Last Thursday Icelandic musicians "Sigur Ros" played a 2 hour long set in front of a sold out audience of thousands... those who attended will never be the same

Sigur Rós

Los Angeles, CA

By CHRIS GOODSON

The Greek is a refreshingly nice venue that takes the scope of the Hollywood Bowl and gives it the visibility of the Wiltern. Wedged up on Vermont Blvd in Los Felix and actually inside Griffith Park, The Greek is a modern venue with a medium sized stage but is surrounded by lush forest and rolling hills, perfect scenery for a night like this. I have wanted to see Sigur Rós for a long time now.  I was thwarted when I was at the 2006 Roskilde Festival in Denmark and I went to see TOOL who played (at the same time), just a few stages over. Having now actually succeeded in seeing Sigur Rós live, I truly regret having missed them before. Actually, I have had a hard time recalling what exactly I heard and saw on October 2nd. That is because over the course of two hours, in total sobriety and of sound judgment, I became drunk on Sigur Ros' music.

The PARCHUTES opened the show and played a fun, poppy and energetic set that established the tone for the evening. However, when Sigur Rós finally came on stage, something truly magical happened.  They opened with the recognizable but brilliant Svefn-G and as a group they were able to capture emotion and stretch it far and wide. I do apologize for flowery, gushing comments I may make, and having forewarned you, I hope that will excuse any pretentious metaphors I make. As the show progressed they slipped effortlessly into Glosoli and then began to show off their abilities as cinematographers of sound. They painted a lyrical landscape of understanding and potential that is both sensitive and logical (told you I'd get gushy), and I have no idea how they do it. I tried to understand how the band operated onstage, but their dynamic remains shrouded in mystery. Halfway through Hoppopolla, I completely lost it. Now I've seen a lot of shows from the Circle Jerks to Bob Dylan and I began to think that this, might just be the best live show I have ever seen.

From the trademark violin bow meeting guitar strings to the strumming of the bass with a drumstick (during Hafsol), each musician used their respective instruments to express vivid feelings that the audience then had to interpret for themselves. In the absence of any coherence or language (a mix of Icelandic and a made up language created by the band themselves), the vocals coupled with the lucid instrumentation created an ambiance of heavy-hearted cheer. When lead singer "Jónsi" Birgisson asked the crowd "maybe you can sing with us to this part" in his broken English, you felt as if you were having a close encounter with an alien race, having been sent here to warp your fragile little mind.

They played over a dozen tracks from a decade of album releases, but each song seemed to be placed, shaped and timed perfectly to attach to one another, as if you were witnessing a rock opera improvisation. Before the encore, the stage erupted in bliss, when members of the PARACHUTES came back on stage to launch confetti at the crowd and added drums to the song Gobbledigook. The confetti burned like embers in the spotlights and although the Park Rangers in Griffith Park are probably pissed off about the mess, it was truly breathtaking to see. An array of Chinese lanterns were lit with vivid orange and pastel colors that complimented the sanguine aura of the night (told you I'd get flowery). Talking to people after the show, I know that what I witnessed was not a singular experience. A weird calm and lucidity permeated the crowd that even managed to touch this metal head's soul. As many shows that I can recall and even more that I can barely remember, this was one that I will never forget. It was minimal and beautiful and everything a great show is supposed to be.

They will be making stops in Portland, Vancouver, Japan and Europe over the next few weeks. Go see them and please check out their new album Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust. Available everywhere.

For more information please visit www.myspace.com/sigurros

Photos of Sigur Ros shot by IMAGE Allegiance.

Sigur Ros Live at the Greek Theater in LA

 

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