Issue 15 × 2014 September 26 - October 9 YOUR FREE COPY THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE, TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT IN ICELAND Icelandic hip hop is breakin'! TRAVEL ART FILM VOLCANO POLITICS We LOVE There’s Pop Vomit RIFF rock In search of... Meet your to tölt all over the place? new mayor Complete Lots of Download the FREE Grapevine Appy Hour app! Reykjavík Listings cool events Every happy hour in town in your pocket. + Available on the App store and on Android Market. The Reykjavík Grapevine The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 1 — 2011 2 Issue 14 — 2014 2Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík www.grapevine.is [email protected] Editorial | Anna Andersen Published by Fröken ehf. www.froken.is Member of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association www.saf.is You Probably Just Want To Read Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies. Editor In Chief: Haukur S Magnússon / [email protected] About The Eruption, Huh? Editor: Anna Andersen / [email protected] Journalist: th John Rogers / [email protected] Anna’s 48 Editorial Journalist & Listings editor Tómas Gabríel Benjamin / [email protected] Editorial: +354 540 3600 / [email protected] landic guide and a spe- Advertising: The biggest news from +354 540 3605 / [email protected] Iceland these days is cial permit. For most +354 40 3610 undoubtedly the erup- people the only way to TRACK OF Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / [email protected] tion. Of course it’s not see it is from above, and +354 540 3601 / [email protected] everyday that a volcano companies are charg- Contributing Writers: THE ISSUE erupts. But it’s hardly ing many hundreds of Björn Teitsson Davíð Roach a once-in-a-lifetime euros for the opportu- Elliot Brandsma event either. Holuhraun nity (pro tip: you can Boogie Trouble “Augnablik” Hildur María Friðriksdóttir Kári Tulinius is actually the fourth spend a lot less on a Larissa Kyzer Icelandic volcano to flight between Reykja- Óli Dóri Óskar Bragi erupt in the last four vík and Egilsstaðir and Disco-infused Boogie Trouble are back Paul Fontaine years, and it’s been you’ll have a fairly good in action after a year-long hiatus and are Ragnar Egilsson Teresa Bergen hurling lava for nearly a chance of seeing it). getting ready to release their debut album. Disappointing as Editorial Interns: month now. Their first single off the album, “Augnab- Elín Rós / [email protected] Sprawled across it is, there is good rea- lik,” features a simple melody and a clean Melissa Coci / [email protected] Saskia Vallendar / [email protected] three seats on a half- son for closing the area arrangement reminiscent of the ‘70s. The Art Director: empty flight back to off to the public. The lyrics are about the search for true love Hörður Kristbjörnsson / [email protected] Layout: Iceland shortly after gases being released are with all the uncertainties involved, and the Hrefna Sigurðardóttir the latest eruption be- no joking matter. If you band even breaks out love’s truest instru- Photographers: Axel Sigurðarson / www.axelsig.com gan, I found myself plan to sneak in (note: ment, the saxophone, for a dramatic solo. If Matthew Eisman / www.mattheweisman.com wondering if it was an painting “Icelandic it weren’t for singer Klara Arnald’s cheerful Nanna Dís / www.nannadis.com Sales Director: unusually slow day for Earth Studies” on your voice and the upbeat vibe of the song, we’d Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / [email protected] travel or if the erup- jeep probably won’t cut be sobbing in a corner over the futility of Helgi Þór Harðarson / [email protected] Óskar Freyr Pétursson / [email protected] tion was scaring people it at this point), you will life and love. Give the song a listen if the Distribution manager: off. The Eyjafjallajökull face huge fines and, autumn blues are bringing you down, it’s [email protected] Proofreader: eruption certainly showed the world that our vol- worse yet, you might die. The gas is now blowing sure to cheer up even the sourest of puss- Mark Asch across the country, but the unhealthy levels are releases: canoes are capable of stranding people (google “I es. And be sure to catch Boogie Trouble at [email protected] Hate Iceland” in case you missed that one). Fear- fortunately concentrated around the remote erup- Húrra on October 3. Submissions inquiries: [email protected] ing great damage to Iceland’s tourism industry, tion site. So for those of you who have Airwaves Subscription inquiries: the government poured money into a campaign tickets but have been holding off on your plane You can download the song on our +354 540 3605 / [email protected] General inquiries: (which you may know as Inspired By Iceland) tickets and hotels, you’ll probably be just fine. We website www.grapevine.is. [email protected] specifically designed to turn around any negative certainly aren’t running around with gas masks Founders: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson, press or rumours that the country had become one here in Reykjavík. Hörður Kristbjörnsson, big ashtray. Life continues on the island, and in other non- Jón Trausti Sigurðarson, Oddur Óskar Kjartansson, So far this eruption hasn’t been as devastat- eruption news, Iceland has a hip hop scene (actually Valur Gunnarsson ing as Eyjafjallajökull, as there has been no ash we've had one for a couple of decades now!). A hand- The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken cloud to contend with, but it hasn’t exactly been ful of people from that small scene are featured on ltd. Monthly from November through April, and fortnightly a so-called tourist eruption either. Unlike the our cover this issue. Now turn to page 19 to read from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be repro- duced in whole or in part without the written permission of Fimmvörðuháls eruption, which people could go more about them and what makes them tick. the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine is distributed around see, this one is closed off to everyone except sci- Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður, Borgarnes, Keflavík, Ísafjörður and at key locations along road #1, and all entists and media people who must have an Ice- major tourist attractions and tourist information centres in the country. 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 the advertisers’). On the cover: Cover photo by: Arnar Freyr Frostason Axel Sigurðarson Egill Tiny (www.axelsig.com) Erpur Eyvindarson Thanks: Emmsjé Gauti Íslenska gámafélagið Ragna Kjartansdóttir Sævar Sigurðsson Anna Tara & Katrin Geoffrey Huntington Helga Andrésdóttir Make up: Sesar A Ásdís Gunnarsdóttir Brynja Pétursdóttir Stylist: Natasha Monay Royal Petra Bender Typography/lettering: Narfi Þorsteinsson Bárðarbunga (Pronounced: “Bartha boonga”) Hand thrown ceramic vase by Aldís 5.500 ISK Icelandic design, handicraft and souvenirs since 1940. Hafnarstræti 19 - Reykjavík | Hafnarstræti 94 - Akureyri Keflavíkurflugvöllur - International Airport icelandgiftstore.com | rammagerdin.is Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to: [email protected] SOUR GRAPES AND STUFF Most Awesome Letter of the Issue! Hello The Reykjavik Grapevine Editor, five chillies certification. At the end of it, my nose was running like a snotty I just saw a Facebook post on Ban Thai Hello Grapevine, child. Look away, gorgeous Icelandic review. Interesting review I must say waitress! All in all, it was a good meal. although I wish I could answer the Well, I've been in Iceland for almost a Authentic enough for what you get question you asked in the post ("What's week now, and I went to Ban Thai the here I suppose. your take?") other day for quick dinner. Loved the Also, managed to pick up the new See, the thing is that I am Thai. I supremely old school Thai restaurant issue of Grapevine today (welcome live in Bangkok, and I've never been to vibe, and I was pleasantly surprised back!), and spent the afternoon read- Iceland (not yet anyway). I'm planning to be greeted by two Icelandic girls ing it cover to cover by Tjörnin. I used my visit in September, and given how dressed in a traditional Thai costume! to work for a free weekly back home Ban Thai has been consistently getting Gotta say, the menu is impres- in Bangkok so I know how much work a rapturous praise, I'd like to see for sive compared to, say, Noodle Station and late hours were put into each issue. myself if their food is, in fact, "as au- (hehe). Needing something fiery, my I'm gonna miss reading you guys when thentic as it gets in Iceland." eyes wasted no time and searched for I go back next week (but if you have a I would welcome the chance to per- the items proudly certified with the job opening, have somehow lost your haps write a review on Ban Thai from five chillies. After a bit of an internal mind and want to hire someone from my perspective. It will be a fun read I debate, I settled upon Pad Kra Prao Bangkok...) reckon. Promise I won't approach it in Moo Sab. A humble, standard affair, a douchey holier-than-thou-I'm-Thai- but you know how you can pretty much Keep up the good work guys :) what-do-you-Icelandic-know-about- judge a restaurant by a simple dish of Thai-food way. that particular cuisine? Chanun I nursed my Singha while waiting, So, what's your take? feeling vaguely at home. It was nice hearing the dish of my choosing being Cheers :) prepared through the wall.