Sigur Rós
O2 Academy Brixton, London
November eleventh 2022
There is no such thing as a band on this planet fairly like Sigur Rós, and few reside experiences that may examine to the sheer emotional weight and musical catharsis that they supply. David Edwards experiences again on one of the crucial extraordinary reside reveals of 2022…
You don’t a lot attend a Sigur Rós live performance as expertise it. Thoughts, physique and soul. As persistently sensible as their studio albums have been throughout over 20 years, there’s something mesmeric and religious about seeing them in a reside setting, and it has been practically a decade since we have now had the prospect to see them on a full UK tour. So it’s due to this fact no shock that Brixton’s O2 Academy is bought out tonight, with a way of anticipation that builds from the second we step off the Tube platform and head down the bustling avenue in the direction of the venue. However what unfolds over the course of two hours tonight is actually exceptional, even by their lofty requirements. And undoubtedly one of many extraordinary, bewitching and emotionally affecting reveals I’ve seen in 2022.
Flanked by the operatic renaissance arch of the Academy (which serves to stress the operatic and classically-inflected really feel of the present tonight), the band’s set is break up into two distinct elements. The primary half attracts closely on their 2002 album ( ) and in seeming recognition of this, the primary three songs of the set (Untitled #1 – Vaka, Untitled #2 – Fyrsta and Untitled #3 – Samskeyti) mirror the opening motion of that album: awash with wealthy textures and layers of steadily unfolding nuances. Svefn-g-englar stays as beguiling and otherworldly as any monitor of its period earlier than exploding right into a livid crescendo of sound at its climax, with Jónsi viciously bowing his guitar while in between his piercing vocal strains. The visuals are minimalist and monochrome, with the stage intentionally sparse aside from some subtly-changing association of strings attaching flooring to ceiling, but that is all that’s wanted to border the set. The band do the remaining.
As with the tip of Svefn-g-englar, one of many issues that Sigur Rós do greatest is to juxtapose deep introspection and trancelike states with sudden explosions of vicious launch and cathartic drive. You might be held in a meditative state, however when the tone shifts, it shifts quickly and jarringly. Nevertheless, this serves to completely underpin the depth of the expertise. You might be totally invested in what is occurring on stage and unable to look away for a second. In a few years of reviewing concert events, I’ve not often witnessed an viewers of such dimension as rapt and entranced. From the view on the balcony, the group softly strikes and sways branches in a smooth but insistent breeze. There are few telephones out and people who do seem are subtly used and shortly put away. This appears like a very communal expertise for all right here tonight.
Ný batterí swoops and soars, while new tune Gold 2 is stuffed with dense, elegiac swirls. Untitled #9 – Smáskifa closes the primary set and we step out into the lobby dazed. However as quickly because the second half of the present begins, we’re instantly engulfed by a cascading wave of emotion that lasts for 45 stunning minutes. Glósóli is totally towering in its cathartic drive – burying you with the sheer weight of pounding drums and searing guitar. Sæglópur skips like a beating coronary heart, while Pageant feels prefer it may virtually collapse at any second, however by some means gathers its power and thunders to its conclusion. By the tip of the set you’re feeling bodily breathless, shocked into your seat. I go searching me and everybody seems the identical: shellshock and ecstasy painted throughout their faces in equal measure. What’s exceptional is that while you deal with every particular person band member, exterior of Jónsi’s guitar bowing and occasional nods in the direction of muted theatricality, there’s nothing from the band that even hints at them breaking a sweat. Touring drummer Ólafur Ólafsson is deft and expert however even when the sound reaches its absolute peak, you be aware that he’s nonetheless restrained in his taking part in. Equally with Kjartan Sveinsson on keyboards and Georg Hólm on bass. Their power and energy comes from their collaboration and their tightly-wound musical chemistry, arriving collectively on the most stunning level of equilibrium.
Regardless of being ubiquitous amongst music followers for over twenty years, what’s presumably Sigur Rós’ best and most defining praise is that there’s nonetheless no band on this planet who appears like them. That is the convergence level of probably the most adventurous and revolutionary of late 20th century/early 21st century various rock and likewise probably the most emotionally stirring elements of Neo-Classical and ambient music. Some have mastered one factor; some have proven nice ability in each. However there actually is no one who has excelled at such breadth and in such measure. Previous to the ultimate, epic closing Untitled #8 – Popplagið, Jónsi shyly and sweetly mumbles tonight’s solely phrases to the group into the microphone, of which the one discernible phrase is “London”. It doesn’t matter, the bond between crowd and band is one thing far past mere phrases and dialects. That is music that speaks on probably the most human stage and works on the very fundamental and basic ideas of our feelings. And it’s one thing fairly astonishing to witness.
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Sigur Rós – Web site | Fb | Instagram
Phrases by David Edwards. Learn extra of his writing for LTW right here Occasional Twitter posting right here
All images © Paul Grace. For extra of Paul’s writing and images go to his archive. Paul is on Fb, Twitter, Instagram and his web sites are www.paulgrace-eventphotos.co.uk & www.pgrace.co.uk
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