The Puffin and the Panda Examining the Iceland - China Free-trade Agreement The Lonesome Traveller is Out and About • Taking in Belgium • Is There Future For Music? Art Terrorist Returns • Books on the North Atlantic • Reykjavík International Film Festival + info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 15 // Sept 21 - Oct 4 2007 0_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 15_YEAR 05_SEPTEMBER 1_OCTOBER 04 Articles The Reykjavík Grapevine 06 Future Music Vesturgata 5, 101 Reykjavík Interview with Gerd Leonhard www.grapevine.is [email protected] 08 Confessions of an Art-Terrorist, Part II www.myspace.com/reykjavikgrapevine Interview with Sigtryggur Baldursson Published by Fröken ehf. 10 Mount Esja: The New Couple’s Therapy Editorial: +354 540 3600 / [email protected] Advertising: +354 540 3605 / [email protected] 1 Airwaves Countdown Publisher: +354 540 3601 / [email protected] Three Weeks The Reykjavík Grapevine Staff 45 The Saga Museum in Perlan Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / [email protected] Editor: Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / [email protected] Assistant Editors: Steinunn Jakobsdóttir / [email protected] Features Editorial Intern: Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir / [email protected] Marketing Director: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected] 16 Iceland – China Support Manager: Oddur Óskar Kjartansson / [email protected] Art Director: Gunnar Þorvaldsson / [email protected] Photographer: Gunnlaugur Arnar Sigurðsson / [email protected] Music & Nightlife Contributing writer: Ian Watson / www.ianwatson.org Sales Director: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / [email protected] 0 Something Worth Hyping About Distribution: Samúel Bjarnason / [email protected] Franz Ferdinand at NASA Proofreader: Jim Rice 0 Who Needs Oxygen, Anyways? Press releases: [email protected] Sköllfest at TÞM Submissions inquiries: [email protected] Subscription inquiries: +354 540 3605 / [email protected] 1 The Cornell Challenge General inquiries: [email protected] Chris Cornell at Laugardalshöll The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly 19 CD Reviews from November through April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure Outside Reykjavík that all information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details may be subject to change. The Reykjavík Grapevine can be found in Reykjavík, Akureyri, 14 Across the Country in 40 Days Egilsstaðir, Selfoss, Keflavík, Ísafjörður, Kárahnjúkar and at key locations around Adventures of the Lonesome Traveller, Leg 1 road #1 and at all major tourist attractions and tourist information centres. 22 Belgium, an Unlikely Choice You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored. (No articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not 5 A Day at the Mall the advertisers’). 6 Destinations Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 30.000 copies. info. B1 Listings B5 An Everyday Extraordinary Cover illustration by: Mary Ellen Mark’s Extraordinary Child at the National Museum of Iceland Sara Riel B6 Reykjavík International Film Festival Preview B7 CD Reviews B10 Food Reviews Boston, Hornið & Domo B1 Shopping B15 Five Classic Books About Moving to the North Atlantic The Puffin and the Panda Examining the Iceland - China Free-trade Agreement Book Review The Lonesome Traveller is Out and About • Taking in Belgium • Is There Future For Music? Art Terrorist Returns • Books on the North Atlantic • Reykjavík International Film Festival + info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 15 // Sept 21 - Oct 4 2007 From the Editor’s Chair This issue is the last of our summer issues. during the summer (the summer issues are coast to coast. He is back. And he is ready That means we will accept the inevitable win- more or less done in one week) means that to tell his story. His Walden will be published ter, and instead of bringing you a new issue we often don’t have time to spend on stories in six to eight installments over the next few every two weeks, from now until May, we that we find interesting, but would require issues. will bring you one new issue a month. Obvi- a longer work period. The winter is our op- I suggest everyone read the interview ously, that does not include our daily pub- portunity to follow such stories. But enough with Gerd Leonhard on page six. Gerd is a lication during the Airwaves festival, which about next issue, let’s talk about this issue. forward thinker who has incredibly intelli- is something worth being excited about. I’m Iceland – China free-trade agreement gent things to say about the future of mu- psyched at least. has been subject to some speculation for a sic distribution. His point of view is similar to Next issue, you might notice some chang- few months. This issue, Ian Watson takes that of Lawrence Lessig, the author of Free es to the paper. We will use this period to the difficult challenge of examining what the Culture, a book that everyone should read. do some fine-tuning, go over what has been agreement actually entails. Exiting stuff, I’ll (Download it from the Internet, it is free.) working this summer, and what not. We will tell you. change the look somewhat, to bring you a The Lonesome Traveller is actually a per- May you live in interesting times. fresh and exciting Grapevine this winter. son; he is a little different from the rest of Content wise, there will probably be us, obviously, for he elected to stay up in the some changes as well. The quick turnaround highlands for over 40 days, walking from 04_RVK_GV_15_007_LETTERS Re: Icelandic Referees Referees play an important role in any sport. Soccer is not the exception. Sour Grapes They are in charge of justice on the pitch. However justice does not wear a blindfold on the soccer fields in Iceland. The men in Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to [email protected]. black are unfair, not to mention partial to teams and players. Some footballers viciously and maliciously come after some Re: Icelandic Referees violence. opponents trying to take Referees play an important role in any sport. Soccer is Illegal drugs are available to buy 24hours a day on the them out of the game without any regard of fair play, much not the exception. street and at every school ground. less the safety of the player. They are in charge of justice on the pitch. However Maybe on the street right in front of the Mayors of- It is in these circumstances that the referees wear the blind- justice does not wear a blindfold on the soccer fields fice. folds. They see only what they want to see. in Iceland. The men in black are unfair, not to mention Could it just be, that the old daytime street drinking A vivid example that illustrates the point I am trying to get partial to teams and players. guys are smarter then the Mayor. across is Alicia Wilson who plays for KR. She is a very talented Some footballers viciously and maliciously come after People in Demark will have good joke on this one.--- and skillful player, and I believe whoever has seen her play some opponents trying to take The joke is on the Mayor of Reyjavík. would agree with me. She is also the fastest and quickest play- them out of the game without any regard of fair play, er in Iceland. Moreover, these qualities have become Alicia’s much less the safety of the player. Jonas Thor worst nightmare. Opponent players come after her in every It is in these circumstances that the referees wear the Gozo, Malta game trying to take her out of the game by any means, and blindfolds. They see only what they want to see. the man in charge of justice is nowhere to be found. A vivid example that illustrates the point I am trying to Alicia is passionate about the game, but she is by no means get across is Alicia Wilson who plays for KR. She is a Dear Jonas, a dirty player. She is an example and many should learn from very talented and skillful player, and I believe whoever her. has seen her play would agree with me. She is also the Obviously, Icelandic alcohol regulations do not com- There are five components in soccer, technical, physical, tacti- fastest and quickest player in Iceland. Moreover, these pare favourably to Danish alcohol regulations. Or may- cal, psychological, and the regulations of the game. Aggres- qualities have become Alicia’s worst nightmare. Oppo- be that depends on the viewpoint, I don’t know. But I sion has never been part of the sport, and when it takes place, nent players come after her in every game trying to don’t think the Mayor gave this much thought at all. It it is punished. However this rule is not applicable when KR take her out of the game by any means, and the man was a reflex action when some one yelled fire! number 7 is attacked, and if she responds in any way she is in charge of justice is nowhere to be found. Editor Alicia is passionate about the game, but she is by no means a dirty player. She is an example and many should learn from her. We spoke to someone in the editorial department last There are five components in soccer, technical, physi- week about the changing face of Reykjavik. We have cal, tactical, psychological, and the regulations of the been travelling to Iceland since the early 90’s, some- game. Aggression has never been part of the sport, times twice a year and we have always enjoyed spend- and when it takes place, it is punished.