Tag Archives: Portishead

ATP Iceland

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DSC_0237Wow, just wow.  Shellac and Portishead have killed it for me, excellent doesn’t begin to describe how much I enjoyed their performances.

DSC_0146The night started out rainy, and grew to even rainier as we continued.  But the bands were going at it with a vengeance, Low put on one of the highest energy sets I’ve seen from them, and Shellac just upped the anti.  Kurt Vile & the Violators was mellow and matched the outside rain well, and Mogwai is Mogwai.  They’ve become more docile in years and I miss them completely going nuts on stage, but the wall of sound was forceful, and I actually put in the ole earplugs.Spiritualized did an acoustic set with the gals from Amiina backing them up.  It was in a theater setting and sounded quite nice.

DSC_0127The clouds opened up and Friday night was quite pleasant.  I may have been the only guy in shorts, but it’s summer so that’s how it goes.  The night started off with Sóley’s return, some great new stuff and of course the classics.  Liars instantly notched up the high energy, and Slowdive’s performace was fantastic.  

Portishead was amazing, so perfect, the sound, the video, everything about it was fantastic.  It still looked like twilight outside, and there was a giant moon hovering in the sky as we left the show adding to the surreal ambiance they created.

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There are plenty more pictures on my Flickr account for you to gaze at.  Last night tonight here we go.

 

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You really should be at ATP in Iceland…

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ATPIceland

Why go all the way to a continent straddling island for a music fest?  Perhaps because it’s at the old NATO base Ásbrú, perhaps because Iceland is really beautiful in the summer, and/or perhaps the fact that Portishead, Slowdive, Shellac, Interpol and Fuck Buttons, and all the other goody bands listed in the graphic above will be there.

This is the second ATP Iceland and combine it’s newness with their already selective process for music and you get a festival made just for music lovers.  Neil Young and Ólafur Arnalds will be doing ATP Takeover events near the city on days leading up to the festival, and the long weekend of the festival looks to be chocked full of music and mayhem.

There are movies, DJ sets, as well as the concerts, so if you get bored that’s your own fault.  The Icelandic music blog Rok Musik has a great post on the festival, and the folks over at Grapevine did a little Q&A with some of the artists coming up.  Get yer tix and we’ll see you there.

I have to put in a special plug, as not only is Pharmakon from Sacred Bones Records playing, but the guru of Sacred Bones himself, Caleb is DJ’ing a set in the DJ tent.  They are not Icelanders, but one of my favorite labels out of NY.

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**All pics pilfered via google image search

As this is an Icelandic music blog, or at least tries to be, I’ll forego my crushes and gushes for some of the non-Icelandic acts (Shell-Fukkin-Ac) and focus my admirations and infatuations on the Icelanders involved.

I put together a playlist on Soundcloud of the Icelandic bands playing, and I put videos down below for bands not really represented on Soundcloud.

HAM:

Singapore Sling:

It’s a mix of metal and electronics, all somewhat enjoyably on the heavy side.  Epic metal veterans HAM will be there, as well as Icelandic music 101 staples, For a Minor Reflection, MAMMÚT, Singapore Sling. and self described “dynamite rockers” Náttfari are performing.

Sóley is back from the time she took off for her family, and it wouldn’t be an Icelandic gig without Sin Fang doing something for the crowd.  The sweethearts of Pascal Pinon and Samaris are also doing a set, and one of the founders of the Bedroom community, Ben Frost, will be performing.  Captain Fufanu has nixed the Captain, so Fufanu will be entertaining the masses, and adding another artist to the list of musicians I haven’t seen previously, Kría Brekkan (formerly, like 8 years and a musical lifetime ago formerly, of múm) will also be there.

So yes, you should be in Iceland mid July for this awesome festival, I will be.  Learn more about it here.

This is the Playlist for all the bands, foreign and native alike:

spotify to follow soon.