been decided that it will be dóttir. 41-year-old linguistic and when asked what issues she would place ference between the sexes,” Svavarsdótt- moved in 2016. But the decision on sign-language interpreter. the most focus on. As luck has it, she ir added. where it will be moved to will not even might see her pet projects come to frui- The Leftist-Greens would also be made in this term. I don’t know As indicated by their name, The Left- tion even if she is not elected, thanks like to promote multiculturalism, arts why this is even a campaign issue. We ist-Green Movement is a left-leaning, to the joint campaign platform of the and culture in the city, Other platform have said that we like Hólmsheiði as environmental-friendly political move- parties. But, at least they were the first highlights include: Better care for the an option. But, of course, this is not a ment. to raise that issue. elderly, better public transportation, decision that should be taken without a “Personally, I would like to see both ”I would also want to eliminate gen- building underground tunnels for big- wide cross-political agreement.” pre-schools and grade schools free of der-based wage inequality, and fight for ger traffic veins. School, sports, arts… charge. That includes both day-care the equal opportunity and rights of the whatever, you get the picture.

The Progressive Party of Reykjavík. It is too bad that it turned with the party’s logo splashed all over it. diet in school cafeterias, school uni- out that the land where they plan to That bad idea turned really ugly when forms and better integration of sports Primary candidate: Björn Ingi Hraf- relocate the airport does not belong to they managed to park it in a handi- and arts in the city’s school system. nsson. 33-year-old history student, Reykjavík city, but rather the neigh- capped zone where it was subsequently To their defence, The Progressive currently working as an assistant to bouring municipality Seltjarnarnes, and photographed. The photos have been Party promises to make Reykjavík a fun Prime Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson it is a part of a natural reserve. held up for scorn and ridicule on every city. They propose a water slide park, an Their platform also proposes that Internet discussion forum in Iceland. aquarium in Laugardalur and making The Progressive party has suffered for smaller and more efficient cars be pro- Other platform highlights include: admission to all city-owned museums their bad campaign management. They moted. That proposal has been some- Better care for the elderly, solving free of charge. This is what politics have campaigned heavily on the issue of what offset by the campaign manager traffic congestion problems with more should really be about. the relocation of the Reykjavík airport. and the candidates driving around in a underground tunnels, free public trans- They want to locate the airport on Lön- huge, black Hummer H2, the world’s portation for the elderly, students and gusker, a landfill just outside the shores most environmentally un-friendly car, the disabled, free pre schools, improved

Liberal Party primary candidate. “We want to build last city elections, and the citizens of “Everyone seems to agree on the our campaign around the people who Reykjavík voted to relocate the airport. need to improve the conditions of the Primary candidate: Ólafur F. Mag- need the assistance the most, the elderly Other platform highlights promise: elderly,” Magnússon said. “The problem nússon. 54-year-old doctor and a and the disabled.” More beds in nursing homes and is that some parties don’t deliver on current member of city council. The key issue for The Liberal Party increased home-care services for the their promises. We don’t have a back- is the location of the Reykjavík Airport. elderly, free public transportation for pack of unfulfilled promises like some “I am a doctor, and that has shaped my This is the only party that has taken a the young, the elderly and the disabled other candidates do.” opinions in a lot of ways. We want to firm position against the relocation of and improving access for people with focus on welfare and environmental the airport. This is really curious, as disabilities, and lowering property taxes issues,” said Magnússon, the party’s this issue was put on the ballot in the for the elderly. 16 Forsala er hafin í verslunum Skífunnar og á midi.is

The Bore Campaign Baldur Þórhallsson, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Iceland, on the 2006 Reykjavík Mayoral Elections.

by sveinn birkir björnsson photo by gúndi

/// There does not seem to be much differ- specific issues. It is also interesting to see that on behalf of the coalition. I think they are /// What has most interested you as a politi- ence between the political platforms of the in doing so they have managed to somewhat concerned with parading the issues that they cal scientist in the current campaign for the parties running in Reykjavík in the upcoming dictate the discourse leading up to the election. have been working on and they consider to be upcoming elections? elections. The Leftist-Greens recently began talking successful. Meanwhile, the other two parties – It has been really interesting to see how the – I agree. There is not a huge division between about the need to re-examine the location of from the coalition, The Progressives and The parties in majority in the parliament have been the parties. There are no clear-cut lines be- the University hospital, and now all the parties Leftist-Greens, have new candidates who are doing in the polls. The Independence Party tween the parties like there is on the national have had to respond to that issue. The bigger not members of the coalition. I think the new has been strengthening its position, while the stage. This is probably because the parties are parties have had to chase the smaller parties in people are more likely trying to assert their Progressives have been loosing. In actuality, focusing more on directly servicing the citizens, this regard. uniqueness. I also think that in some regards, the Progressive Party usually does better in and the campaign has been evolved around The emphasis on the specific issues is likely both the Independence Party and the Social elections than they do in polls, while the Inde- who is willing to make the biggest promises. due to the parties trying to gather popular vote Democrats are trying to tread lightly, they are pendence Party usually does worse in elections The difference between the parties is mostly by focusing on topics that they believe will be being cautious and trying not to chase off any then they do in the polls. It will be interesting relating to how they want to execute the poli- popular. But they have managed to stake a of the following they currently have. to see how this turns out on Election Day. cies. claim as unique and individual campaigns. It will also be really interesting to see how It is interesting to see that the Indepen- Considering previous elections, we have /// There has been some discussion on how the Leftist Greens will do in these elections. dence Party [a right-wing party] has not spo- not seen as much discussion about the mayoral the campaigns are run, and that some of the They did not do too good in the last local elec- ken much about lowering taxes and reducing candidates as we often have. We have not parties are running very expensive campaigns. tions. If they do well this time it would be huge the budget, but rather seem to focus on welfare witnessed the same cockfight as usual. I would What is your feeling on this matter? boost to them and support their grassroots or- issues and development of the city. ganization. It will also be very interesting to see how The Social Democrats will do. After being /// What do you see as the main issue that “There is a dire need for laws on the political parties’ the main party in the government opposition, voters in Reykjavík need to consider in the it would be a big disappointment for them if upcoming elections? finances… This is not good for the parties and it is they do not manage to hold on to at least 30% – Well, there are the issues that have been in following nationwide, which is what they had the media limelight lately, such as the topic certainly not good for democracy.” in the last election. They should have at least relating to the elderly, the day-care issue, the the same, if not more. Everything else would airport and the city planning. be considered a failure. The Independence Party has placed their have expected that the discussion would be – Well, I understand that people want to get emphasis on the need to make a change, and more focused on the leaders of the bigger their opinion across. That is only natural, /// How about the Progressive Party? They that the parties from the coalition have grown parties and which one of them is more capable whichever medium they choose to do this are not doing well in the polls, and it looks weary of being in power. But it is interesting to of running the city. The fight is much cleaner in. The key issue, however, is how is this like they will not get a representative on city see that the Social Democrats have built their than it has been in the last two previous elec- financed. We need to know who is financing council. What would that mean for the Pro- platform on the basis of their work in the cur- tions, and this is somewhat a surprise. This these campaigns. Who is lending them mon- gressive Party nationwide? rent Reykjavík coalition and emphasised things has been kind of a boring campaign. We the ey? Who is donating money? Where does the – If The Progressive Party does not get a that have been successful in the coalition. political enthusiasts want a little more action. capital come from? The voters should have member on the city council, that would be a The Leftist Greens and The Progressive access to this information, and they should huge blow for them. It would be really bad for Party have tried to distance themselves more /// You mentioned that the Social Democrats have it during the campaign period, not after the party’s infrastructure and their operation from the legacy of the coalition and have have been running their campaign in part the elections. There is a dire need for laws on in Reykjavík. It would be a blow for [Prime instead tried to make an impression as unique on the legacy of the Reykjavík coalition. Do the political parties’ finances. Political par- Minister] Halldór Ásgrímsson, because of the selections. This is likely because they have you consider the Social Democrats to have in ties should never be secretive when it comes relation between Ásgrímsson and Hrafnsson, brought in new people as candidates they have some way tried to claim the Reykjavík coali- to money. This will only lead to gossip and [the Progressive Party’s primary candidate who not hesitated in criticising the work of the tion as their own? rumours, and make people suspicious. This is is currently Ásgrímsson’s assistant]. I think it coalition. – No, I don’t think that is the case. The top not good for the parties and it is certainly not is safe to say that it would be very damaging It is interesting to see how the smaller par- four candidates for the Social Democrats good for democracy. to the party’s moral, which was really not that ties have tried to build their campaigns around are all current members of the city council good to begin with. 18

Reinventing the Bomb Excerpts from the day Stephen Colbert made satire the new punk

by bart cameron

News of the event arrived a little late in Iceland, (…) try to find out. Those were good times, as far as “Jesse Jackson is here, the Reverend. but Stephen Colbert’s April 29th speech at the “I believe in pulling yourself up by your own we knew. Haven’t heard from the Reverend in a little White House Correspondents’ Association bootstraps. I believe it is possible – I saw this “But, listen, let’s review the rules. Here’s while. I had him on the show. Very interesting Dinner definitely has our attention now. The guy do it once in Cirque du Soleil. It was magi- how it works: the president makes decisions. and challenging interview. You can ask him Grapevine has mocked most political parties in cal. And though I am a committed Christian, He’s the Decider. The Press Secretary an- anything, but he’s going to say what he wants, Iceland, and in America and elsewhere for that I believe that everyone has the right to their nounces those decisions, and you people of at the pace that he wants. It’s like boxing a gla- matter. And we have proudly gotten behind own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. the press type those decisions down. Make, cier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because artists and figures who saw injustice and spoke I believe there are infinite paths to accepting announce, type. Just put them through a spell your grandchildren will have no idea what a up. But we have not walked up to a room full of Jesus Christ as your personal saviour. (…) check and go home. Get to know your family glacier is. (…) the most powerful people in the world, people “Now, I know there are some polls out again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel “John McCain is here. John McCain, John known to not take criticism well, and bullied there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. you got kicking around in your head. You McCain, what a maverick! Somebody find out them continuously for 24 minutes, as Colbert But guys like us, we don’t pay attention to the know, the one about the intrepid Washington what fork he used on his salad, because I guar- did. polls. We know that polls are just a collection of reporter with the courage to stand up to the antee you it wasn’t a salad fork. This guy could To celebrate the event, and to express statistics that reflect what people are thinking administration. You know - fiction! have used a spoon! There’s no predicting him. our complete shock that Colbert did what he in “reality.” And reality has a well-known liberal “Because really, what incentive do these By the way, Senator McCain, it’s so wonderful did, we will present the best quotes from the bias. (…) people have to answer your questions, after all? to see you coming back into the Republican comedy sketch that put punk to shame. To set “I stand by this man. I stand by this man I mean, nothing satisfies you. Everybody asks fold. I have a summer house in South Carolina; the scene, George Bush, the President of the because he stands for things. Not only for for personnel changes. So the White House look me up when you go to speak at Bob Jones United States, held a banquet at which he was things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft has personnel changes. Then you write, “Oh, University. So glad you’ve seen the light, sir.” to earn the press’s graces by showing he had a carriers and rubble and recently flooded city they’re just rearranging the deck chairs on the When a comedian’s set goes horribly, hor- sense of humour – last year, Mrs. Bush took the squares. And that sends a strong message: that Titanic.” First of all, that is a terrible meta- ribly wrong, you say the entertainer bombed. lead by explaining George’s fondness for horse no matter what happens to America, she will phor. This administration is not sinking. This To give an example of the way the jokes Colbert genitalia in a wry, WASPy kind of way. This always rebound – with the most powerfully administration is soaring. If anything, they are told were taken, think of the sensitivity of year, presumably, Stephen Colbert was sup- staged photo ops in the world. (…) rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg! mocking John McCain about his connections to posed to imitate a Fox News correspondent and “As excited as I am to be here with the pres- (…) Bob Jones University. A Bob Jones University joke about blue states and red states. ident, I am appalled to be surrounded by the “See who we’ve got here tonight. General professor had, during the 2000 presidential pri- “Madame First Lady, Mr. President, my liberal media that is destroying America, with Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff. General Pe- maries, helped to push Bush into the forefront name is Stephen Colbert and tonight it’s my the exception of Fox News. Fox News gives you ter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. in South Carolina by sending an emailed report privilege to celebrate this president. We’re not both sides of every story: the president’s side, They still support Rumsfeld. Right, you guys that Senator McCain had an illegitimate, bi- so different, he and I. We get it. We’re not brai- and the vice president’s side. aren’t retired yet, right? Right, they still support racial child. Not tasteful humour, and nothing niacs on the nerd patrol. We’re not members “But the rest of you, what are you thinking, Rumsfeld. McCain found amusing when Colbert joked. of the factinista. We go straight from the gut, reporting on NSA wiretapping or secret prisons “Look, by the way, I’ve got a theory about By any account, as a person there to right sir? That’s where the truth lies, right down in Eastern Europe? Those things are secret how to handle these retired generals causing all make the immediate audience laugh, Colbert here in the gut. Do you know you have more for a very important reason: they’re super-de- this trouble: don’t let them retire! Come on, bombed. The marvel is what an effective, jaw- nerve endings in your gut than you have in your pressing. And if that’s your goal, well, misery we’ve got a stop-loss program; let’s use it on dropping bombing he performed, directly to the head? You can look it up. I know some of you accomplished. these guys. I’ve seen Zinni and that crowd on face of the most powerful men in the world. are going to say “I did look it up, and that’s not “Over the last five years you people were so Wolf Blitzer. If you’re strong enough to go on true.” That’s ‘cause you looked it up in a book. good -- over tax cuts, WMD intelligence, the one of those pundit shows, you can stand on a You can access Colbert’s speech for free through Next time, look it up in your gut. I did. My gut effect of global warming. We Americans didn’t bank of computers and order men into battle. Google Video by searching the title “Colbert Roasts tells me that’s how our nervous system works. want to know, and you had the courtesy not to Come on. President Bush.” opinion Being Terrified

a column by þórdís elva þorvaldsdóttir bachmann

A few weeks ago, I read the most of politics from time to time. So controversial book in recent years in far, no smear campaign against the Iceland, Draumalandið – Sjálfshjál- book nor Mr. Magnason has taken parbók handa hræddri þjóð (Dream- place, calming my nerves. Knowing land – Self Help for a Terrified that Mr. Magnason has been on a Nation) by writer Andri Snær Magna- successful book tour, I was finally son. The book has been described as convinced that his lectures would be a “milestone in Icelandic ideology” conducted in a civilized, respectful (www.baggalutur.is) and has already manner. I attended a lecture of his Whales& sold over 6000 copies. in the Iða building, on a so-called Draumalandið is critical of ‘Skáldaspírukvöld’, a brainchild of Puffin Island government policy regarding the Benedikt Lafleur, founder of the Take part in an adventure at sea with an unforgettable 3-hour construction of aluminium plants and Lafleur Art Centre (Lafleur Lista- trip into the world of whales and sea birds. their operating in Iceland, especially setur). ‘Skáldaspírukvöld’ is a weekly in the light of environmental issues. It event where writers read selected bits Located in Reykjavik's old harbour, only a 5 minute walk from the city centre. A spacious double-deck and a special viewing area on the “It has been my experience in our day and third deck ensures a spectacular view into the deep blue sea. Puffin season 60170 age that artists and intellectuals who dare • fít • April May June July Aug Sept Oct Call us on 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 or visit MIXA criticize the government become victims of 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 555 3565 www.elding.is 17:00 17:00 17:00 slandering campaigns, making them less credible in the eyes of the masses.”

also breaks down government jargon of their works and partake in a general Elding Whale Watching, Reykjavík harbour that, until the publishing of this book, discussion with the audience. Mr. Tel: (+354) 555 3565, Fax: (+354) 554 7420 has been mostly if not completely Magnason took questions from the [email protected], www.elding.is incomprehensible for regular citizens. eager crowd. People had strong feelin- I must admit that although I was gs towards the book but most of them worried before reading this book, were on their best behaviour, with the it left me, aptly, terrified. Not only exception of a drunken man who blur- did I become terrified of what the ted out arrogant comments every now future holds for Iceland and its natural and then. At one point, he shouted resources, I also became terrified at Mr. Magnason whether or not he that this book and its author would had the answers to his own questions. somehow take a hit. It has been my There was an embarrassing silence as experience in our day and age that Magnason pondered the answer, and artists and intellectuals who dare finally he replied: “Yes. It’s 42.” Even criticize the government become great thinkers need to borrow material victims of slandering campaigns, from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the making them less credible in the eyes Galaxy from time to time. of the masses. For example, I lived in On a more serious note, Mr. Ma- the United States for two years under gnason hopes that his book will have “Draumalandið and Fahrenheit 9/11 have almost nothing in common, if it weren’t for criticism of government policy and the use of humour to underline the absurdity of politics from time to time.”

the George W. Bush regime. During the effect that people no longer accept that time, I formed my opinion of the incomprehensible jargon in the papers leader of the free world as a more self- and in government statements. Enli- righteous, more dangerous and less ghtenment is the key, he believes. His intelligent version of Homer J. Simp- passionate care for the environment is son. I prayed that someone with enou- contagious, and after the lecture I felt gh influence would point out the Bush like going on a hike to the Þjórsár- regime’s corrupt ways, and to answer ver area to enjoy the clean air and my prayers, Michael Moore took the untouched landscape before it all goes stage with his film Fahrenheit 9/11. to hell. However, with more thinkers In the following months, Mr. Moore like Magnason, hopefully we can stop was publicly attacked and slandered in it all from going to hell. “According to the media until he was rendered down my calculations, it’ll take about 10,000 to a fat, lying conspiracy theorist who people to read this book for it to have doesn’t know how to shave. It got to the desired effect,” Magnason said. the point where Linda Ronstadt set With 6000 down, I’m allowing myself off a riot in Las Vegas for dedicating to be optimistic. the song ‘Desperado’ to Mr. Moore. She wasn’t even allowed back to her Editor’s note: Þórdís translates hræddur hotel room to pack. as “terrified”, whereas, in the feature Now, Draumalandið and Fahren- on the same book, our other staff writer heit 9/11 have almost nothing in uses “frightened.” A typical translation is common, if it weren’t for criticism “scared or frightened” but all are correct. of government policy and the use of humour to underline the absurdity 22 23

“The companies write the press releases, the media picks it up and runs it with- out assessing it, and then I read it in the papers the next day.”

Welcome To My Nightmare Discussing the Dreamland With Writer Andri Snær

by sveinn birkir björnsson photos by gúndi

The book is called Draumlandið: Sjálfshjál- media’s role and the form in which the media industrialization, and facilitate an educated and that people were ‘optimistic.’ There was parbók handa hræddri þjóð, or The Dream- fulfils that role. In his opinion, news is not a discussion. no mention of how gold is processed. Look… land: A Self Help Book For A Frightened good way to learn about the world. “It is the media’s role to shake things up to make one gold ring like my wedding band, Nation. In the three months since its release, “I think people should just stop following and give people the whole picture. The media you need to grind 30 tons of rock, bath the it has been re-printed three times, and the news. They should just stop accepting this has failed in that respect. Maybe it is just Ice- ore in cyanide to extract the gold and the reached record sales for a book published out form and denounce news. You watch a whole landic media that is so shallow, but it has been result is 30 tons of crap and a wedding band. of Christmas season, moving in the excess of news episode, ‘6000 chickens slaughtered more occupied with manufacturing groups So the area would look like the Kárahnjúkar 8000 copies. in Patong in China.’ People who live two of people. We see headlines like ‘the people dam area, with cyanide. And if the price of In the book, Andri Snær Magnason, kilometres away most likely didn’t even know of Húsavík are happy,’ or ‘ the inhabitants gold goes up, than maybe grinding 35 tons 33-year old novelist, playwright and poet, about the event. Maybe nobody knew. ‘A bus of East Iceland rejoice’ accompanied with a becomes an acceptable cost. explores issues surrounding the conflict rolls over into a ravine in India,’ what is the picture of people from East Iceland raising a “We are talking about the worst pos- between environmental preservation and the point? This tells us nothing. A bus falls into a flag. This is just a product of fascism. They sible industry. Gold mines in the US produce build up of heavy industry in Iceland, and ravine… It tells us nothing. are manufacturing masses, and PR companies waste that is next to nuclear waste in terms examines the government’s hope to sell cheap of pollution because the process extracts all energy from hydroelectric power plants in or- sorts of heavy metals from the ore, plus the der to place Iceland among the world’s biggest “The hardest thing was to be so angry, and yet to be cyanide, and there is a constant risk that the aluminium manufacturers. He met with me cyanide solution will seep into the ground in a suburban café in Reykjavík, interrupted able to write a constructive book, and not get lost in water. There was no mention of this in the and congratulated repeatedly on his work. news. Everyone who saw the segment prob- name calling, to keep my integrity, although I was not ably imagined cowboys with filters kneeling People Would Have Turned the Page on a riverbank. A few weeks earlier, there had For starters, the question, when a key piece of really impartial. The book is created from a lot of an- been a very critical 5-page spread world in the Icelandic identity hasn’t been covered in the New York Times about the environmental newspapers, magazines or other media, why ger and the main reason behind me writing it was that and social costs of gold mining, but here there present it suddenly as a book? was no mention of this. Here we were just “I think it is really the only way. As soon I was angry.” told that people were optimistic.” as a newspaper article reaches one page in length, it is too long. A book can be over 300 “If you were to do a little test on people are build around this, to maintain this sort Icelandic Environment as Sacrificial Lamb pages and not be too long. It is really difficult concerning Iraq, what they now know about of fascism-istic discourse that everyone as a Magnason has plenty on his plate if he sticks to go through a whole thought process, if you the country, and what they knew before, there whole is ecstatic over some project, before the with aluminium. Recently, Alcan Aluminium need to be guided step by step in order to un- is no new knowledge. People might be able to project has even been started. revealed plans for enlarging its Straumsvík derstand the whole process and see the things name Fallujah. That is it. People know noth- “The media just seems to be a stopover aluminium smelter, and that negotiations had in a different light. All education, whether ing more about the culture, the literature, and for the discourse. The companies write the begun with Icelandic power companies over it is history or something else, is contained the history. They know nothing more than press releases, the media picks it up and runs how increased demand for energy will be met. in big units. Where as the media, the news, there have been bombings here and bombings it without assessing it, and then I read it in The plan is to bring production capabilities everyone is trying to grab one headline, to fit there. They know nothing more about the the papers the next day. The media does not up from 180,000 tons to 460,000 tons. in one press release. It becomes chaotic. forces behind the war, the thought behind seem to realize how the discourse is shaped, Before Alcan entered negotiations with “Even if it is a big news announcement, it it… I just think it is time people accept that how, and what words are used to portray the the government, the power companies and is still too short to convey this reality. If I had this is not a good way to acquire knowledge. discourse… Or they know, and they are just the municipality of Hafnafjörður - where the written an article in a paper, people would You are better off not knowing anything from in on it too.” smelter is located, word had already leaked just have turned the page, and I would never the news about how the Iraq War is going, I press him for a more concrete example. out that if Alcan were not successful in the have had the time or the space to confront and read a book on the whole thing.” “Just the other day there was some news negotiation, the plant would close. This cre- these matters.” In his opinion, Icelandic media has failed regarding the possibility of mining gold up ated an immense pressure for officials to treat Magnason is extremely critical of the to critically assess the discussion of heavy- in Þormóðsdalur. That was all that was said, >>> continues on next page 24

and setting up workers who will become an We are always asked to make ethical moral immensely powerful lobby group when the choices. This is bad business, but we should do companies announce that they will need it anyway on moral grounds.” This is enough it’s free to increase production capabilities. This is for Magnason to lose his cool. “Alcoa has no power that we are loosing control of. It is as if fucking morals. Aluminium companies have nobody realises the structure we are creating. never made a moral decision. They just look at The Minister of Industry previously said in a the price of the energy and base their decision speech that was published on her website that upon that. If coal is cheaper, they will use coal, the limit of production here in Iceland should if the nuclear energy is cheaper, they will use be one million tons and we should not exceed nuclear energy. There is no morality involved.” “If you were to do a little test on people concerning Iraq, what they now know about, and what they knew Issue 06, 2006 8 Page Listings Section in Your Pocket before, there is no new knowledge. People might be able to name Fallujah. That is it. People know nothing more about the culture, the literature, and the history.”

that mark. Six months later, without any dis- In his book, Magnason slowly reveals this cussion taking place, she said that limit should very fact, that there has been no morality, be one and a half million tons, and the earlier and almost as little horse sense, in the selling speech vanished from her website. The fact of of Iceland’s nature. The conclusion reveals a the negotiations carefully, before they even it to 1,500,000 tons. Here Alcan claim they the matter is that, in order to accommodate all nation duped. It leaves you feeling both angry started. need 500,000 tons, just in order to function. the future enlargements of these plants that are and betrayed. “One of the thing that the media has not In Húsavík, they want to build a 250,000-ton now being built, that limit would need to be “A lot of people explain their feelings to me picked up on is that the companies seem to be aluminium smelter, which is really just half a two and a half million in 20 years time.” in those exact terms,” he tells me, on hearing building one half of aluminium smelters. Al- smelter. It needs to be bigger to be efficient, The argument that is routinely provided my reaction. “They feel angry and betrayed, for the continued development of aluminium ridiculed even. People feel humiliated, and smelters here in Iceland is that the amount they feel they are seen as inferior.” “We see headlines like ‘the people of Húsavík are of clean and renewable hydro energy places Did the author himself get angry or feel a moral obligation on us to use that to build betrayed? happy,’ or ‘ the inhabitants of East Iceland rejoice’ ac- up heavy industry that would otherwise be “Yes, a lot of the time I got really angry. I powered by less eco-friendly energy. That is, think one of the most difficult things about companied with a picture of people from East Iceland we should sacrifice our nature for the sake of writing this book was to read through all the nature. More and more, this sacrifice is seen as sources, and to discover all the content in the raising a flag. This is just a product of fascism.” pure and simple waste. The Icelandic Na- book. I had to keep that bottled up for a year. ture Conservation Association, for instance, The hardest thing was to be so angry, and yet can say they will close the plant if they cannot and everybody knows this. The smelter in recently claimed to have from ‘very reliable to be able to write a constructive book, and not enlarge it to 500,000 tons. Which means that Reyðarfjörður is two thirds of a smelter, and sources’ that the Kárahnjúkar dam’s economi- get lost in name calling, to keep my integrity, 500,000 tons has become the smallest unit of the aluminium smelter being planned in Hel- cal viability is in fact negative. although I was not really impartial. The book efficiency. Norsk Hydro is, for example, build- guvík is a half an aluminium smelter. “Everything is hidden in the words, ‘it is created from a lot of anger and the main rea- ing a smelter in Dubai or Quatar, which is “We are creating this huge infrastruc- is our obligation to use our clean energy son behind me writing it was that I was angry.” 500,000 tons, with the possibility of enlarging ture; the companies are planting their feet resources.’ This is a ridiculous argument. Economic Growth Excerpt from Draumalandið by Andri Snær Magnason

translated from the icelandic and edited by sveinn birkir björnsson

In 1995, the Progressive Party promised to Both of them misunderstood the words. or long-term effects, the intrinsic value or talk show. Economic growth is combined of create 12,000 new jobs before the turn of the Economic growth is the yearly increase quality of things. Economic growth does not various different and complex elements but millennium. Based on 3% economic growth, in the production of a whole nation, but the measure people’s time with their children or you might wonder whether it is applicable as a […] it was a given that the jobs would be increase in production is generated by increase their family. Whoever purchases a private lap category or a grading system for the condition created automatically, but the promise was in population, technical advancement, and dance instead of fooling around with his wife or the success of a whole community. made, and the party “kept its promise.” They more valuable knowledge with better-educated at home has a positive effect on the economic The world could lose Langisjór and were able to say “We Progressives talked about generations. A milking machine is economic growth. Þjórsárver [Some of Iceland’s most beauti- creating 12,000 jobs before the millennium. It growth. Education is economic growth. Economic growth does not measure ful locations] for a 0.1% increase in economic now looks like it might exceed 13,000...” Politicians don’t hesitate to steal the exploitation or war or if we are burdening growth in one year, which would automatical- You could just as well campaign on the words and claim the honour for increasing future generations with excessive borrowing or ly generate a compliment from a lowly intern promise that grass will grow next summer and the production of a whole nation. “The party pollution. War, exploitation, natural catastro- sitting in front of a computer in the OECD’s that 4000 children will be born. Then you created the economic growth,” is considered phes and running excessive debts can produce Small States Department, that would become could call yourself the Almighty Father of an acceptable thing to say. This is because the economic growth. a headline in the newspapers: “OECD Praises Children and Growth. phrase allows it. If we dissolve the phrase, the Economic growth is like qualifying a Iceland.” The focus here is on economic growth. From that perspective, you might actually May 27: Election Day Words matter, they control our thoughts. argue that the word is detrimental, even dan- Words that almost no one understands appear “Economic growth is like qualifying a world record in gerous. If we throw out the word and establish on the front pages of our newspapers every a ten point grading system, then people might In 2002, the voter turnout for the City of Reykjavík was Beyond voting, this year the Íslandsvinir, or Friends ing a free show. day. I conducted an informal poll the other 100 metres sprint without ever taking a drug test. Eco- perhaps be able to discuss things without be- an impressive 84%. As it turns out, democracy in this, of Iceland, are organizing a massive march and concert In all, 50,000 people are expected to join the protest, day: “Do you know what the words economic ing constantly pro- or anti- economic growth. the home of the world’s oldest parliament, the Althingi, to protest actions of the government ranging from the and roughly 80,000 are expected to vote. You’re guaranteed growth mean?” Almost no one could give me nomic growth will only measure how fast the run was, Pro-education, Pro-technical advancement, is a point of pride. And, as we mention repeatedly in this promotion of heavy industry to bizarro city planning. The to see democracy in action. an answer. Everyone seemed to agree though, pro-growing population, pro-indexes that edition of the Grapevine, if you have been a resident of march begins at 1 pm at the Hlemmur Bus Terminal, and not whether the runner will live to see forty.” Iceland for five years, (three for the Nordic residents), you it ends at Austurvöllur, near the Alþingi, with bands in- that it signified something positive and good. measure the vocabulary of teenagers as a By Bart Cameron Growing economy. proportion of the increased natural reserves in too are entitled to vote in the local elections. cluding KK, Hjálmar and Benni Hemm Hemm perform- “Economic growth is good, we need results become interesting. world record in 100 metres sprint without ever Þjórsárver to the second power. economic growth,” was a common reply. “If you don’t vote for me, people will taking a drug test. Economic growth will only I should mention that I don’t understand Economic growth is an example of a word that become lazier, computers will slow down, measure how fast the run was, not whether the the word, whoever is capable of explaining in that controls people. artificial limbs become peg legs, hotel rental runner will live to see forty. We have no con- detail how economic growth is created or not On a TV debate show, the winner is will go down, and lawyers, doctors, police- cept of benign or malignant economic growth. created should receive a Nobel Prize in eco- the one who offers more economic growth. men, business administrators, teachers and all We never see headlines like: “Malignant nomics. It is good to measure things, it is fun During a debate on the future of Þjórsárver the other people who maintain the system will Economic Growth Identified Last Year.” A to line up units on a scale, but the scale should the politician said: “… but we must ensure go on a rampage and destroy everything.” person who quits his job in order to continue serve the people, not the other way around. economic growth.” The naturalist tried to A person who would say this would be his education reduces economic growth, even “Örvar! Did you spend 100,000 on a strip object and said: “… but do we necessarily need considered crazy, people would be insulted: if that person is strengthening and growing joint, you bastard?” economic growth?” Thereby, his case was “Did you invent the computer, you fool?” for a longer and shorter period of time. “What, are you against economic growth?” dead, but the politician smiled kindly. The Economic growth is a complex interplay The words economic growth have politician was “realistic,” he based his opinion and it does not hinge on one company or one acquired a meaning that far exceeds their on perspective and arguments, but the natu- possibility. capabilities as a unit of measurement. It is ralist was blinded by romance, idealism, and Economic growth only measures eco- so significant that the words by themselves the narrow special interests of his knowledge. nomic sizes, it does not evaluate consequences can be used to disarm a biologist on a TV MUSIC Iðnó and TheBigBand Midnight Concert:BenniHemm Hemm Hallgrímskirkja, startsat16:00 Bulgarian VoicesAngelite(choir) Bar 11 Gulli (fromÓsóma) Sólon (upstairs) DJ HeiðarAustmann Sólon (downstairs) DJ RikkiG Hressó lowed byDJGeorg Two troubadours:GottiandEisi,fol Rósenberg Hraun Thorvaldsen DJ Hlynur Café Victor DJ Afro Gaukur áStöng Eurovision onthebigscreen Prikið Eurovision onthebigscreen NASA ganza Páll Óskar’sannualEurovisionExtrava Nýhil Bookstore(Startsat15:00) man, RetroStepson Nýhil GrandOpening,featuring:Space Pravda (firstfloor) DJ MaggiFlass Pravda (topfloor) DJ AkiPain Grand Rokk I Adapt,Innvortis,Hostile Saturday -20Ma Pravda DJ Hermigervill,Stef NASA and Dr.Mister&Mr.Handsome spo’s Gang,FutureFuture,HelgiValur Lay Low,BlackValentine,BennyCre COD MusicPartyfeaturingWulfgang, Gaukur áStöng B.M.X. The oldlibraryinHafnarfjörður Skátar, Reykjavík!,HookerSwing Café Victor Matti (fromPapar)andEinar Fríkirkjan (FreeLutheranChurch) Joanna Newsom Sólon DJ HeiðarAustmann Hressó Mát, followedbyDJMaggi Gallery LobsterorFame(startsat17:30) SI-CUT.DD, RósaGuðmundsdóttir Prikið Benni andmuchmore Gin andTonicNightwithFriskó,DJ Kaffibarinn Árni Sveins Thorvaldsen DJ Hlynur Rósenberg Hraun Friday -19Ma [email protected] Compiled byPaulF.Nikolov. night out. weekends, althoughThursdayisasemi-official clubs don’tgetcrowdeduntilaftermidnighton For thosejustwantingtoparty,thepubsand on weekdaysandmuch,muchlaterweekends. 21:00, unlessotherwisestated.Pubscloseat01:00 Music andnightlifeeventsusuallystartaround - - - - Morðingjarnir (release concert),Hölt cludes outsideNASA withconcerts. Parade Hemm Hemm,FlísandGuests Íslandsvinir ParadewithHjalmar, Benni Saturday –27Ma Thorvaldsen DJ Hlynur Prikið the Drummer Mullet NightwithGísliGaldurandAddi Café Victor Matti (fromPapar) Gaukur áStöng Sólstafir (releaseconcert) The IcelandicOpera I FagioliniL’Amfiparnaso Hressó Menn Ársins,followedbyDJJohnny NASA John SpencerandtheHeavyTrash Friday –26Ma Gaukur áStöng of yetunannounced) Standup Comedy(foreignperformer,as Prikið DJ MaggiLegó Café Victor Pétur Jesú The IcelandicOpera I FagioliniL’Amfiparnaso Hressó Troubadour Tóti Thorvaldsen Mojito NightwithDJAlexander Thursday –25Ma Sirkus with TommytheChamp Manchester.is presents:NorthernSoul Thorvaldsen Baddi Asia deCubaNight,followedbyDJ Gaukur áStöng Roskilde FestivalWarm-UpParty Prikið Mugison, GullfossogGeysir Café Victor DJ Þröstur Hressó Troubadour Tóti,followedbyDJMaggi NASA Exos andLukeSlater Wednesday –24Ma Grand Rokk,500ISKentry Foghorns James ApollowithLayLowandthe 20:00 The IcelandicOperaHouse,startsat Rússíbanar Laugardagshöll Ian AndersonofJethroHull Tuesday -23Ma Café Victor DJ Afro Langholtskirkja, startsat20:00 ebrates Mozart’s250thbirthday The ReykjavíkChamberOrchestracel Hafnarborg, startsat17:00 La Strada–TheMusicofNinoRota Hallgrímskirkja, startsat16:00 Bulgarian VoicesAngelite(choir) Ýmir Six IcelandicPianistsPlaySchumann Sunday -21Ma meetsatHlemmur1pm.Con - - Thursday –1June Thorvaldsen A Gaukur áStöng Dúndurfréttir Sirkus Langi Seli&Skuggarnir Wednesday –31Ma Gaukur áStöng Dúndurfréttir Tuesday –30Ma Austurbær Mugison The IcelandicOpera I Fagiolini-Monteverdi Café Victor Jón Gestur Sunday –28Ma NASA Midnight concert:Vorvindar Prikið DJ ÓliHjörtur,AnnaBrá Grand Rokk Hóra andInnvortis Menn ísvörtumfötum Café Victor Jón Gestur Thorvaldsen DJ Hlynur The oldlibraryinHafnarfjörður done, Rökkurró Mount Eerie,Woelv,MicahBlueSmal Iðnó sia deCubaNigh The OldLibrary,HafnafjörðurMay27th Micah BlueSmaldoneandRökkurró. ble compositionskillsforaneveningofIndierockinHafnafjörður,joinedby Phil Elvrum,formerlyTheMicrophones,nowMountEerie,displaysh MOUNT EERIE NASA, May26th Beer Gut. with theforerunnersofDanishalternativescene,PowersoloandTheTr Heavy Trash(readmoreonpage52).Theywilldisplaytheirawesomen Jon SpenceroftheBluesExplosionhasnewrockabillybandc JON SPENCER AND HEAV t - Sexual, Hairdoctor,Kimono,JeffWho?, Mayen, Stilluppsteypa,Úlpa,Johnny Supergrass, Skátar,TheFoghorns,Jan Reykjavík TrópíkFestival,featuring: Saturday –3June sity ofIceland Located inalargetentoutsidetheUniver Organ QuartetandDJBuckmaster Hjálmar, BangGang,Ladytron,Apparat Benni HemmHemm,GirlsinHawaii, Jakobínarína, CynicGuru,DaníelÁgúst, Reykjavík TrópíkFestival,featuring: Friday –2June NASA Anders WidmarkandCarmen Laugardalshöll of theZappaband. 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THEATre MUSIC ties beforeitistoo late. ing withattemptstomendbroken family An IcelandicplaybyBragiÓlafsson, deal The BelgianCongo On theotherstages: Cooney. Icelandic translationofacomedybyRay Who wantstofindamillionkrónur? sic byAstridLindgren. Icelandic translationofthechildren’sclas Ronia theRobber’sDaughter Belgium. contributions fromSlovenia,Franceand ary actressduringWorldWar2.Features A playexaminingtheworkoflegend Marlene Dietrich by RobinHawdon. Icelandic translationofthecomedicplay A PerfectWedding On themainstage: Theatre The ReykjavíkCity Grand Rokk,May23rd western phenomenonLayLowThecoverchargeis500ISK. something evenmorewestern.HewillbeaccompaniedbytheIcelandiccountryand ent andaself-describedtumbleweed,thatcomfortablyblendsoldtimeAmericanawith From Libertyville,ArkansasviaMinnesotacomesJamesApollo,asingu JAMES APOLLO - - - The Celbration of Iceland The NationalTheatre the waitersarealsoperformers. A combinationofdinnerandashow; here Le Sing the 24thofMay A newbeautyqueenwillbecrownedon Miss Iceland2006 Broadway A comedybyGuðmundurÓlafsson. The Tenor fantasy. pieces fromcelebratedmusicalsand Jazzballet School,thatincludesbitsand An exhibitionbystudentsfromBára’s JSB StudentExhibition2006 Tragicomedy bycomedianJónGnarr. Naglinn Gary Owen’stakeonclublife. A CrimeAgainstDisco lar musicaltal - I’m MyOwnWoman Iðnó Icelandic versionoftheHenrikIbsen play. Pétur Gautur by RobertThomas Icelandic translationofafarcicalcomedy Eight Women ning playwrightElfriedeJelinek. Also knownasDasWek,byawardwin Virkjunin presented intheformofapuppetshow. Short storiesandphilosophicalmusings Metamorphosis: Poetryinmotion Icelandic joke. the title,it’sjustpunchlinefromanold movies andtelevision.Don’tbeputoffby references tomoremodernmediasuchas Icelandic folkstories,butalsoincludes ence members.Itisbasedonavarietyof A playgearedtowardsyoungeraudi Now IwouldLaughifWasn’tDead! old Pinterplay. An Icelandic translation of the classic Har Grand Rokk,Friday,May20th the lovingmemoryofDimebagDarrell. ence inthecountry.Inaddition,Hostilewillchurnoutgroovemetalan having writtenanewsongforoverthreeyears,stillattractthemostloyal favourites willbejoinedbyveteransofpunkrock,Innvortis,whodespit material fromanupcomingalbum.ThehardcorepunksandthesXescen Fresh offoftwoweeks’gruellingtourtheUK,IAdaptreturnswithn I ADAPT May 16thatTheNationalTheatre humanitarian andhumanrightsissues.Wewishherallthebest. last everperformanceassheisretiringfrommusictodedicateherselfent to Icelandisnotanentirelyjoyousoneforfansofhermusic:thiswillbe stage presencewillknowexactlywhy.Unfortunately,theoccasionofhe people whohaveexperiencedbeingcarriedawaybyherpowerfulmusic in 1990,andwasvotedoneofthe40greatestSouthAfricansalltime returned tohernativeSouthAfricaatthebehestofNelsonMandelahimsel and foughtforjusticewithhermusicvibrantpersonality.MamaAfr heid movementinthelatefifties,Makebahastouchedheartsaroundw end. Sincebeingarrestedanddeportedforherparticipationintheanti-a Miriam Makeba,alsoaffectionatelyknownasMamaAfrica,isanAfric MIRIAM MAKEBA - - - events bytheIceland DanceCompany. See www.id.isforanuptodatelist of Dance cast asintheAkureyriversion. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Same Icelandic translationofthemusicalby Little ShopofHorrors The IcelandicOpera play. Icelandic translationofthisVassilySigarev The Ladybird Alan MenkenandHowardAshman. Icelandic translationofthemusicalby Little ShopofHorrors cal Company The AkureyriTheatri Icelandic actorHilmirSnærGuðnason. Von Mahlsdorf,performedbypopular play onGermantransvestiteCharlotte Icelandic translationofDougWright’s e not and thems in an leg r visit ew , and her audi ica irely to e part orld f - - - - CAFÉ RESTAURANTS MUSEUMS 1 8 Tíu Dropar 15 Café Victor 22 Pravda 25 Ölstofan 28 Kaffibrennslan 31 34 Argentína 37 Tapas 44 Bæjarins Bestu Café Roma oaj]d]kk Laugavegur 27 Hafnarstræti 1-3 Austurstræti 22 Vegamótastígur Pósthusstræti 9 Barónsstígur 11a Vesturgata 3b Tryggvagata f]logjc Krua Thai Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Laugavegur 118 A very nice “grandma” style café. Subter- Spelled with a C rather than with the more Pravda is one of the larger clubs/bars in There are no tricks to this one. You know Kaffibrennslan manages to be just a nice, Tryggvagata 14 Argentina is something in the direction of For those with a bit of money and time on Their menu is simple: It consists of Coke Museum ranean, as all traditional coffee shops traditional K in order to be more cosmo- downtown Reykjavík. It’s divided between what you want and you know what you’ll “normal” place to go to, and a place to be South American-steakhouse-goes-fine- their hands, the evening is well spent at and hotdog. And nothing else. Ask for Sigtún Roma, at the far end of the main street It’s easy when you know what you’re do- should be. This place makes you feel politan. This ploy seems to be working, as two floors and also separately into the get when you enter this simple, straight- seen at, surprisingly enough both at the dining-in-Reykjavík. It was the first res- Tapas, where you can while away the eve- one with everything, and you’ll get a dog Laugavegur, is a deli-type coffee house, ing: good food for a reasonable price. To warm, both with its atmosphere and the the bar has become a hangout for foreign- Pravda Bar and the Pravda Club. The forward pub. We are talking about drink- same time. A wide variety of beverages, taurant around to offer steaks by weight, ning having course after course of wonder- in a bun with ketchup, mustard, remou- Árbæjarsafn and one of the best take-away places in make it easier for the rest of us, they have generosity of the coffee refills. ers. The Viking ship sitting on top of the club section of Pravda is ideal for dancing, ing beer. Known as the hangout for the both bistro menu and a terrace outside the and it focuses on the beef – but they know ful miniature dishes served. If you don’t lade (don’t ask), fried and raw onion. The Árbær town. It almost feels unnatural that all their menu outside with images in colour building might also add to the appeal. The while the bar section is somewhat more intellectual circles of Reykjavík. bar when the weather allows it. The iced their whale, sheep and reindeer as well. feel like getting up right away afterwards, standard Icelandic hotdog, only somehow www.listasafnreykjavikur.is the tempting cookies, cakes and other and numbers. Just say the number and eat crowd is very mixed, both in origin and quiet and chilled out, with occasional live coffee beverage is a delight. there’s also a lounge. it tastes better. sweet things that are calling your name on the food. age, and so is the music. jazz and sometimes reggae. the shelves are actually quite reasonably The Culture House priced. Hverfisgata 15 www.thjodmenning.is

Nordic House Sturlugata 5 www.nordice.is 2 Ráðhúskaffi 9 Kaffitár 16 Vegamót 23 Café Cultura 26 Thorvaldsen 29 Glaumbar 32 Tveir Fiskar 35 Vín og Skel 38 Sægreifinn 45 Hlölla Bátar City Hall Bankastræti 8 Vegamótastígur 4 Hverfisgata 18 Austurstræti 8 Tryggvagata 20 Geirsgata 9 Laugavegur 55 Geirsgata By Ingólfstorg Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum Ráðhúskaffi inside the Reykjavík City Expanded and improved, this is the down- Vegamót (crossroads) has an appealing The recently expanded Cultura is located Posh as the fifth circle of hell. DJs on One of the few proper sports bars in Reyk- Seafood restaurant, although they also do If you like fresh seafood and are in the A place to go for the local touch, even if The first sub sandwich shop in Iceland, Laugarmestangi 70 Hall is a comfortable choice for the view town store for one of the country’s finest lunch menu, they serve brunch during the in the same building with the Intercultural Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Arrive javík, so you can go and watch whatever land-based animals. At lunchtime you can mood for something a little different, this usually a place recommended with this opened in 1986, Hlölla Bátar has a large www.lso.is over Tjörnin, especially recommended on coffee importers. While anything here is weekends, and the kitchen is open until Centre. A good value menu, friendly before 12 if you want to avoid the queue. game happens to be on the TV screens. have a three-course meal for 2,300, which cosy but ambitious new restaurant just argument instantly loses the exotic. Still, selection of subs filled and named with the so-called window weather days – the good, the speciality coffee drinks are truly 22 daily. After that the beat goes on, and service and settings that allow you to ei- Civilian attire is looked down upon. Do The establishment is basically based isn’t too bad, all things considered. The might fit the bill. Shellfish, salmon, squid, I’d try this one. Sægreifinn (Sea baron) is creativity and imagination. Brave souls Reykjavík Electrical Museum days that are beautiful, as long as you stay remarkable: our favourite, the Azteca, an you can check the end results in photos ther sit down and carry on discussions, or not expect to get in wearing hiking boots. around the bar, so you won’t have to go a chef has been awarded the Medal of the lobster and other creatures of the deep a combination of a fish store and a... well, might want to try the Gúmmí-Bátur (rub- Refstöðvarvegur indoors. Also art exhibitions, 80m2s of espresso drink with lime and Tabasco. published the day after on their website dance the night away – tango on Wednes- long way for a drink. Open until five, and Order of the White Rose by the President predominate the menu here. There is no not exactly a restaurant but a place that ber boat), or go local and choose Sýslu- www.rafheimar.is miniature Iceland and municipal politics, www.vegamot.is. If you like Oliver, try days starting with free lessons from 20 to has a reputation for late night partying. of Finland. smoking in the restaurant, but if you want serves prepared food, located in a harbour mannabátur (sheriff sub) with lamb filling. all conveniently under the same roof. Vegamót and vice versa. 21:00. to have a go at sitting outside there are warehouse. Smell of fish, view over the ASÍ Art Museum fleece blankets provided. harbour, old man that looks exactly like Freyjugata 41 an Icelandic fisherman should. What’s www.asi.is not to love? Einar Jónsson Museum Eiríksgata and the sculpture garden, Freyjugata 3 Grái Kötturinn 10 Segafredo 17 B5 39 Shalimar 46 Nonnabiti DOWNTOWN REYKJAVIK www.skulptur.is Hverfisgata 16a By Lækjartorg Bankastræti 5 NEXUS Austurstræti 4 Hafnarstræti 11 Grái Kötturinn (The grey cat) is a cosy With McDonalds long departed from B5 is a newly opened bistro with a Scandi- Prides itself on being the northernmost The owner is a miser who charges ad- National Museum of Iceland place, and that’s why it’s a shame that it’s the centre of Reykjavík, we got Italian navian focus on the menu. Don’t be fooled SPOTthis Indian restaurant in the world. The daily ditionally for everything, but this is almost Suðurgata 41 www.natmus.is quite often closed when we knock on their chain Segafredo, which isn’t a bad trade- by the impressive collection of design Hafnarstræti 44 special, comprised of two dishes on your certainly the best junk food in the Greater door and peer through the window later off. The staff are expert baristi, and, even classics that you see in the window when 33 plate, goes for roughly 1,000 ISK. But ReykjavíkDji^c>XZaVcY area. The subs are great, none  in the evening. Don’t follow our example though Iceland is proud of its coffee, no- passing by – it’s neither cold nor overly we recommend the chicken tikka masala, of that Subway commitment to healthy and go during the daylight, it’s especially body quite tops the Segafredo latte. expensive, but rather a cozy place with Austurstræti 46 42 known to be highly addictive. living, and they probably contribute sig- popular during the morning hours. friendly service. 39 10 nificantly to the ever-increasing “size” of 26 the nation. They also serve burgers and 6 sandwiches, and have lunchtime offers. 21 22 28 18 49 Bankastræti17 43 Ingólfsstræti BARS 'N' BISTROS 11 3 4 Kaffi Hljómalind 11 18 Rósenberg 30 23 40 Við tjörnina 47 Quiznos Laugavegur 21 Sólon Lækjargata 2 Lækjargata 9 Templarasund 3 Lækjargata Hverfisgata A peaceful café with perfect windows for Bankastræti 7a Perhaps the closest thing to a jazz club 47 24 20 One of the best-known fish restaurants A new branch of the American Quiznos Laugavegur19 people-watching and a lot of daylight. Sólon is a nightclub on Friday and Sat- in town, with old instruments lining the in Iceland, it also kind of rocks. The cook has entered the thriving downtown sub Hljómalind is run by a non-profit organi- urday nights, but it seems to have more walls. People go there for conversation 5 14 is Súkkat member and Megas sidekick market, and it’s you, our dear, hungry sation and it only serves organic & fair lives than one, since in the day it’s a cof- and listening to music rather than danc- Gunni. Foodwise, they’re known for in- reader who gains from it. A good selection trade products. ing. The place tends to have jazz or blues- This summer, big budget movies return, themselves progressive for reading a book Skólavörðustígur13 novative fish dishes made from a variety of tasty subs, but also sandwiches, salads, feehouse and in the evening (weeknights) 16 8 they have a decent menu as well, and an type music, and is developing a bluegrass most of which draw their material from that wasn’t labelled homework, check out the 12 of rare fish and shellfish and related raw soup of the day. This is Quiznos first scene. either the low art form of comic books, or graphic novels inspiring the big screen. Start 25 materials. European restaurant, your response will -“>ÊV >À“ˆ˜}Ê art exhibition on the walls to finish the 48 package with an artsy touch. the much lower form of a steaming pile with the recently crucified V for Vendetta, decide how many more will come East.

lumped between to pieces of cardboard and skim over X-Men titles, and then dig into Klapparstígur Ãi>vœœ`ÊÀiÃÌ>ÕÀ>˜ÌÊ labelled DaVinci Code. Instead of debating any staff recommendation at Nexus, one of albinos with Business majors who consider the most respected comic shops in Europe. Ü ˆV ʜvviÀÃÊÌ iÊLiÃÌÊ ˆ˜Êvœœ`Ê>˜`Ê܈˜i° FAST FOOD 5 Mokka 12 Oliver 19 Grand Rokk 38 41 48 First Vegetarian Skólavörðustígur 3a Laugavegur 20a Smiðjustígur 6 32 Aktu Taktu (Á næstu grösum) Kaffi Mokka is the oldest café in Reykja- Oliver is one of the biggest hits in town As the Viking style garden and logo ac- Skúlagata 15 Laugavegur 20b vík, dating back to the 1950s. It’s the place at the moment. Good news for the early curately signal, this is no place for the 31 with dark, smoky atmosphere and great birds: they open at 8 in the morning with weak— yes, chess bars are that tough. The drive-in destination in 101 Reykjavík, Used to be called One Woman Restau- numbers of loyal customers. Their waffles an extensive brunch menu, staying chic all Even if the downstairs atmosphere can 37 29 Aktu Taktu is busy all day and all night. rant, as there was always the same woman are best in town. Seriously. day long, until late - always crowded, with feel a bit ominous at times, it’s one of the 27 The burgers never disappoint, and the working there. Has new owners and a an everlasting queue outside especially best venues for live music in town. Chess, 15 caramel shakes are a local favourite. If larger staff, but the theme is still vegetar- George Lucas ever makes his proposed ian, with one vegan and one wheat-free towards weekend nights. Their Mediter- beer and rock’n’roll. 45 Austurstræti /i“«>À>Ã՘`ÊÎ]£ä£Ê,iގ>ۈŽ ranean menu, served in huge portions, is Icelandic Graffiti, Aktu Taktu will have a dish always on offer. The only vegetarian /i\Êxx£ÊnÈÈÈ guaranteed to make you smile. Bankastræ Ingólfsstræti central role. restaurant licensed to carry beer and wine. ti Hverfisgata ‡“>ˆ\Êۈ`̍œÀ˜ˆ˜>Jȓ˜iÌ°ˆÃ 40 SkólavörðustígurLaugav 2 36 Lækjargata egur 41

6 Ömmukaffi 13 Kaffibarinn 20 Bar 11 35 42 Pizza King 49 Kebabhúsið Austurstræti Bergstaðastræti 1 Laugavegur 11 43 4 Hafnarstræti 18 Lækjargata 2 Tjarnargata 34 Crystal Shop and A coffee house where you can find all Kaffibarinn is Cool Hip Reykjavík. Blur’s The rock bar on Laugavegur is one of the Þingholtsstræti Yes, you can go here late at night and Apart from the multicultural experience kinds of people - all ages, all nationalities, Damon Albarn owns a share of the bar, late-night party venues in town. You’ll feel 7 grab the best pizza in town, but it is also that comes with eating the Icelandic ver- Spiritual Gallery with very friendly, down-to-earth feel to probably figuring it was cheaper than the floor jumping every Friday and Sat- Bergstaðastræti home to the best lunch specials, and food sion of kebab, which comes with beef it. Affordable prices on coffee, cakes and buying drinks all the time. This place has urday, and it’s neither you nor an earth- Frakkastígur so good you’d eat it sober, something you and lamb, or falafel, which comes with Crystal, Reiki and Spiritual healing. the lunch menu. Try their speciality, the managed to serve as a 101 living room quake. Live concerts and a nice foosball Óðinsgata can’t say for most food in Reykjavík. Plan marinara sauce and pickled cucumber, this Detox System foot spa (South) African latte. for quite a while already, with DJs often table upstairs. 1 on a 15-minute wait during lunch, so it’s eatery has the best fish and chips in town treatment available also. playing on the weeknights, with volumes best to call or stop at a local bookstore or and a menu that would satisfy the United Icelands largest minirals rising towards the weekend. Friday and souvenir shop while your pizza is cooked. Nations. and crystals shop. Saturday nights serve as the weekly peaks of claustrophobia. Barónsstígur

7 Babalú 14 Sirkus 21 Hressingarskálinn 24 Prikið 27 Gaukur á Stöng 30 Litli Ljóti Andarunginn 33 Hornið 36 Tjarnarbakkinn 43 Bernhöftsbakarí 50 Vitabar Skólavörðustígur 22a Klapparstígur 30 Austurstræti 20 Bankastræti 12 Tryggvagata 22 Lækjargata 6b Hafnarstræti 15 Vonarstræti 3 Bergstaðastræti 13 Bergþórugata 21 The youngest coffee house in Reykjavík “Welcome to the Jungle/ We got fun and The celebrated site of one of the more Used to be the oldest continuously run- Iceland’s oldest bar is now in its early They have a fish buffet for 2,500ISK Means “the corner” and the place lives Above the Iðnó theatre, so it’s good place The oldest bakery in Reykjavík, founded Actually a bar, but best known for its is also the homiest. Almost like a living games,” quote the bard. Elements of this famous coffeehouses in Iceland, this bar/ ning traditional coffeehouse on the street, twenties. During the day it’s a pool pub every evening, with the magic words up to its name. This is actually the oldest to go before shows, or during if you prefer in 1834. If you are particular about your hamburgers. A burger with fries for 500 room away from home, Babalú keeps it odd and alternative cultural institution coffeehouse/ restaurant brings a European but, after a change of clientele, they now and on weekday evenings there are live “eat-as-much-as-you-can” floating in the Italian restaurant in town, celebrating its a more quiet atmosphere. If you sit by the bread this is about the best place in central is one of the best meal deals in town, but simple, quiet and cozy with coffee and the also include an upstairs that looks and flair to the city. That is until about 11, cater to a younger crowd. A diner during rock concerts by a mix of mainstream and air. They also have an Icelandic media 25th year, which says something about window you get nice view of the pond. Reykjavík to stock up on a variety of fresh- special mention must go to the Forget- occasional crêpe. smells like a bus, a garden, a flea market when things get to rockin’, and you can see the day and a nightclub on weekends, underground bands. On weekends there person working there every now and then, the scene here before then. Excellent It’s not a bad place to try one of Iceland’s ly baked loaves – they also do a particularly Me-Not blue cheese and garlic extrava- Gjafir Jarðar. and a queue on weekend nights that looks the true character of Reykjavík. you can also borrow games there, such as is usually a lot of action with cover bands so watch out for a curly haired, friendly quality pizza, pasta and salads—all priced culinary specialities, the lamb steak, one of moist and juicy version of the ever popular ganza. Ingólfsstræti 2 never-ending. backgammon or chess. playing everything from Britney to the gentleman called Egill. affordably. those rare traditional treats that does not vínarbrauð pastries. 101 Reykjavík Beatles... come as a shock to the uninitiated. Tel: 517-2774 [email protected] www.gjafirjardar.is Prepared for the Grapevine by the Centre for The Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum exhibits www.hafnarborg.is RADIO TV Icelandic Art. For more information, visit www. 13.05-11.06.2006 works by the Icelandic sculptor Sigurjón trunk, or so much as a single shred of a second season with his series, Ásgrímur CIA.is, or visit their office at Hafnarstræti 16, 101 Hannes Lárusson Ólafsson. 06-29.05.2006 Rás 1 C.S.I. soul in your bowl, you’re going to want to Sverrisson interviews some of the movers Reykjavík. Ubo Roi meets Humpty Dumpty (in Örn Þorsteinsson “Kvika úr búri - sculp- Government radio station often featur- This police drama about crime scene in- get down with your bad self on Monday and shakers on the Icelandic film scene, as Iceland) Gel Gallerí tures” ing talk shows, radio soap operas, and vestigators in Las Vegas has been a smash nights and become better acquainted with well as talented youngsters and the people 101 Gallerí Hverfisgata 37, 101 Reykjavík traditional music. hit since its debut just over six years ago, the black legends of yesteryear. behind the scenes. Mostly, though, he Hverfisgata 13.05-11.06.2006 Suðsuðvestur spawning two celebrated spin-offs (set in Mondays, 21:05; RÚV talks about the craft and socializes with Opening hours: Thu.-Sat. 13-17 Downstairs 19.05-05.06.2006 Hafnagata 22 Miami and New York respectively) while Rás 2 people who have the same burning passion Helgi Þórsson “A Model for the Treeman” by Belgian 230 Reykjanesbær the original series is still going strong. More progressive government radio sta- for film as he does. The result is mildly en- 21.04-03.06.2006 artist Dirk Leroux http://www.sudsudvestur.is/ While the methods employed are often tion, featuring a variety of music as well as Gilmore Girls tertaining, albeit a bit pretentious at times. Steingrímur Eyfjörð ASÍ Art Museum outlandish, and the results hard to believe, Freyjugata 41 29.04-21.05.2006 news discussion programmes. People think hell is some kind of in- If you’re a film nerd, Taka Tvö is probably Gallery Boreas there are usually enough twists and turns Open every day 13-17; closed on Mondays (at Gallerí Úlfar for the month of May) Indíana Auðunsdóttir your-face experience, but they are wrong. required viewing. Ásmundarsafn Bylgjan (98.9 FM) to keep you guessing as to the real nature Sigtún Free entrance Baldursgata 11, 101 Reykjavík If there really is a hell, it must be plain Tuesday, 21:00; RÚV Light pop music. of the crime well beyond the half hour and boring and completely devoid of any Opening hours: 10-16 every day www.galleryboreas.com Akureyri: mark. Watching this show will also make character: exactly like the Gilmore Girls. 06-28.05.2006 Until 31.05.2006: The art of Útvarp Saga (99.4 FM) you too paranoid to consider so much as You see, this is a show that was actu- Ómega The Man and Material Kees Visser Adam Bateman Gallerí + Brekkugata 35 Iceland’s oldies station, featuring both Ice- jaywalking in the future – the CSI nerds ally created by something the ‘Family Ever wondered why exactly you are going Permanent Exhibition landic and foreign music from decades past. always gets their man and for some reason Friendly Programming Forum’, which as to burn in hell for all eternity? Ever ask A retrospective exhibition of works by The National Gallery Turpentine Fríkirkjuvegur Open Tue.-Fri. 12-18 29.04-21.05.2006 they get to go around arresting and inter- it turns out is exactly what it sound like: yourself why God’s chosen people are the Ásmundur Sveinsson Opening hours: Tue.-Sun. 11-17 Sat. 11-16 Sólveig Aðalsteinsdóttir Talstöðin (90.9 FM) rogating people as well. See that spot on a collection of people that wouldn’t know only ones who should ever be allowed Free entrance www.turpentine.is Þóra Sigurðardóttir Talk radio station, in Icelandic. your shoe where you brushed off the leaf entertainment if it was personally engraved on His Holy Land? Have you pondered The Einar Jónsson last week? That leaf leaked traces of sap the question: What Would Jesus Watch? Museum by Jesus. If you want to see what a coali- 12.05-25.06.2006 13.05-11.06.2006 on your shoe, leaving a specific fingerprint You need some Omega TV, and Omega Eiríksgata Jónas Viðar Gallery Létt 96.7 (96.7 FM) tion of 40 major advertisers with concerns Birgir Andrésson, retrospective Nína Tryggvadóttir Opening hours: Fri.-Sat. 13-18 that could only have come from a specific needs you(r money). You can tune in to Opening hours: Sat.-Sun. 14-17 Office pop, easy listening. over the declining morality and godless- Steingrímur Eyfjörð, retrospective tree outside the house of your murdered ness consider entertainment, tune into the this independent channel at just about any http://www.skulptur.is ex husband’s chauffeur’s masseuse’s place. Photography in the Streets of Downtown 06.05-20.05.2006 FM 957 (95.7 FM) Gilmore Girls for some truly neuterific time, it seems, for some uniquely Icelandic Oh, and you have her blood all over your 08.07-10.09.2006 Reykjavík Helgi Vilberg One of the “hnakkistöðvar,” playing pop- entertainment. It’s the only show this un- firebrand preaching mixed in with the best Permanent exhibition of the sculptor shirt, too. Einar Jónsson Landscape and Folklore (from the Na- The Reykjavík Museum of Photography Paintings rock geared towards urban clubbing youth. holy coalition has successfully launched so of the worst from the American televange- tional Gallery of Iceland collection) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with Mondays, 22:00; Skjár 1 far, but with your support and encourage- list scene. Just make sure you don’t forget Gerðuberg Cultural www.listasafn.is a photographic retrospective scattered Akureyri Art Museum XFM (91.9FM) ment they could go on to bore us to tears to donate all the money you can possibly Centre around the city center. The theme is a Open from 12-17. Closed on Mondays. for decades. spare to various divine missions around the 14.05-11.06.2006 general look back at the past century of life http://www.listasafn.akureyri.is Iceland’s rock station, often playing cut- Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Gerðuberg 3-5, 111 Reykjavík world, because they only remind you every Animals in Reykjavík: a photographic col- in the capital. Most of the photographs are ting-edge releases. Music Tuesdays, 20:15; RÚV 06.05-10.09.2006 five minutes or so. laboration by Bryndís Sæbjörnsdóttir and on display in Lækjartorg, Austurvöllur and 06.05-25.06.2006 Everybody knows rock and roll evolved Mark Wilson. Fógetagarður. Homesick Lindin (102.9 FM) out of traditional black music styles in Sculptures by Guðjón Stefán Kristinns- Christian broadcasting station, available all TV in Icelandic America, but this six part series goes a son. Materials include driftwood, rock, Hafnarhús >>>Outside Reykjavík: over the country. little deeper than usual and tries to explore glass and turf. Taka Tvö the rich heritage of African American Reykjavík Museum The Icelandic film industry is finally Open every day 10-17 Hafnarfjörður: Kántríbær (100.7 FM) music and its influence on the world. If Acrylic portraits by Jón Ólafsson. starting to produce films one isn’t embar- www.listsafnreykjavikur.is Iceland’s country music station, still going you have even a modicum of funk in your strong from Skagafjörður since 1992. rassed to talk about abroad. Now starting Paintings by Ketill Larsen. Hafnarborg 06-25.05.2006 Open 11-17, every day but Tuesdays. www.gljufrasteinn.is i8 gallerí Group exhibition of graduating students Klapparstígur from The Icelandic Art Academy. Open Thu.-Sat. 13-17 and by appointment CSI MIAMI The National Museum 19.05.06-01.07.06 Suðurgata 41 The problem with CSI is you grow to Upstairs: Finnbogi Pétursson Opening hours: daily 10-17 like the characters, and you start to feel Downstairs: Twelve female artists www.natmus.is bad about Grissom having such a crappy Top Gear job, looking at dead things all day. Gallerí Anima The National Gallery of Photography: In a recent episode of Top Gear, a Lotus Have no fear, David Caruso is here. To Ingólfsstræti 8 Roots of the “Rúntur” sports car raced against an Apache heli- explain how incredibly campy his acting Open Fridays 12-17 copter guidance system. Repeat, sports is, just realize that not only do you want Sat.-Sun. 13-17 The Arc Hall: car racing helicopter guns. It gets better. him hanging out with dead people, you Free entrance Invisible women in Icelandic art Top Gear, an institution on the BBC, can imagine the actors who are playing entertains like nobody’s business. You dead people often contemplate suicide 28.04-21.05.2006 Research Exhibitions: don’t have to drive or like driving to love in his presence. With all the acting, em- Björg Örvar Archaeological research and Iceland’s Top Gear. You just have to realize that pathy and pathos out of the way, CSI: new view of history Lotuses and helicopters are profoundly Miami lets you enjoy the guts and blood, Dwarf Gallery Grundarstígur 21 Permanent Exhibitions cool. as you should. The Making of a Nation tv & RADIO Sundays, at 19:00 on Skjár 1 Wednesdays, 22:00; Skjár einn Opening hours vary. Free entrance GRADUATE EXHIBIT The President came, the mayor came, all of the big people attended the opening of http://this.is/birta Nordic House Open 12-17; closed on Mondays the Academy of Arts’s annual show—and it was so packed that nobody could see 06.05-20.05.06 much. The darlings of the event are the design department, who have blended both Magnús Árnason 14.04-21.05.2006 usefulness and showstopping beauty to a level one simply doesn’t expect from stu- Scary Movie 4 Icelandic) 16:00, 18:00 Performance Installation Drawings by children from Nordic dents. But the whole tour suggests good things for the future of this island nation. Sambíóin - Kringlan 18:00 18:00 Little Red Riding Hood (dubbed in countries. The DaVinci Code Firewall Skrolla og Skelfir á Saltkráku Icelandic) Opens May 19th Gyllinhæð 17:45, 20:00 16:00, 18:00 Næsti Bar Mission: Impossible III 18:00 Art academy exhibition space V for Vendetta Prime Laugavegur 23 Ingólfsstræti 1a 17:30, 20:00, 22:40 22:10 20:00 Open Thu.-Sun. 14-18 The Shaggy Dog Regnboginn The Hills Have Eyes Students from the first year of the 29.04-26.05.2006 17:50, 20:00, 22:10 Bandidas 22:10 Academy. Snorri Ásmundsson The Inside Man Sambíóin – Akureyri 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 Ice Age 2 (original English language Healing Paintings 17:30, 20:00, 22:40 The Shaggy Dog Cry Wolf version) Kjarvalsstaðir 18:00, 20:00 20:00, 22:00 16:00 Reykjavík Museum Living Art Museum 18.05.06 - 01.07.06 www.nylo.is Mission Impossible III Little Red Riding Hood (original English Ice Age 2 (dubbed in Icelandic) Flókagata Sambíóin – Álfabakki 17:40, 20:00, 22:20 Open Wed.-Sun. 13-17 The Shaggy Dog language version) 16:00, 18:00 Open every day 10-17 FINNBOGI PÉTURSSON Scary Movie 4 Free entrance Opið miðvikudaga til föstudaga 11-17, laugardaga 13-17 og eftir samkomulagi. 15:40, 17:50, 20:30, 22:40 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 www.listasafnreykjavikur.is 22:00 Little Red Riding Hood (dubbed in Opening hours: 11 am - 5 pm Wednesday to Friday, 1 pm - 5 pm Saturday and by appointment. Mission: Impossible III 14.05-04.06.2006 02.04-05.06.2006 15:30, 18:v00, 20:00, 22:40 Icelandic) Borgarbíó Cry Wolf Ilia og Emilia Kabakov The Supremes - 19 artists from outside of Mission Impossible III (VIP) 18:00 Sambíóin – Keflavík 20:00, 22:00 Joseph Kosuth Iceland, along with five Icelandic artists. 7:30, 20:00, 22:30 Prime The Shaggy Dog Skrolla og Skelfir á Saltkráku Installations In memory of H.C. Andersen Scary Movie 4 17:30, 20:00 20:00, 22:00 18:00 SAFN 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:10 Mission Impossible III The Hills Have Eyes Open Wed.-Fri. 14-18 22:10 Inside Man 08.04-03.12.2006 Failure To Launch 20:00, 22:20 Let’s Look at Art Sat.-Sun. 14-17 20:00 Free entrance 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:10 A series of exhibitions especially designed Little Red Riding Hood (dubbed in www.safn.is Firewall Smárabíó Icelandic) for children. 17:45, 20:15, 22:40 Laugarásbíó The DaVinci Code The DaVinci Code Opens May 19th 18:00 13.05-11.06.2006 Lassie Lucky Number Slevin 16.06-03.09.2006 16:00 Opens May 19th Mission: Impossible III Ceal Floyer 22:20 Works from the Reykjavík Art Museum’s Bandidas 18:00, 21:00, 23:00 collection Karin Sander 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 Mission: Impossible III (Luxury) Háskólabíó Mission Impossible III 18:00 Kling & Bang gallerí Sigurjón Ólafsson The Shaggy Dog 20:00, 22:20 Cry Wolf Laugavegur 23 Museum Visit www.kvikmyndir.is for regularly 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 Inside Man 20:00, 22:00 Open Thu.-Sun. 14-18 Laugarnestangi 70 updates on new films and showing ART FILM Mission Impossible III 20:00, 22:20 Little Red Riding Hood (original English Free entrance http://www.lso.is/ times. 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 Little Red Riding Hood (dubbed in language version) www.this.is/klingandbang Grapevine Art Picks by Bart Cameron and Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson The Reykjavík Museum of Photography

look back at the past century The Reykjavík Museum of Photography is celebrating its 25th anniversary by bringing some of the best images from their collection to the streets of Reykjavík. The theme, rather appropri- ately, is a look back at the past century of life in Reykjavík and the ways it has changed and yet stayed the same in character. The stark contrast between the reality in the pictures and the sur- rounding environment makes the photos particular effective in the open-air environment they were placed in. The exhibit can be found at Austurvöllur, Lækjartorg and Fógetagarðurinn.

i8 Gallerí Sissa Photography School

TURNING REYKJAVÍK INTO GLASTONBURY We already have Iceland Airwaves, Aldrei Fór Ég Suður, Innipukinn, Krútt, Rites of Spring, but you simply can’t get enough of a good thing. This year, the owners of Stúdentakjallarinn, the only bar on campus, have decided to … make the campus feel like a campus, at least for three days of the year.

Photo by Arnar Guðmundsson So, starting June 2nd, the University of Iceland is hosting a festival to make Rey- kjavík proud. The key attraction is a toss up between Oxford rockers Supergrass, long a favourite in Iceland but visiting for the first time, and Bronx crew ESG, respected beyond all in the DJ set. Other foreign bands include Kid Carpet, Girls in Hawaii and Finnbogi Pétursson - visual cocktail Graduation show Ladytron. Finnbogi Pétursson has been working with light and sound to much acclaim for the past Graduation show at Ljósmyndaskóli Sissu. Founded in 1997, Sissa Photography School Without the imported talent, the local bands on display represent the grandiose ide- few years. In an intriguing audio-visual cocktail, Pétursson produces eerie acoustic phe- has a number of the more striking young photographers on the teaching staff. Among als of this new festival. From Daníel Ágúst of Gusgus fame, to Apparat Organ Quartet, nomena in water, wind, metal, and even fire. Consequently, what you are reading now them, Ari Mag, Spessi, and our own Grapevine photographer Gúndi. This year end Bang Gang and Hjálmar, to the royalty of party rock Gusgus and Trabant themselves, is utterly useless in terms of describing the experience of really being there and taking in show demonstrates the competence of Iceland’s image-makers as teachers. Ljósmyd- Trópík looks to make enough of an impact to create a legitimate institution. Out of the MUSIC ART the totality of the artist’s vision as he meant for it to be. So, you know… just go see/hear naskóli Sissu, Hólmaslóð 6, 101 Reykjavík. www.sissa.is festival, if not the campus. BC it. i8 gallerí, Klapparstígur, 101 Reykjavík. 34 www.grapevine.is GRAPEVINE’S PURCHASES THAT JUSTIFY EXISTENCE �BY GUNNAR HRAFN JÓNSSON AND SVEINN BIRKIR BJÖRNSSON�

Before They Were Novelists: Preacher Library Card and The Sandman City Library Garth Ennis and Neil Gaiman don’t write – 1,200 ISK comics, they write novels, childrens Sudoku books and, gag, plays for Scottish theatre. Before all this, they did comics. At the city library, you can get unlimited ac- Whether you prefer the dark humour of Garth Ennis’ The Preacher, or the Puzzles cess to poetry and comics, magazines and music, fiction and history, CDs delicately woven web of mythology present in Gaiman’s Sandman, you owe Only grandmothers and losers would be and movies, all for the price of two beers. The one stop for all your cerebral it to yourself as an adult to put your prejudices aside and give this format a caught dead with a crossword puzzle. needs. Except for the beer of course. chance. You can tell all the other posers it’s an ancient Japanese art, but you might be interested to know it was invented by an American magazine in 1979. The great thing about Sudoku, it makes you feel smart, without actually helping to develop one useful skill or section of your brain—something like going on to conservative Internet chat rooms. Remember when audio equipment all looked simple, stylish and func- tional? Tivoli Audio combines the benefits of retro stylishness with up- to-date technology and all modern functions. Their Model line of table- BERGSTAÐASTRÆTI 13 top radios and CD players, as well as their PAL line of portable radios, - PHONE: 551 3083 can be fully integrated with iPods and other fancy new-fangled crap. The design and colour schemes go well with Mini’s and other Yuppie shit, and they weigh enough to What is Treo, the Icelandic over-the-counter pain relief for almost Oldest bakery in Iceland cause damage when chucked at any ailment. Tooth ach, Treo. Back pain, Treo. Sun burn? Dementia? the cat. You can check them out Retro Psychotic episodes? Treo. Actually, Treo is just bubbling Tylenol, but at Kokka, Laugavegur 47. it gets immediate relief quickly, and it comes in a heavy container that since 1834 Radios you can chuck at your cat, though not heavy enough to do appropriate damage—see above for recom- mended cat discipliners. A big, fat TREO Hummer Are you a member of an unpopular political party that’s past its prime? Are you tired of being accused of destroying the environment and selling out to corporate greed? The solution is simple: buy a big Hummer, put your logo all over and park it in a handicapped space outside a campaign rally. That’s what the party formerly known as the Progressive Party did – and you know you want to be like them.

For the big spenders, the ultimate solution in home cleaning. An au- tomatic vacuum cleaner that vacuums the floor by it self while you are out of the house. Simply press the start button or program the timer and the robot takes care of the rest. It will even find its way back to the charger unit for Listasafn Árnesinga / LA Iceland 2006 Electrolux Trilobite a recharge. opið alla daga / open every day ZA2 May 20 - August 31 / from 11:00 to 17:00 Rafha ehf. – 149.000 Staðsetning / Location : HVERAGERÐI enginn aðgangseyrir / no entrance fee 36 Between ISK 1000 Between ISK 2500 $ Under ISK 1000 $ $ and ISK 2500 $ $ $ and ISK 4000 $ $ $ $ Over ISK 4000 DINING, EATING

& GRUBBING Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson on Reykjavík Dining Photos by Skari

some authentic tapas, then, that we arrived a negative word to be said about the way the TapasBarinn at the aptly named Tapas Bar(inn). One look tails were prepared, seasoned or presented. A Vesturgata 3b at the menu and we were satisfied that this seemingly never-ending stream of plates kept Tel.: 551-2344 was a place that knew its tapas – a staggering flowing from the kitchen to my friend’s side 55 different assortments were on offer, and of the table, and sampling them strategically that’s not counting any of the other menu left me with the impression of a full and $ $ $ items. I ordered a selection of lobster tails diverse menu, designed by chefs who knew prepared in four different ways: deep fried, exactly what they were doing. Tapas, the Spanish delicacy which most pan fried, grilled and garlic sautéed. My din- For dessert we had ice cream, which people associate with the Mediterranean, ing partner for the evening dove head first was good if not particularly memorable, seems to be catching on in the decidedly into the world of tapas, ordering the chef’s and a more unusual dish consisting of fried more frigid climate of Iceland. Several wine selection of the eight most popular tapas goat cheese, honey and crispy bread. Now bars and coffee houses have begun offering dishes. that was memorable, as was the evening limited tapas menus, but the varied nature of They say you can’t go wrong with lobster, as a whole. On the service side there were the dish means that, ideally, it takes a dedi- but in fact it has been my experience that no complaints, either, with very profes- cated restaurant to do the experience justice very few chefs know how to take this much sional looking waiting staff each giving their and leave you coming away with a feeling valued ingredient over the line that separates sections their undivided attention. While of having had a full meal rather than just a ‘good’ from ‘Oh. My. Sweet. God.’ Suffice to friendly and competent, they didn’t seem big series of snacks. say, someone back there at the Tapas bar is an on smiling, but maybe that’s supposed to be It was with the anticipation of getting artist and lobster is his canvas – there is not part of the atmosphere.

when they first arrive, but I can attest to the before it got turned into a lettuce burrito. After Galbí fact that it only takes a couple of minutes of about five minutes of messing around, we both Barónsstígur 2-4 the activity before it becomes second nature. hit upon the perfect combination of Korean Tel.: 544-4448 And fun, too, it not only gives you full control whatchamacallits and ate the rest of the meal over your dish, but eating turns into even more with relish, literally. The sauces and spices Home Grown Record Shop of a social activity than it usually is. This is a were more or less brilliant, but we soon devel- $ $ $ novelty one can easily picture Icelanders going oped a loathing for some odd condiment called for. ‘kimchi’, apparently an essential element of the by sindri eldon photo by gúndi When you arrive at the otherwise fine Korean The food itself was very good: my friend dish but definitely not for everyone’s palate. One of the score of narrow one-way streets crisscrossing the back across from a rack of VHS tapes that seems con- steakhouse called Galbí, the décor and atmos- had marinated beef while I went with fish For dessert we had an absolutely sublime the mighty Laugavegur is Vitastígur, and provided you’re stantly on the verge of collapse. He has several extra-special phere seems somehow less exotic than you with mint and almonds. You get your food home-made ice cream. We also tried a very looking for it, it would be rather hard to miss the large, ones draped on the limited wall space in the store, attain- expected, which is to say the décor isn’t great. in smallish chunks and the basic instructions nice Oreo cheesecake, though it was perhaps somewhat garish and seemingly hand-painted sign indicat- able for a far higher price than anything else in there. He In any case, once you have been seated and are to give each side about thirty seconds of a bit on the rich side and definitely paled have picked out your drinks and food, a man cooking before putting it on a leaf of iceberg in comparison to the frozen treat that came ing Geisladiskabúð Valda, or Valdi’s CDs, on the left-hand also carries DVDs, the aforementioned banners and vast arrives and sets your table on fire. Gas valves and adding a few oddly named Korean spices before it. All in all: Good marks on the food, side of the street walking up from Laugavegur. stacks of computer games of every kind imaginable, from and removable metal discs in the centre of each and sauces. Then you roll it up and eat it; that top marks on the friendly and attentive service Upon closer inspection, the store is also decorated by ancient Nintendo cartridges to the latest in mind-boggling table turn them into stylish barbecues at the is, if you want to do it the traditional Korean (though there weren’t too many other guests the merchandise lining the windows. Cheap banners for graphic imagery. drop of a hat. Yes, you cook your own food. way. Personally, I couldn’t give a fig what the present) but the ambiance could use some rock bands of varying quality, rare finds (or as rare as you As with most used stores, your choices are admittedly The waiter mentioned that some people traditional Korean way is – I found it bother- work. can find in Iceland, anyway) and VHS tape containers limited to what someone else disliked enough to sell at balk at the idea of cooking their own food some and the food was great the way it was have been haphazardly arrayed, stuck or simply propped about a fifth of what they bought it for (Valdi keeps his up against the windows, and are actually a pretty good prices down by driving a miser’s bargain when it comes ICELANDIC DESIGN indicator of what you’ll find inside: the most unpredictable, to purchases), but bear in mind that tastes do differ from the place that he proclaimed it served the best the subcontinent, as several dishes from that cramped, badly-aired and altogether best record store in man to man, and the fact that after the close of Japis and Austur-Indía Indian food he had ever tasted. region were on the menu, but then again he Iceland. Hljómalind, Valdi is one of a select few still flying a black While we at the Grapevine are wary of may just have been showing off. To this per- In here you can find old favourites, lovingly worn and flag as far as Icelandic record stores go. The only alterna- Félagið proclaiming anything the best in the world son’s credit, however, he did recommend that scratched by their original owners, stacked next to shiny tive nowadays is faceless corporate entity Skífan or picky Hverfisgata 56 (ehem), Austur-Indía Félagið is certainly we all share a portion of Kashmiri naan bread, and fashionable recent releases, onto which Valdi himself high-brow music snobs like Bad Taste and 12 Tónar, who Tel.: 552-1630 a world-class establishment. As one would in addition to the more standard garlic and has stuck a reassuring green label emblazoned with the are more likely to snort indignantly than offer any real help expect, the service is exemplary; our waiter butter naan. It turned out to be a unique and word ‘nýtt’ (new), justifying its slightly higher price. when asked if they carry anything that hasn’t made the went beyond service with a smile and at times tasty treat. Kashmiri naan is somewhat sweet Which, incidentally, is still not very high by Icelandic cover of Wire yet. $ $ $ discussing the menu with him was like having without being a dessert, and comes stuffed standards. The new releases are usually priced between Valdi himself is of the home grown variety, an affable an old friend guide you through the dining with dried fruit. Very Kashimiri, very differ- 1500 and 2000 ISK, with the older ones varying from any- glasses-wearing music geek seemingly glued in place One of the problems you run into when trying experience. This extremely likeable man ent and very good. where to half as much to the same, depending on popularity behind the counter and wearing a red soccer shirt that is to write a restaurant review is the fact that the then brought us some Indian beer and food The only negative part of the meal came at and relative value. Considering that there is a better-than- in turn glued to him. He’s the only employee I’ve seen in best places can often leave you with very little that was not just likeable – it was spectacular. the end, when we realized to our dismay that average chance Valdi’s will actually have what you’re look- the store and is extremely accommodating to those with to say that doesn’t sound like some kind of From tandoori shrimp to vegetable curries and we had physically exhausted every last square ing for as opposed to trusting your luck (the flea market) questions, smiling just as wide when asked for Spice Girls advertisement. Such is the case with Aus- several unpronounceable meat dishes, nothing inch of our gastronomic capacity before even or settling for what some slimy record executive wants you albums as when asked for Einstürzende Neubauten or GG tur-Indía Félagið, a semi-legendary Indian missed the mark and the meal was clearly getting a look at the dessert menu. Getting up to listen to (special offers at a corporate chain outlet), these Allin. restaurant on Hverfisgata. It turns out that crafted by someone with a great deal of expe- to leave was physically and emotionally taxing, prices are inarguably the best in Iceland today. And if you’ve come to Iceland fishing for Icelandic it deserves its reputation as one of the finest rience in all kinds of Indian cuisine. An old but we soon said our tearful goodbyes to the And because the phrase “record store” gets tossed music made when Icelandic people still knew how to make Asian restaurants in Iceland. Harrison Ford India hand I brought along hazarded a guess waiter and wobbled slowly down the street in around far too liberally these days, let me pause to assure music instead of drab exercises in sonic narcissism, Valdi is for one is said to have been so enamoured with that the cook was from the northern part of search of a nice play to lie down. you that Valdi’s does indeed carry records, stashed away in more than likely to carry it.

WWW.GRAPEVINE.IS THE BLUE LAGOON • EDEN • GEYSIR • GULLFOSS RAMMAGERDIN • THE VIKING • ÚTILÍF

NEWS | PODCASTS | ALL BACKISSUES | LISTINGS www.happysmilingheadwear.com 38 39 Tattoo City The Grapevine Discovers Another Per Capita Record

by sveinn birkir björnsson photo by skari

“In Sweden, there are about 250.000 people for every tattoo He adds that the first annual Reykjavík Tattoo convention job very seriously. artist,” says Svanur, the owner of Tattoo & Skart, a tattoo and is coming up. “It will be the second weekend in June. It is going “There are a lot of dodgy people involved in the tattoo in- piercing studio. “Here we have five studios located on an area to be a vitamin injection to the scene here. All the local artists dustry. It is important to be professional about the work. If I am the size of a post-stamp.” working under one roof, with some really good foreign artists. I not feeling good, you know, If am having a bad day, or just have In addition to the five tattoo studios operating on think it will really do us all good.” a cold, I will cancel all my appointments for the day. I am really Laugavegur and the parallel Hverfisgata in central Reykjavík, What about Icelandic tattoo culture? Is there anything doing people a favour. If you are not focused, you are not going there is also a successful studio in Keflavík. These six studios specific that could be considered a traditional Icelandic tattoo? to be putting out your best work. People who are making the employ at least 8 resident artists, and there is an increasing de- “The old runes are of course very symbolic of Iceland. A lot commitment to have a tattoo at least deserve to have you doing mand for guest spots. In a country of 300,000 people, it is hard of tourists come here and they want to get a rune tattooed as your best work.” to imagine a more favourable artist per capita ratio. souvenir from their stay here in Iceland. I am not sure that is Do you see a lot of fashion swings in tattooing? “It hasn’t always been like this,” says Svanur who has been common anywhere else.” “No matter how you fight it, tattoos are always going to be running his tattoo and piercing shop on Hverfisgata along with Another oddity is names. “Iceland is the only place where little fashion oriented, different styles become popular. A few his wife Sessa since the year 2000. “When we first opened, there people ask me to tattoo their own name on them. Every week years ago, everybody wanted a tribal tattoo. It often comes from were five tattoo shops in Reykjavík. In 2003, I was the only one people come in and want a tattoo of their own name.” movies. After From Dust ‘til Dawn came out, more than a few left. Now, it is back up to five again.” people came in to get a sort of tribal tattoo from the wrist up to Is it possible for such a small market to support this many the neck, like George Clooney’s character had. It also happened shops? “Iceland is the only place where after Oceans 12. People want a tattoo like Brad Pitt, or David “It seems so,” he says. “I will be adding a 2nd artist here for Beckham, although we see less of that now. the summer, an Icelandic guy called Jón Þór who tattoos at the people ask me to tattoo their own What are people getting now instead? English Rose tattoo studio in England. Otherwise I can’t keep “People are coming in for much larger pieces now. We do a up.” name on them. Every week people lot of half-sleeves and full sleeves and whole back pieces,” says A part of the explanation for the constant activity is that Búri. “Colour has been coming in more and more. Different bigger and more time-consuming pieces have been more in de- come in and want a tattoo of their styles are popular, Japanese tradition, old school tattoos. There mand lately. “People come in and ask for bigger pieces than they are a lot more of individual designs where we help people out did a few years ago. We do a lot of full-sleeves and half-sleeves own name.” with designing the tattoo and drawing it up. I like doing Japa- now. People want their whole arm or their whole back covered. nese traditional tattoos. I always feel good when I stand up from People also prefer more colourful tattoos today,” Sessa explains. Healthy Competition doing one those. But there is much more variety today.” I ask her if that goes for women as well. Búri is a young local tattoo artist. He has been running the “Not really, we do see more of them, but getting big tattoos Icelandic Tattoos studio on Hverfisgata since May 2005, in is still mainly a guy thing. The girls are usually satisfied with cooperation with his former mentor Jón Páll, formerly the lead getting something smaller. They would rather buy a new pair of character designer for the Eve Online computer game and now Reykjavík Tattoo shops jeans then get a tattoo.” the lead artist for Lazy Town productions. When I bring up the number of tattoo parlours in Reykjavík in our conversation, he Tattoo og skart What’s My Name? sounds perplexed. Hverfisgata 108, 101 Reykjavík I ask Svanur how the Icelandic artists compare to their col- “It sort of surprised us. We didn’t really expect Reykja- 552 7800 leagues abroad. vík would be able to support this many shops, but nobody is “Well, we don’t measure up to the world’s finest just yet, but complaining, everybody is working. We have a steady stream Íslenzka húðflúrstofan there is incredible progress being made here. I’ve been doing of customers, so it seems to be working. In the summer time, Hverfisgata 39, 101 Reykjavík this for 13 years and I am constantly getting better. We have it can be difficult to get an appointment and it is hard for us to 552 7913 made a point of going to tattoo conventions in other countries keep up. It is slower in the winters for some reason, during the and bring quality guest artists to our shop, people we can learn winter we get more people who are coming in for larger pieces J.P. Tatto from. That is really the only way to improve, work with, and that take many sessions to finish.” Laugavegur 54, 101 Reykjavík learn from, someone who is better than you.” But he doesn’t see the competition as a bad thing. Rather, it 551 9070 And what does it take to be a successful tattoo artist? brings out the best in the Icelandic artists. “Dedication. You have to be really occupied with tattooing “The key to being a good tattoo artist is healthy competition House of Pain 24/7. I usually wake up in the morning to make my needles, and the ambition to be the best,” he says. “Iceland is a very small Laugavegur 45, 101 Reykjavík in the afternoon I come into the shop and tattoo, and in the market so there is a lot of competition here, everybody wants to 555 4015 evenings I draw and design tattoos for my clients.” be the best. The Icelandic artists are progressing a lot because of “It also helps to be open to new things, be humble,” he tells the competition here. You never stop learning in this business. I Tattoo 69 me. “As soon as you start thinking you know it all, you are not have met people who have been doing this for over 30 years and Laugavegur 69, 101 Reykjavík going to learn new things. There is always room for improve- they are still learning new things.” 551 7955 ment.” For Búri, professionalism is very important, and he takes his

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HZeiZbWZgi]gdj\]BVni]Z\j^YZYidjg^hdôZgZYZkZgnBdcYVn DeZc ZkZgn YVn [gdb =kZg[^h\ViV&* &&Vbid*eb iZa/*)*&)%% VcY;g^YVnVi(/(%eb# lll#i]_dYbZcc^c\#^h 40 GRAPEVINE ALBUM REVIEWS

Fantastic Four Jet Black Joe Ókind Original Melody Full Circle Hvar í Hvergilandi Worth three beers. Worth three beers. Worth three beers.

“Not too much stress...simple song on the entire album (23 Despite its tendency to veer back-to-back at the end, so Hvar Í Hvergilandi has a split stunning brilliance of songs rhythms, nice melodies...just tracks in all) sounds like it towards insipid clichés and you can just eject the CD personality. It is at times a like Ó, Ég, Illar Dylgjur and makes me feel good, you know was made by an Icelandic hip- some very dumb lyrics, Jet after the first ten songs and focused, soaring and lyrically Hraðlestrarnámskeið that what I’m sayin’?”...or so quoth hop band, but rather by an Black Joe’s return to the be quite satisfied. Other than perceptive piece of apocalyptic they feel entitled to push an anonymous gentleman established American act. studio is tight, powerful and the brainless ending that cost rock blessed with the ability their luck with the drabness in a sample in the closing But I digress. Original Melody inspirationally short, relying them an entire beer, Full to veer from finely-crafted of songs like Sem Hreyfast, moments of the third track, is a good album, faultless mostly on straightforward Circle is laced with sandy, fanciness to scathing, angst- Verst Klædda Stjarna and he’s pretty much right on and solid and containing rock melodies and brisk bare-stripped guitar hooks, ridden forthrightness in no Ársins and Þetta Númer the money. But while they are its share of strong tracks performances rather than carnivorous riffs and ethereal time flat, while at other times Er Upptekið, but, whatever definitely melodious – laid- (Do What You Gotta Do!, succumbing to the complacent vocal overdubs, and is a it seems somehow lost in its the case may be, Hvar Í back beats sampled from jazz, Imagination) and what I narcissism most of their particularly satisfying return own landscape, as if Ókind is Hvergilandi is a winner, ragtime and such coupled interpret as banality may contemporaries have sunk to form for Jet Black Joe, as being stretched to the limit by an unstoppable cascade of with easygoing sequencers and just be their interpretation to, and even outdoes many sure to gladden old fans as it is its members’ excessive musical musical hedonism good synthesisers form the basis of of professionalism, but for younger bands. It’s also nice to surprise skeptics. indulgence. Perhaps they are enough to get away with it. their music – Fantastic Four now it seems like Fantastic that the only truly bad songs simply so contented with the have yet to live up to the first Four are content with on the album should be put half of their name, and it is simply contributing to the a telling statement on their scene instead of pushing its belief in originality and being boundaries. themselves that not a single

Islands Adem Sólstafir Return to the Sea Love and Other Planets Masters of Bitterness Worth one beer. Worth 1/2 beer. Worth two beers.

With members sporting band ever; it practically sounds What a terrible name for an Moon and Last Transmission Sólstafir present a somewhat of a dying man betrayed by his names as pretentious as like a compilation of Indie pop album. Oh well, at least it’s From The Lost Mission offer outdated vision of metal with own kin, and the cavernous Neil Diamonds and J’aime from 2000 to present. Don’t more interesting than the breaks from the monotony this, their first full-length guitars seem to echo through Tambour, one would have get me wrong though, it’s not music on it. Bland, indecisive with a little rhythmic album, with dissatisfyingly the halls of an abandoned expected something a little bad: Songs like Where There’s acoustic lo-fi folk sludge experimentation (that doesn’t shallow sounds and chords, mountain castle littered with more gripping from Islands, A Will and lengthy Ones riddled with half-hearted make them good songs, mind but still manage to convey cobweb-strewn skeletons. but they seem to be content have all the makings of Indie sappiness, it drifts through you), and the title track’s their chosen imagery of frozen Excessive and wholesome, to rely on their reputations classics, but do we really need its forty-odd minutes with yearning vocals do betray a Northern wastes populated but doesn’t quite hit the spot as former members of Indie another soundtrack to some the enthusiasm of a kidney- hint of passion. Otherwise, only by the souls of the somehow, perhaps owing ‘greats’ The Unicorns instead chubby hipsters’ basement stone sufferer on his way to this is about as boring as it damned fairly well. The songs to the rough and diluted of making an album that apartment red wine-and-weed the bathroom. Only You And gets. are of hypnosis-inducing production. doesn’t sound like every Indie party? Forgettable. length, the screams are those

Psapp Miri Mugison The Only Thing I Ever Fallegt þorp Little Trip Wanted Worth four beers. Worth four beers. Worth one beer.

Wordless progressive noise and disconnected sound Mugison’s sonic companion in exasperation, intriguing, Exactly what you’d expect the absolute worst ever: A mixed with a surprisingly make for excellent hangover to Baltasar Kormákur’s most inviting and altogether from a pair of young women sudden transformation into a warm pallet of emotions music, a slow, hazy waft recent attempt at filmmaking something to smile about. obsessed with cats, cheesy conventional pop album for and laced with intricate, that makes you think of a is rather like Ally Sheedy’s Also interesting is the album’s synthesisers and vapid two of the last three songs, mesmerising and often sunbeam hitting cigarette character in The Breakfast firm cock-rock opener, Go sonic gimmickry: Awful. perhaps raising hope for stunningly beautiful guitar smoke through a window. A Club: Moody, tormented, Blind, easily Mugison’s best The beer goes to the only future releases. work, Fallegt Þorp is a true fine effort, spoiled only by dirty, unpredictable and while song yet and hopefully the thing saving it from being gem, the type of EP that the half-heartedness of Hafðu occasionally so pretentiously shape of things to come for leaves you wishing for a full- Gætur Á Mér, but otherwise quirky that it makes one groan him. length release. The oddly unassailable. vacant chord progressions

Guide to the rating system: In prison, you deal in cigarettes. In Iceland, you deal in beers. We don’t condone this, we just accept it as fact. One beer = 500 ISK at the seedy bars we frequent. That means a mainstream release costs uo to 2500 ISK... or $40. Yes that much. That’s why we do the beer thing. 42

16 hotels NONNI OG MANNI YDDA / sia.is NM12339 Tel. (+354)444 4000 around iceland

Energy for life through forces of nature

whO Iggy Pop and www.bluelagoon.com the Stooges where Reykjavík Art Museum Welcome to Iceland – Welcome to SPA City Reykjavík whEN May 3rd 2006

Eleven Reasons to Visit Reykjavík’s much as anything else. That might have been a wise sarcastically deadpanned, “yeah right, the most literate French Kisses and Fucking Media People move as the auditorium was not really fit as an audito- nation in the world.” Thermal Pools and Baths rium, so a little was lost in the form of acoustics. By the fourth song, Iggy announced, “I’ve had Reduces stress. Loosens up stiff joints and muscles. Alleviates jet lag. Strengthens the heart and lungs. Cures hangovers. Helps insomnia. Inspires the powers of imagination. By Sveinn Birkir Björnsson | Photo by Skari Despite that, there was no denying their profes- enough of this shit! Get up here!” Fortifies the body. Improves moods. Soothes the mind. And, they are the right place to meet Reykjavík residents and get reliable information about what’s happening in the city. sionalism. From the first song onwards, they were His words were directed at the crowd, and along At 30 years of age, I am easily in the oldest tenth blazing with authoritative riffs and energetic presence. with his roadie, he assisted people in climbing over the percentile at most shows I attend. But not at Iggy and The added bonus was the fact that the Stooges current safety fence to join Iggy in a dance on stage. www.spacity.is the Stooges. People in attendance were more or less bass player is the veteran Mike Watt, formerly of the By the fifth song, he demanded the lights be three generations removed from the median concert Minutemen, an institution by himself in the alternative turned on so he could see the people in the back. audience, with a certain number of industry insiders rock scene. When the lights didn’t instantly appear, he thundered, in attendance, suggesting that an Iggy Pop concert Only two weeks removed from his 59th birthday, “obey my command, or there is going to be a fucking demands respect. His presence should not be taken Iggy Pop was every bit as crude as he has ever been. incident.” Sadly, the lights were turned on, since I lightly. His first act on stage was to raise his middle finger and would much rather have witnessed “the incident.” Dr. Spock opened the show with their usual fanfa- direct it towards the people in the expensive seats upon For nearly two hours, Iggy managed to entertain re. As customary, their show was more about the looks the balcony. There was no mistaking the message, but a crowd that most likely had not felt so alive since the and the attitude than it was about the music. On that I am not entirely sure what exactly he expected from sometime during first half of the cold war. note, they set the tone perfectly for the evening, plus this crowd of baby boomers. In the last few years, Icelanders have been blessed they unveiled a new polka song—an unusual genre for Shortly thereafter he caught a glimpse of a poor with the presence of Echo and the Bunnymen, Alice a hard rock band, but Dr. Spock specialize in unusual. bastard wearing a V.I.P. pass. “You must be a member Cooper, Iggy Pop and Megadeath among others. Midway through their set, singer Óttar Proppé, of the press or a politician,” he observed in the microp- With three quarters of The Ramones being dead and aided by a mild underscore from the keyboard player, hone, and continued, “both kinds of people I FUC- a comeback almost effectively out of the picture, and delivered a confessional song about French kissing an KING HATE.” Mötorhead, Roger Waters and Iain Anderson all due old man. Considering that Óttar was at the time half He followed this up by kicking a photographer’s to play in Iceland this summer, I guess all we have left naked, wearing only pink glimmer disco pants and camera. By then, music had unmistakably taken a is to bring in Ozzy for the circle to be complete. high-heeled boots, and that he is not really a young backseat to attitude. Although bringing in past greats may be a nice man himself, the recital stirred imagery in my head The Stooges opened the show strongly, with many gesture from a historical and perhaps humanitarian that I could have lived without. of their best-known songs, like I Wanna Be Your Dog, standpoint, I wish Icelandic promoters would set their Dr. Spock continued with a strip show that might 1969, and No Fun, delivered rapid fire. I guess that aim a little higher and perhaps offer us something of have stolen the thunder from a lesser band, but Iggy is a common problem with old people-- they tend to relevance for the time and age. Modernity is now, not and the Stooges are veterans of sex, drugs and rock climax too early. 30 years ago. and roll, and were not about to be outshined by men in By the third song, Iggy did his first of many stage That being said, I still enjoyed Iggy. And word ladies clothes with apparent gender issue complexes. dives of the night. He then handed his microphone off is out that Dweezil Zappa visits Iceland June 6th to Iggy took the stage with a storm. Half naked, tan to a member of the audience in an invitation to get a perform with the Frank Zappa Band. However that and with streaks in his hair, he looked like a me- message across. The patron in question let out a real factors in. trosexual punk god. Much like the opening act, Iggy genuine “aaarrghh” gnarl, reminiscent of the Wilhelm and the Stooges seemed to be aiming for attitude as Scream. When he recovered his microphone, Iggy Pop 44

It may not be the newest release on the market, but Battlefield 2 is one seriously hot game and as more expansion packs are in the pipeline it’s set to continue to be one of the most popular online games out there. Essentially a follow up to the tremendously successful Battlefield: 1942 and Battlefield: icelandgiftstore.com Vietnam, Battlefield 2 is a modern combat simulation designed for co-operative online play. You pick a side, a map and a weapons class, and then you head out into an un- predictable and unscripted war zone full of equally ambitious and bloodthirsty armchair soldiers as yourself. Your mission, and you Ewe won´t regret it... have no choice but to accept it: capture several strategic points on the map, each indicated by a flag and surrounded by angry enemy soldiers who want your flagpoints just as much. What weapons class you choose can have a big impact on the way you play the game. In the original, unmodified game, there are seven: anti-tank, assault, engineer, medic, sniper, special ops and support. If you have a bazooka you are invaluable to your team when that APC or tank comes rumbling over the horizon, but your weedy little machine- gun makes you a liability in a fire fight. intuitive design. Concentrating as one does world of Elder Scrolls. Granted, the open Assault infantry are well armed but poorly PSP for Business on the remarkable screen and sound from ended nature of the game means that you armoured, the engineer and medics fix As I approached a recent interview, and real- the PSP, the over-the-top explosions of Once often have other options: such as using the vehicles and people respectively, the sniper ized that after a lengthy cross-Atlantic flight Upon a Time seemed that much bigger— powers of persuasion, bribery or stealth. It’s obviously snipes, special ops deliver power- I would be expected to hold a coherent con- and, after ten minutes of boring dialogue, just that when you are charged by an army of ful packs of C4 explosives and the support versation, I decited I needed a new method that much more tedious. The same went for role basically means you carry around a lot for coping with my fear of flying—anxiety Jim Carrey’s pyrotechnic acting style. of ammo and a ridiculously overpowered medication is pricey and makes one dopey, After one month with the PSP, I am machinegun that hits nothing but scares the alcohol tends to have an effect on the think- positive the device has a future for travellers, bejeezus out of everyone nearby. In addition, ing process as well. professionals and people with short attention you can apply to be ‘Commander’ of your The solution: the PSP, a personal gaming spans. At present, though, I have yet to see squad, which gives you option of using things unit by Sony. The arguments against buying game and movie titles for the over 20, not in like unmanned aerial vehicles, satellite scans a game system when you’re over the age of need of Visine and brownies, crowd. BC and heavy artillery strikes for the benefit of 20 are many: they are anti-social, they are the grunts on the front lines. dumb, and women, men, professionals, and ...stock up on souvernirs from Iceland. Once you get to grips with the various even most children will look down as you as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion classes and weapons available to you, your a short attention-span goof for tapping away next step is probably going to be to play at a little gismo. around with the military hardware that is However, through experience, I can ar- liberally scattered throughout the playing gue that a PSP can definitely help with social unholy apparitions wielding magical bolts of areas. Anyone can jump into anything, be situations in the same way braces might help fire and whatnot; negotiations are effectively it an enemy helicopter or a friendly jeep, teenagers. True, while you’re playing a PSP over and you’re going to need to whip out a and attempt to raise some vehicular hell. Be you’re in a wasteland, but the little machine weapon of some sort. The weapons at your warned, though, handling some of the more offers a wholly absorbing distraction that disposal are hugely varied, but they mostly impressive machinery (particularly the air- allows you to get through things like delayed fall into two main categories: magical and craft) is trickier than waxing an angry tiger flights and turbulence without reacting—it’s non-magical. Magical weapons include the closest thing you can get to a temporary spells, enchanted daggers and such, while the lobotomy. more traditional medieval tools of destruc- My test with a PSP was fascinating even tion are all there as well. OK, so people in before I put the disk into the machine. For the Middle Ages may not have actually fash- starters, a PSP has a web browser and excel- ioned weapons and armour from the bones of lent wireless modem. In a café, I was able to trolls, but the design-theme is there. check email, get songs off of Myspace, and All in all, Elder Scrolls IV is a fantastic read the Reykjavík Grapevine online. RPG, but not a game that is going to win The games themselves seemed, at first, many new devotees to the genre. It’s a hard- limiting. A PSP is meant to be played in a core RPG outing and will no doubt please somewhat social setting—I did not want to the Elder Scrolls fan base no end, packing in be the guy playing a sniper game, or, for that The Elder Scrolls is a popular series of RPGs more quests, spells, options and refinements matter, Grand Theft Auto, on an airplane. (role playing games) set in its own fantasy than you could shake a very large ‘Level 4 Still, I couldn’t resist picking up the adven- world, albeit one heavily based on a variety Enchanted Stick of Shaking’ at. Just don’t ture title X-Men Legends 2. of other RPG universes that all seem to owe expect to be pampered or led by the hand X-Men is a platform game, meaning it a great deal to the Tolkien mythos. The vast through the experience: this is serious nerd 1 store in the Center of Akureyri in heat – so chances are your early forays is something like Super Mario Brothers, in game world is populated with a variety of territory. into military aviation will simply make you which you guide your heroes throughout elves, mages, warriors, animated skeletons, deeply unpopular amongst your team mates. Ráðhústorg Skipagata maze-type activities, breaking random crap golems, vampires and the like – all playing Don’t worry, though, someone always has and fighting bad guys. Designed by Activi- major or minor roles in the open-ended story Battlefield 2 Hofsbót to be “that guy” who drops the 500 pound Skipagata sion, the game includes digital comic books, the player is participating in. In the latest Hafnar bomb on his team’s victory flag – just call it a and various side games and distractions— instalment, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the tribute to the American Airforce. enough for someone bored with the idea of sheer scale and detail of the surrounding stræti In conclusion: if you used to play with actually gaming to keep focused and happy. environment has been taken to new levels. toy soldiers and/or simply love the smell Having invested the bulk of two layovers into The first thing that strikes you about of napalm in the morning, Battlefield 2 is X-Men, I have come nowhere near winning Oblivion is the fact that your computer sucks. the online gaming experience for all your the game or unlocking many characters, and If you’re not packing some serious NASA- 2 stores in the Center of Reykjavík adrenaline junky needs. This isn’t Doom, I have no interest in continuing to battle, style hardware, you’re going to be scaling so forget about running around dungeons at even if I enjoy freezing things as the uber-fey down the graphics options quite a bit from æti 50 miles per hour, shooting up supernatural Haf superhero Iceman. But the game has dis- the highest settings. That being said, the narstræti entities and aliens with ray guns. Battlefield You can find our stores at Reykjavik Center, Akureyri and Keflavik Airport. ólfsstr tracted well. Grapevine reviewed the game on an AMD Hve depicts modern combat, pure and unadulter- rfis Ing The main draw on the PSP, though, is Athlon 64 with half a gigabyte of memory gat ated military pornography in every respect. a the selection and quality of the movie titles. and managed to get a decent performance a Ban And just like regular pornography, you don’t kastræ The handheld device functions extremely out of it, but to keep it looking really pretty gat have to be pro-war to suspend your disbelief jar ti well as a digital movie player. Sadly, in our we had accept a fairly low frame rate during and revel in the fantasy of being there and A great selection of souvenirs... Læk Laug test run, I purchased Once Upon a Time in some of the larger battles. doing that. Repeatedly. GHJ av. Mexico and Fun with Dick and Jane. The Speaking of battles, you’re going to have to put any pacifistic tendencies aside and do first ten minutes of each demonstrated PSP’s By Bart Cameron and Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson incredible resolution, excellent sound, and some fighting if you want to survive in the 46

Þingvellir TAKE THE WARMTH WITH YOU! Open: Monday - Friday:

Mosfellsbær 9:00 - 18:00

Summer Means Waxing By Ketill the Angry Saturdays: 9:00 - 16:00

I am hairy. More so, in fact, than any other higher Fashion always moves in cycles though. I realise order primate. I imagine this quality is some sort of a that one day, bodily hair will not be a burden to me, THE MODERN VIKING FOOD TIP Darwinian response to the harsh climate, or I would, but an actual fashion accessory. Lord knows that were it not that the majority of my countrymen are facial hair has taken off – as demonstrated by my own Summer is for Carbs without body hair. In any case, I have body hair, and impeccably groomed beard, which I grew in a long Summer is the only season that Ketill dares to indulge body hair is a mess to work with when it comes to weekend. Still, even when stranded on an island, in the wheat products, but I have to admit, in the hot fashion. hunks like Matthew Fox are allowed stubble on the summer sun, Ketill goes for the carbs. Until you’ve had a full body wax treatment, chin, but the chest is all but bare. All you protein freaks, you know you miss the you will never fully appreciate the horrendous pain Still, I have hope that one day chest hair will sandwich, or just the roll or croissant. A piece of fish involved in proper manly grooming. I’m not here come ‘round, and this hope makes my trips to the simply feels indecent when snacking at a cosy café, or to one-up the Brazilian Bikini Wax, but from ear beauty salon to get waxed seem worth it. Because when chatting with friends over a fresh, fruity wine. to pinky toe, I deal with 45 minute power-waxing when that day comes, I will have the upper hand. It So Ketill recommends carbs yes, fat no. You can Design: Sjáaldur auga míns 2006 / Photo: Hallgrímur Kristinsson sessions on a regular basis. The nipples are ex- is a lot easier for me to have bodily hair removed than still go with lean cuts of meat, but dodge the Atkins tremely sensitive, I’ll tell you that much. Interestingly it will be for guys with no hair on their chest to have influence. enough, though, having hair removed from you but- it surgically implanted once they make a comeback. Grafarvogur - Bridge - Grafarholt tocks is not so much painful as it is awkward. Take that Brad Pitt. THE MODERN VIKING FASHION TIP Reykjavík Yet, this is something that society calls for. Just HYDROGEN as the rules of thirty years ago pronounced a faux pas Short Shorts on white linen suits after labour day, it is impossible Summer is around the corner, so it is time to bring to wear a white wife beater with bodily hair bulging out the shorts. This summer it is all about cut-offs, underneath it like shoulder pads. Even an Oxford Tobias Fünke style. Keep them short (they are called button-down is indecent when the natural turtleneck shorts for a reason) as to reveal more of that muscular appears at the top. This is to say nothing of exercise and finely tanned thigh, and carefully trim the loose gear: if Ketill had a krona for every time he’s been end at the hems. This is no longer the age of the asked about his lopa peysa while rollerblading shirt- boxer shorts, and you should demonstrate that less, he would be a rich man. your boys are with it, and well housed. Most importantly, bodily hair significantly im- A V-neck T-Shirt will also go well with Since 1896 pairs my tribal tattoo designs. shorts. It is nicely underscores you hairless I have tried other ways in my battle against bodily chest and allows you to reveal the obligatory hair. For a while, I amused myself and (mostly) others dog-tag necklace. Álafossvegur 23 - Mosfellsbær Wool & Souvenirs Shop by shaping different forms by trimming and combing Tel. 566 6303 - www.alafoss.is in a Country Village near the city the hair on my chest. In an episode of Queer Eye For A Straight Guy, Kyan, the grooming specialist – and my hero – offered the advice that correct trimming of bodily hair could be used to accentuate, or even give the illusion of a more muscular body. Being a big fan of Kyan’s, I’ve followed his advise, with mixed results. A mix of Bed Head hair mud and standard issue mouse gave me pecs that rivalled Arnold in his Mr. Universe days, but, overall, I’d have to say that trim- ming and gelling is not a good option. It only keeps the hair at bay for short period of time, and the more you trim it the faster it grows. Trimming also does weird things for my tan. The thicker hair acts like a sunscreen when I visit a so- larium, and sort of like an umbrella when I get a spray tan. The effect is that I get these weird streaks in my tanning. Streaks are very uncool. Which leaves us with waxing as the only realistic option. It seems so long ago, but once a hairy chest was actually thought to be manly AND fashionable. Sean Connery was a sex symbol, despite the hair on his shoulders. Burt Reynolds in a buttoned down shirt with his chest hairs poking out used to make women shiver. Instead, my generation has Brad Pitt and David Beckham. And that guy who does the gardening for Eva Longoria’s character on Desperate Housewives. I really wish that guy would just keep his shirt on. 48 hGrapevinehonhtourh:hCaliforniaroomm Grapevine on tour : California

Clear View of the Future Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Finds a Voice

by electric lights, (anna ehl and josh loar) photos by josh loar

As the landscape of music purchasing changes brought to full Technicolor life onstage. In should be. Sadly, this seemed to be the case red over the stage. The pyramid was used increasingly from record shops to iTunes and addition to being a band of crack musicians, with this year’s set by Massive Attack. We have as a projection surface from inside and out, other online download sources, an interesting the group dressed as characters from the Wi- been Massive Attack fans for many years, but allowing light to glow from within and strange fact has been revealed: most of us like all kinds zard of Oz, with Cee-Lo as “Mee-Lo the Not- their show at Coachella was sleep-inducing. psychedelic visuals to appear on the outside. A of music. We have become shuffle-heads. We So-Cowardly-Lion.” Combining electronics They stood absolutely still, and did not play problem that electronic acts traditionally face want to hear our alt-country butted up against and live instrumentation to execute songs that with much energy. The much-hyped addition in translating their music to American crowds our dirty south rap, and if we don’t, we get bo- in themselves blend rock, soul, funk, techno, of Madonna to this year’s festival was justified is the lack of stage show. Daft Punk captivated red—the genre-faithful approach of traditional and hip hop was quite an impressive feat. We as the addition of a world-class dance act to the even those too shy to dance to their beats. radio is what is rapidly killing it. Coachella can’t remember that last time we saw a stage bill, but proved to be little more than spectacle The way that we listen to music has Valley Music and Arts Festival, in Indio, Ca- show so captivating (though Basement Jaxx for the pop music fans in the crowd. changed, and continues to change. This both lifornia, has become the most successful of the with a full band, Dizzee Rascal, and dancers in Not that spectacle is a bad thing. Daft reflects and effects the way that music is being American music festivals by anticipating this gorilla costumes two years earlier at Coachella Punk played what became the most came- made, and the way it is being performed live. change. Launched in 1999 (two years before does come to mind.) Musicians like Gnarls ra-phone videoed set of the weekend in that The record industry is faltering because they the launch of iPod), Coachella has become a Barkley and UK soul/electronic sensation same dance tent by assaulting the audience have not quite figured out the new mold, but fairly accurate barometer of what is, was, or Jamie Lidell, who performed earlier in the with some of the most astounding visuals we Coachella seems to have it down. Hip-hop will be loved by hipsters across America. same venue, understand that music is about had ever encountered, coupled with dynamic next to folk, electronic next to metal, and even- Between the two of us, we have seen 5 of communication. If a musician can communi- remixing of their beloved catalogue. The pair tually, it’s all just rock and roll. the last 7 Coachellas, 3 of them together. Over cate effectively with their audience, it doesn’t arrived inside of a giant pyramid that towe- the years we have witnessed countless perfor- really matter how they manage to do it. mances by some of the luminaries of modern Lidell’s show was much more minimal Hornafjörður er blómstrandi samfélag í ríki Vatnajökuls. Auk stórkost- music on a large dusty polo field, and one thing than Gnarls’, featuring only him, a rack of legrar náttúru og útsýnis sem á sér vart hliðstæðu er á Hornafi rði að fi nna has become very clear: the future of music electronics, and his silly dancer/hype man. fjölbreytta þjónustu og afþreyingu fyrir ferðamenn s.s. hótel, veitingahús, lies in the destruction of genre altogether. No Lidell built his music in front of us. He would tjaldstæði, verslanir, sundlaug, söfn og sýningar, golfvöll og margt fl eira. festival in our experience has ever proven this start beatboxing, sample a four bar section of Hornafjörður er því sannkölluð ferðamannaparadís. more clearly than this year’s Coachella. his rhythm, and loop it, immediately jumping The most outstanding performances of to a keyboard to set up melodies to go with it. the festival came from those who were actively As soon as he had backing tracks created/se- attempting to cross boundaries. As we watched quenced, he would begin singing, and his show Bay Area rapper Murs with 9th Wonder, changed from electronic wizardry to classic Jöklasýning á Höfn var opnuð 3. júní we saw a teenager in a Gogol Bordello shirt soul-man, complete with James Brown cape 2005 eftir miklar breytingar. Markmið bouncing up and down, and we realized that action from his hype man. Here was a decide- sýningarinnar er að miðla á fjölbreyttan this is the testing ground for the future of po- dly electronic musician whose most effective hátt fróðleik um náttúru landsins og bjóða ferðamönnum upp á áhugaverða pular music. The act that perhaps most clearly stage trick was looking the audience in the eyes afþreyingu allt árið. Sýningin er opin alla demonstrated this genre-crossing is one that is and singing very well. virka daga frá október til apríl. Daglegur already a sensation in the UK, and is about to In addition to newly-hip acts, Coachella opnunartími er frá byrjun maí til loka drop in the US: Gnarls Barkley. In the studio, is known for returning alternative pleasures of september. Sýningin er opnuð fyrir utan Gnarls is the creation of red-hot beat maker the last 10 to 20 years to the stage. Sometimes hina auglýstu opnunartíma þegar þess er Danger Mouse and ex-Goodie Mob soul this is a great success, such as with the Pixies’ óskað. madman Cee-Lo Green. Live, the pair was recent reunion and excellent Coachella set Jöklasýning joined by a full band including strings, horns, two years ago, and this year’s Digable Planets á Höfn and backup singers. return with full live band. Sometimes this turns www.joklasyning.is We had heard a couple of Gnarls’ singles into the more predictable tired sounding oldies on Myspace prior to the show, and they were set by a band whose chops are not what they

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Outside Reykjavík Hvalfjörður

Experience Viking-Age Reykjavík at the new Settlement Exhibition. The focus of the exhibition is an excavated longhouse site which dates from the 10th century Step into AD. It includes relics of human habitation from about 871, the oldest such site found in Iceland.

Multimedia techniques bring Reykjavík’s past to life, providing visitors with insights into how people lived in the Viking Age, and what the Reykjavík the Viking Age environment looked like to the first settlers.

The Settlement Exhibition 871±2 opens on 12 May 2006 at Adalstraeti 16.

Reykjavík City Museum

www.reykjavik871.is

Mind the Menacing Bumblebees Rock climbing in Hvalfjörður

by sindri eldon photos by skari

I don’t see anything wrong with the fact that ered in flaky, dried moss and altogether very in front of you, it doesn’t really occur to you cally a point about twenty feet up on the face rock climbing is considered a pastime activity, dissimilar from the Gotham City skyscrapers. that you’re steadily gaining altitude, and my where the hook was. I took a short, panicked rather like how I don’t see anything wrong I was also forced to wear rubber ballet slippers downward glance and subsequent realisation breath and tried to enjoy my view despite my with pouring milk onto bricks in the hope that made thong underwear seem loose-fit- that if I fell I could possibly sprain, fracture abject terror. After a moment, I called down that they will alchemically transform into ting and comfortable, and large, menacing or even break something was a difficult mo- to the bottom: diamonds. I don’t see anything wrong with “Um, okay, so how do I get down from it, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense. I got a here?” decent glimpse of the world of the madmen “I was also forced to wear rubber ballet slippers that What happened next can only be de- (and madwomen) that call themselves rock scribed as a leap of faith, where I trusted my climbers when I tried a bit of it myself one made thong underwear seem loose-fitting and comfort- 120 pounds to a thin rope, a man I’d just beautiful afternoon in Hvalfjörður. met and a weird tool he had tied to the rope. I had always imagined rock climbing to able, and large, menacing bumblebees hovered nearby I gingerly made my way down by sitting be a bit like those scenes in the old Bat- very awkwardly in my harness as he steadily man serials with Adam West, where he and with ominous buzzing sounds.” brought me down to the sorely-missed ground Robin fired a grappling hook into the upper below. My hands coarse and aching, my buttresses of a building and climbed steadily bumblebees hovered nearby with ominous ment. knees still shaking and my dignity in tatters, up while discussing their plans once they’d buzzing sounds. But I put those thoughts behind me and I calmly sat down for a cigarette and tried to reached the top. think up an excuse to not go again, while at The rock, as it happened, was one of those the same time waiting very impatiently for weird, random slabs of stone that you find “And amazed as I am to say it, I feel that were I ever of- my next turn, finding it perversely funny how scattered randomly throughout the country- human nature can drive you to do immensely side. It had a nice view of some cabins and a fered to go rock climbing again, there is a better-than- stupid things just because the only alternative semi-distant valley that I was rather enjoying is to feel really dumb for not doing it. when the instructor handed me a harness and average chance that I might not just snort and find And amazed as I am to say it, I feel that said: were I ever offered to go rock climbing again, “So. You wanna go first?” myself something better to do.” there is a better-than-average chance that I I swallowed. “Uh, sure. Why not?” and might not just snort and find myself some- put the harness on. I took the opportunity to do what city realised that my harness was tied through thing better to do. On the contrary, I might I had seen some other climbers on our way kids do best in the countryside, gripe my ass a hook and led straight to the well-muscled even seriously consider going. In fact, I may to our face of the rock, and had by now come off, much to the amusement of the rest of the hands of the instructor, so if I lost my grip, even say yes. to assume that it wasn’t quite as easy as it climbing party below. My experience was the worst thing that could happen was a mild looked. I was not, however, expecting it to be further enriched by what happened when I concussion and the loss of my sense of smell Trip provided by Arctic Rafting, www.arcti- utterly impossible. What little purchase there was about halfway up: I looked down. When when my skull hit the rock. With this in crafting.com. was to be had on the rock face was rough, cov- you’re concentrating that much on what’s mind, I made it to the ‘top,’ which was basi- Discover the wonders of Iceland in a Berg car. ® BERGcar rental Safety all the way!

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Good Morning, Mr. Spencer .VTFVN
by bart cameron photo by ali smith

It’s afternoon here, 9 am in New York. The man on the part of the whole music experience, and it was always other end of the line is a regarded as a hero of rock mu- something that I got off on as a young fan and still do sic, as the man who found and gave RL Burnside and to this day. The artist for the new album is Paul Pope, a Free pickup at your hotel in the Reykjavík area. Mississippi Blues to college kids throughout America, friend of mine. He’s a great comic book artist. Among as the leader of the independent music movement, as other things, he did Batman Year 100 for DC, which I Check for special offers at your hotel the king of the European festival circuit, and, overall, recommend to anybody. And he spent a lot of time with -PDBUFE
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as the living embodiment of rock. He is Jon Spencer, us, got a good feel for the band, and made something and since his first album as the Jon Spencer Blues that represents us.” UFM
 Explosion in 1994, he has been roughly ten years ahead Are comics part of what shapes your sound? of the music industry. On May 26th, he’ll be in Iceland “I like comics books novels, any type of media, for leading the Rockabilly movement with his new band sure. I like talking to the bus driver. The things I do Contact Info: Tel: +354 577 6050 - Fax: +354 567 9195 - Tangarhöfði 8 - www.bergcar.is - [email protected] Heavy Trash. with my family. Everything, from getting older on, it all feeds into what I’m going to write about.” “I’m a busy guy, I got a lot of stuff to do. Let’s get And cars? Rockabilly is traditionally driving music. going with this,” he says, as soon as I introduce myself. “I’m not a car person. I’m not a gear head. I think Mr. Spencer, I was a fan of 1994’s rough and ready tradition is great. But music isn’t real estate, it moves Orange, which sounds like White Stripes with two Jack and it’s fluid. I think one thing that’s weird is the way Whites, when I came upon you and a freakishly precise Rockabilly cats take a hard line. I think that rock n roll Rockabilly guitarist Matt Verta-Ray at a music festival moves. Whether or not anyone else agrees with me, I’m in Norway. How do you go from sloppy and crazy, as an going to take the parts I like best and drop the rest.” aesthetic, to pool shark precision in Verta-Ray. Your treatment of tradition is controversial. The “Well, I do love the way Matt Verta-Ray plays. It’s Reykjavík Grapevine went to the South recently, and just beautiful guitar playing, and that was the reason we found ourselves in an argument at the Delta Blues for heavy trash, the chance to get that sound down on Museum based entirely on you. They said that your vinyl.” seminal album with RL Burnside, A Ass Pocket of And presumably play live? Whiskey, was mean. They said you just got him drunk “I love this music. I love rock n roll. It makes me feel and recorded him, that it disrespected tradition. good to play this kind of music and to play a concert and “I knew RL Burnside. He was a friend. And he have a good time and celebrate something and at the drank a lot more than I ever could. I didn’t introduce RL same time mourn something and just sort of get lost a to alcohol. We didn’t twist his arm at all. little bit and levitate a few feet above the earth.” About the album, we’d been touring together and Levitate above the Earth? messing around together on stage for a while. We were “You just get lost with these shows.” friends and the record was a natural progression. It was I think of Jon Spencer as the Gateway drug, the man Matthew Johnson’s idea to capture what was live and who just takes suburban kids, or college kids, or Euro- what was going on. peans, and shows them all the dark history of American I can understand why some people wouldn’t like music. that record. I think some of the later stuff (Fat Possum “It’s nice to show people that, the other music, but Records) did... I think there are worse things that people it’s not the reason I’m doing this. My reasons are a bit did than what we did.” more selfish. I just want to make records and to play In my opinion, A Ass Pocket demonstrated not just concerts.” that RL was a great blues musician, but that he was still You’re a 20-year veteran of the Indie circuit. Actu- alive and curious in his 70s, and that this whole differ- ally, I guess you invented the Indie circuit—playing your ent, aggressive world of blues was out there. way through Europe as the Jon Spencer Blues Explo- “It’s something that I’m very proud of. The time we sion, across America with your famous blues tours. spent with RL left such a deep mark. It was a very sad “That’s the beauty of it. A lot of people think music thing to lose him. Touring with him, it was a powerful is about business and careers, and I think that you can thing to see people get turned by something that was do it on your own. You don’t have to have money behind very alive.” you. It doesn’t have to be that way. Of course, sure it This is the tradition people see you following and would be nice to have some company give us lot a of developing on. money. I wouldn’t be upset, but everything comes out “I hope so. I think you can look at RL or Charlie in the wash. You can tell, just when some gets up on Feathers or someone who had a real fire in their bones. stage, who will stand the test of time. In concert you can And it was a very particular thing that they did. And separate the wheat from the shaft.” they stuck to it for their entire lives. And that’s some of Well, you’ve got the chops, to say nothing of Matt my favourite stuff.” Verta-Ray. And will you be pushing it like RL, into your 70s. “Yeah, we’ve got chops and we’ve got looks. Take “We’ll see. I don’t think about it. It’s not like 20 that out and make it a pull quote, cause we’re coming to years ago I thought this is going to be my job. I like Iceland to blow some people’s minds.” doing this; I don’t want to do anything else. I still like About the looks, you’re influential in everything to do it, and it still satisfies something, so I’m still doing from the way you dress to the album covers. This new it.” Heavy Trash album, for example. “The way that a recording is presented, it’s a big 54 www.airiceland.is | tel 570 3030 Öskjuhlíð to Gay.is The Grapevine follows the gay Iceland rumour mill

by gunnar hrafn jónsson

In a country largely unfamiliar with the many you can flash your lights to try and tempt the about gay cruising in that area, we drew straws way, if you’re reading this, guys, we hope you Check out our tours uses rest-stops and public toilets can be put to, more timid guys over. Once you make a con- and sent two representatives of the paper to didn’t have a heart attack or spill too much Öskjuhlíðin was for a time the only place in nection and pull over next to someone it’s just hang out in Öskjuhlíð on a relatively warm bong water when the bearded guy suddenly Reykjavík where men could embrace the love a question of who is going to make the first and pleasant evening. We weren’t directly told popped up in your rear view mirror. But, man, that dares not speak its name. Or at least get a move, which car will be used, stuff like that. to take one for the team, but our editor was was it ever funny. in our new 2006 quick shag in the back of a Volkswagen. The There’s not much talking, usually, especially clearly hoping our dedication to the assign- At the end of the day, all our investigative tourists who flock to the Perla would probably with the really nervous closeted types that often ment would overcome minor issues such as efforts got us was a bunch of anecdotes and the be surprised to hear that they were hanging out show up there,” he said, adding that for some our heterosexuality. As it turns out, absolutely definite impression that while the stories are in what could basically be described as a large, reason he was always told Thursdays were the nothing interesting happened – even after I true they are also exaggerated and reek of prej- brochure outdoor bathhouse – but don’t let the locals best day to score at Öskjuhlíðin. G2 had never was left up there alone to listen to an iPod and udice towards gays. As G1 put it: “Öskjuhlíðin fool you. All of us, more or less, have heard heard the Thursday theory, however. smoke cigarettes while wandering around aim- may be notorious for gay sex, but there are stories about the alternative side of Öskjuhlíðin Despite the general public perception of lessly for an hour. Certainly, there were cars. many other out of the way spots where you – and I don’t mean about the wild bunnies that Öskjuhlíðin’s cruisers as middle aged and mar- Certainly, some of them were cruising around can find steamy carfulls of heterosexual, as well famously dredge out a meagre existence in its ried, the Grapevine could find little evidence of suspiciously, but the only one I got a good look as gay couples, every single weekend. Some Contact us, or any rocky and barren landscape. a generation gap. inside was occupied by four ill-kempt stoners people just need a place to screw, after all.” Not surprisingly, however, the Grapevine “Some guys like that scene, others don’t. looking for a place to hit their bong. By the travel agent in Iceland, had a tough time finding someone willing Just like some people like the bar scene while to talk about his secret gay experiences with others loathe it,” said G2. He added: “Of strangers in their cars. A couple of men did course, chat rooms and web pages like einka- for reservations speak to us on the condition of anonymity. Let mal.is have changed things a bit. Some people us call them Guy #1 and Guy #2, both for- even say that ‘Hlíðin’ has simply relocated to merly closeted gay men in their forties. They the internet!” each confirmed the stories as being very firmly With that in mind, our next mission was tel 570 3030 | fax 570 3001 rooted in reality, but weren’t too sure about definitely going to have to be to check out the the current popularity of the place as a cruising gay internet chat channel, #gay.is (it’s internet [email protected] | www.airiceland.is spot. Said Guy #2: “How much cruising goes relay chat, don’t ask us to teach you how to on there? People don’t seem to agree. In fact, use it). Once logged in, however, it became it seems to fluctuate wildly depending on the apparent that this was a hook-up channel, and amount of talk and news coverage on the issue no one was terribly interested in answering our at any given time. When the stories about the questions about Öskjuhlíðin. Penis size was the place become most rampant, that’s when the topic at hand, and no intrusive journalist was guys stop showing up for a while and let things going to be allowed to waltz in and disrupt. cool off.” For anyone curious, 18-19cm seems a popular According to both men, picking someone size in that crowd, but interestingly some up in Öskjuhlíðin may be time consuming but people liked to use inches. An expert later told the ritual is more or less set in stone and so is me this was to make it easier to round off liber- etiquette. According to G1: “It’s not compli- ally – sometimes up to equestrian proportions. cated, you just show up in your car and drive Five inches? Hell, that’s almost nine inches of around for a bit, parking here and there and man meat you got there. just scouting out the area. It doesn’t really mat- To conclude the hellishly difficult task of ter if you have your headlights on or not, but digging up even remotely reliable information

Classified Grapevine Ad Index Accomodation Museums and gallaries It’s the journey Hótel Breiðafjörður 54 Árnesingar Art Museum 35 Hótel Edda 43 The Culture House 40 Hótel Framnes 54 Electric Museum 52 - not the destination Kaldbakskot Guesthouse 54 Fold Gallery 35 Salka Guesthouse 54 Gallery i8 31 Glacier Museum 49 Activities Gljúfrasteinn 31 Blue Lagoon 43 Reykjavík Art Museum 47 City Centre Bookings 56 The Settlement Exhibition 51 City Centre Information 4 Elding Whale Watching 20 Politics Hafsúlan Whale Watching 43 Left Green 15 Þjóðveldisbærinn North Iceland 11 A reconstructed viking farm from the 11´th Spa City 43 Shopping century. Situated in Þjórsárdalur valley, 66 North 3 Only 2 hours drive from Reykjavik. Small approx. 1 1/2 hour from Reykjavík.(Take Cafes, Bars and Restaurants Álafoss Wool 47 and friendly hotel, perfectly located in the route 1, turn off at route 30 and then again 2 Fiskar 28 Cintamani 9 centre of the town, only a few minutes walk at route 32) Opening hours every day from from the beautiful harbour of Stykkishólmur. 10-12 and 13-18. A. Hansen 25 Englatár 29 The hotel offers a splendid view over the Tel. 488-7713 Aktu Takut 32 Húfur Sem Hlægja 37 harbour and Breidafjordur. If our guests Bernhöfts Bakery 35 Icewear 7 ÍSLENSKA AUGLÝSINGASTOFAN/SIA.IS HER 29774 09/2005 need to access Internet they can do so on a Café Roma 5 Rammagerðin 45 fulltime online computer. Hotel guests can play golf without a charge at the towns 9 Café Rósenberg 26 Viking Stragegy Game 51 holes golf course. Food Taxi 21 s. +354-433-2200 Friðrik V 52 Transportation www.prinsvaliant.is Galbi 49 Air Iceland 55 [email protected] Hressó 35 Berg Car Rental 53 O Sushi 36 Budget Car Rental 53 Segafredo 5 Hertz 55 Salka Guesthouse Shalimar 37 Reykjavik Excursion 13 Skipagata 1 Við Tjörnina 29 600 Akureyri Vín og Skel 10 Other services tel: 461-2340 Forex 49 [email protected] Events Icelandic Postal Service 5 Iceland Symphony Orchestra 20 Summer School19 The best and easiest way to get to know the rugged Reykjavík Rocks 17 Reykjavík Tropik 41 beauty of Iceland is simply to have your own car. We are your car rental experts in Iceland. +354 50 50 600 • www.hertz.is WWW.GRAPEVINE.IS Hertz locations in Iceland: Keflavík Airport, Reykjavík, Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Höfn, Egilsstaðir grapevine.is

REYKJAVÍK´S YOUR FREE COPY ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER ISSUE SIX: MAY 19 - june 01

Stuffed with stuff

“Presumably, then, writing: ‘I encourage everyone to violently overthrow the govern- ment and then have a delicious cigarette after- wards’ is not allowed…” Gunnar Hrafn Jónsson on the complexi- ties of Icelandic law, page 5.

“The hardest thing was to be so angry, and yet to be able to write a constructive book, and not get lost in name call- ing, to keep my integrity, although I was not really impartial. The book is created from a lot of an- ger and the main reason behind me writing it was that I was angry.” Andri Snær Magnason on his best-sell- ing critical examination of Iceland’s political structure, Draumalandið, page 24.

“We want to hear our alt-country butted up against our dirty south rap, and if we don’t, we get bored—the genre- faithful approach of traditional radio is what is rapidly killing it.” Electric Lights on the Coachella Valley Music Festival, page 48.

“I had always imagined rock climbing to be a bit like those scenes in the old Batman serials with Adam West, where he and Robin fired a grappling hook into the upper buttresses of a building and climbed steadily up while dis- cussing their plans once they’d reached the top.” Sindri Eldon, moments before he real- izes the difference between rock climb- ing and comic book fantasizing, page 50.