photos
setlist:
svefn g englar
ný batterí
fljótavik
við spilum endalaust
hoppípolla
með blóðnasir
sæglópur
e-bow
festival
gobbledigook
all alright
popplagið
fan review
sigur ros is a sonic experience that no other rock band that i have heard manages to come close to. the gig at the glasgow carling academy was no let down and live performance clearly takes their music to another level.
the audience were suitably warmed up by a good set by another icelandic 4-piece - for a minor reflection. having listened to them before the gig i knew what to expect from them but, live, they recreated their post-rock, experimental sound perfectly. if you want a comparison, they are similar in style to explosions in the sky. their first album is rough around the edges in parts (most rock bands are on their first album, when production costs are at a minimum) but they are great live for guys so young. and their music is meant to be played live - expanding, shifting, extended walls of sound. similar in some ways (although not so much musically) with the grateful dead - a band meant for the stage who, when they were put into a recoding studio, took a few albums to properly reproduce their live sound (songs were 20-minute jams) into short "album" songs. but famr are a good band and one to watch.
and then the main course. stripped back to a 4-piece, without the brass band or amiina string section, sigur ros launched a maelstrom of ethereal, echoing sounds onto the glasgow public, who lapped it up in quiet appreciation throughout, cheering only when a song finished. the bands technician's clearly earn their money as the sound levels were perfect throughout the concert and every note that was intended to be heard was heard - from the distorted ambience of jonsi's trademark bow-effect on the guitar down to the quiet xylophone played by a member of support band for a minor reflection during hafsol - during which song the band get so carried away as the song crescendos that orri doesn't react to an speaker falling on him.... incidentally, orri is wearing a grey jumpsuit that makes him look like the 6th member of devo.
the setlist was a healthy mix of the old (svefn-g-englar, the first song of the night) and the new (gobbledigook), although nothing from the "von" era. not a single scot in the crowd will have had any idea what all of the lyrics to the songs were (or mean), or been able to sign-along in anything other than mumbled rhymes in-tune, but it didn't matter. sigur is about the landscape that their reverb-laden music creates, with jonsi's falsetto vocals hovering on top. the crescendo's from the likes of untitled 8 from ( ). your average rock fan will struggle to keep their attention span in a song much longer than 4 minutes, but sigur ros aren't your average rock band and don't attract the average rock fan. even the most involved songs (a couple were 10 minutes plus) had the audience captivated as the music ebbed and flowed expertly in the hands of the 4 guys. and the crowd get even more involved during gobbledigook when jonsi asks everyone to stand and hand clap during what is probably the most upbeat sigur ros song you will ever hear. the crowd oblige (other than the front 3 rows of the balcony, who are ordered to sit down again by a startled security) and the result is the highlight of the night - direct and joyous connection between audience and band. the energy from the band themselves added an extra dimension, with jonsi, orri and even kjartan letting go when they wanted to.
the band effortlessly and seamlessly switch from serene, ambient beauty to distorted and pacy power but never ruining the effect of the tapestry which the ever-changing songs create. everyone seems spellbound by the work of the 4 icelanders and the reception at the end of the encore is the warmest i have heard for years.
(eddie mcavinchey)
fan review
first sigur ros gig but long time admirer. just felt the need to say that this gig was absolutely outstanding. i thoughtthe gigcould've finished after gobbildegook, which was absolutely stunning, however the 2 song encore was mind blowing. for a minor reflection were the perfect warm up act. sonic perfection.
(kathleen kelly)
fan review
i don't think i have ever witnessed a gig such as the one i was lucky to be part of last night.
hearing sigur ros in your own living room is a wonderful experience. a time for contemplation, a time for magic, a time for inspiration. i wasn't sure how this would translate into a live gig. could that powerful, angelic voice be replicated? could the often subtle instrumentation be heard amongst a typically noisy glasgow crowd?
oh yes. oh yes it could. while watching these guys perform, i felt a mix of adrenaline, emotion and appreciation that i can't recall ever feeling while watching other bands.
not only this but the energy sigur ros exuded while performing is actually astounding and i was blown away by the last track before the gig ended. the guys were phyically exhausted too. i just wish i knew what it was was, as i had never previously heard it before but i definitely want to hear it again. reviews of sigur ros often talk about people crying and hugging, while listening to them and i must admit my girlfriend and i did cry on a couple of occasions at the sheer beauty of the music. the 'dancers' on the red balls at the end was something i'll never forget and i thanks the boys from iceland for such a moving performance.
(kevin pollock)
fan review
i've been a big follower of sigur ros ever since i heard 'the nothing song' at the end of the muchos disappointing film 'vanilla sky'. i have wanted to see them live for years now and they didn't disappoint. they gave us an excellent mix of the favourites from all of their albums to date and a number of their songs from their latest album worked very well live - gobbledeegook especially. there was also a moment during one of their songs where jonsi managed to hold a note for what must have been a good 40 seconds, but felt like an hour. i was curious to see how they would achieve their iconic sound as a four piece minus amina and the brass. i was impressed by how the band managed to move around the stage to different instruments mid-song. the lighting was very impressive also. couldnt think of a better song than untitled 8 as a send off. so intense. i will most definitely look to catch the band next time they are in town!
moran taing for such an awe-inspiring performance.
(rory macmillan)
fan review
definitely lacked spectacle and can only think that the addition of the string section girls and the brass section ( as seen at connect festival which was almost a religious experience) would make the big difference.
(m. farquharson)
