Reykjavík! #1 The Thirty Best Icelandic Albums 2006 • The Lonesome Traveller Relives Grettissaga Steingrímur J. Sigfússon: We're All in it Together • Looking Back at 2006 Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Info, Music, Arts and Events Issue 1 // 12 January - 08 Febuary 2007 P_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 01_YEAR_05_JANUARY_1_FEBUARY_08 Articles The Reykjavík Grapevine crew 06 Defending the Welfare System The Reykjavík Grapevine An interview with Steingrímur J. Sigfússon Vesturgata 5, 101 Reykjavík www.grapevine.is 10 A New Worldview [email protected] Trausti Valsson discusses global warming Published by: Fröken ehf. 12 Religion by Numbers Editorial Office A column by Gabriele R. Guðbjartsson +354 540-3600 / [email protected] for inquiries regarding editorial content. 16 Best Most Bizarre News Stories of 2006 The funniest, oddest and most amazing news in 2006 Marketing Office +354 540-3605 / [email protected] 24 Bread Cakes & Heartbreaks for inquiries regarding advertising, marketing, distribution An interview with filmmaker Ísold Uggadóttir and subscriptions. 26 When the Powder Has Dried Publisher’s Office An interview with Serbian filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic +354 540-3601 / [email protected] for inquiries regarding this publication. Features The Reykjavík Grapevine Staff Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / [email protected] 18 The Thirty Best Icelandic Albums of 2006 Editor: Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / [email protected] Assistant Editor: Steinunn Jakobsdóttir / [email protected] Marketing Director: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected] Music & Nightlife Support Manager: Oddur Óskar Kjartansson / [email protected] Art Director: Gunnar Þorvaldsson / [email protected] 20 Jóhann Jóhannsson: A User’s Manual Photographer: Óskar Hallgrímsson / [email protected] An interview with Jóhann Jóhannsson Staff Journalists: Haukur Magnússon / [email protected] Virginia Zech / [email protected] 22 Amiina: The Word for the Female Soul Sales staff: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / [email protected] Helgi Valur is loving Amiina’s release concert Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected] Staff Assistant: Jóhanna F. Sæmundsdóttir / [email protected] 22 You Could Have Had It So Much Better Distribution: Sæmundur Þ. Helgason / [email protected] Jakobínarína, Singapore Sling and The Brian Jonestown Massacre at Nasa Proofreader: Erika Wolfe 23 CD Reviews Cover photo by: Gulli Már On cover: Icelandic rock band Reykjavík! Outside Reykjavík Printed by: Prentsmiðja Morgunblaðsins printing press # of copies: 30.101. 28 An Eclectic Visit to the Lapland & Tallinn A Grapevine reporter visits Estonia The Reykjavík Grapevine can be found in: Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Selfoss, Keflavík, Ísafjörður, Kárahnjúkar and at key 30 Exploring the Historic Sights of Grettissaga locations around road #1 and at all major tourist attractions and tourist information The Lonesome traveler goes to Skagafjörður centres. 32 A Tale Of Two New Year’s Are you planning an event? Do you want to tell us something? Comparing party-action ‘cross the globe Send a press release to: [email protected] We are always looking for articles. Send your submissions to: [email protected] Info. Are you interested in working for the Reykjavík Grapevine (or the other way around)? If so contact: [email protected] B01 Listings You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored. B08 Food Reviews (No articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’). B09 Bezt í Heimi: Grái Kötturinn The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from B10 Ultimate Survival Guide November through April, and bi-weekly (fortnightly) from May til October. Noth- ing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written B11 Counting in the New Year Across the Globe permission of the publishers. Although the magazine has endeavored to ensure An interview with photographer Jill Waterman that all information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details may be subject to change. Subscribe to the Reykjavík Grapevine by visiting www.grapevine.is. Subscription inquiries: [email protected] and +354 540 3605. From the Editor’s Chair It is a new year, a time to wipe the slate clean. was prompted by foolish pride, against a better and free of foreigners with a stricter immigra- A time to start over. There is a full year ahead judgment, and against our best interest. tion policy is not only erroneous; it is anachro- of us, full of exciting new opportunities and Another wrong is the way in which some el- nistic in a world that is actively shrinking and second chances. Chances to right some of the ements in our society have chosen to approach becoming ever more globalised. And as Trausti wrongs from the previous year. There were the discussion of immigrants in Iceland. While Valsson points out in this issue, it might soon enough of those made last year. We are revisit- there is a lot left to be desired in that depart- be immoral as well, if global warming will rise ing some of them in this issue. ment, the discussion is not furthered by point- as predicted, we could soon be faced with the The most inexplicable of those may have ing out immigrants as a problem and trying to problem of environmental refugees. been the government’s decision to resume establish a segregation in our society by con- Environmental issues is another ball we commercial whaling. I believe everyone has re- tinuously discussing the “Immigrant problem” dropped. A pretty costly turnover in my mind. alised by now that this was a wrong decision. from the perspective of us vs. them, instead of Despite growing opposition from every corner The backlash from the international society has shaping the discourse around solutions to the of our society, the government so far remains been even more than we could have expected, only real problem with immigration in Iceland; undeterred in its commitment to building up and Icelandic companies abroad as well as the our lack of effort in assisting foreigners in inte- heavy industry in this country. Environmental tourist industry at home is suffering. You can grating in to Icelandic society. The way the dis- issues are a secondary thought in these parts. argue until you are blue in the face for our cussion of the “immigrant problem” has been We pride ourselves of our beautiful nature, rights as a sovereign nation to decide for our- directed lately, all that is left is for someone is our clean water and our fresh air. If we con- selves whether to hunt whales or not, or quote to suggest a “final solution.” tinue on the path we are on, those words will statistics regarding fish stock, whatever. There The fact is that Icelandic society was, and soon amount to the empty echo of a good is no way around the fact that there is no mar- is, in desperate need for immigrants. There memory. ket for whale meat, thus commercial whaling has been a steady need for workforce in the There are many wrongs to right. Thank- is economically unviable. Usually, that would country, and if foreign labour had not been fully, this is an election year. So, what better be enough to wake authorities from their readily available in the recent past, our soci- place than here? What better time than now? slumber, but so far, they are hitting the snooze ety would have suffered badly. The idea that button, reinforcing my belief that the decision Iceland should, or even could, be kept “pure” 0_RVK_GV_ISSUE 01_007_LETTERS Sour Grapes Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to [email protected]. Thank you very, very much Sve- sue from the dropdown menu on Hello! inn Birkir Björnsson for the article the left and your view should be of about the Sugarcubes reunion gig the contents of that issue… Now, I fell in love with your paper while in November. I wasn’t aware it had this is where things get compli- spending the month of July in happened and so was devastated to cated. On the upper-right side of Reykjavik this past summer. I was have missed it, but reading the ar- that page, you will find a link that excited to find your paper online so ticle was great, at least now I know says, “Download in .pdf,” bring the I could get my fix of all things Reyk- a bit more about what I missed and mouse pointer over the link and javik from afar. what a wonderful occasion it must then click the left button on your I have one complaint regard- have been. Thank you so much, mouse (for Mac users, simply click- ing your online issue though. I ing the button will bring the same am a graphic designer and like to Adam, Oxford, UK results). I know that this is a lot of download the issue in its entirety lefts and rights, but I cannot stress to see the whole thing, but you do Well, that is what we are here for the importance of the “Download not list the file size of the pdf of Adam. If you look carefully, you’ll in .pdf” link in this matter. each issue. I keep hitting download see that a panel of music scribes But naturally, there is nothing at work, then realizing the issue is we contacted actually chose this as that beats the real thing, so for all ENORMOUS and have to stop it! A the best concert in Iceland 2006. our international readers: send an simple “(PDF, xxxMB)” under the Although, that might not make you email to [email protected], link would suffice. Many people feel any better. In any case, it was a and we will send you the required out there have very slow connec- great concert, and I hope you and information.