Iceland Airwaves 2011 In Words And Photos
Last week, from Wednesday until Sunday, Reykjavik, Iceland hosted its annual Airwaves festival. It’s an urban festival and a hell of a party, with the city’s invariably intimate venues acting in concert to present a slew of shows in a fashion akin to CMJ or SXSW. This year, Stereogum partnered with Iceland Airwaves to curate and present a show featuring the majestic Maryland beauties of Beach House, which meant we got to fly in, stay, and cover the duration of the festival. What follows is a sprawling recap of our week seeing bands and walking around the city. I broke it down travel-guide style, so if you decide to make a trip to Reykjavik, which you should, you’ll know where to go, what the rooms are like, where to party, where to eat, and how to feel better about yourself in the face of this unwaveringly attractive country because good god.
Tips and recap, this way:
UPON ARRIVAL
On your way off the plane, buy some bottles of alcohol at duty free. Either drink these yourself, administering daily portions into the cool, handmade pewter flask you’ll buy at the store on Bankastraœti called Björk (established 28 years ago, a few years before the Sugarcubes indelibly altered that name’s character) — or keep it as a reserve supply to spice up the after-afterparties you’ll attend at the houses of the friendly Icelanders you’ll meet, or fellow music-people in your hotel. (See also: ways to feel better about yourself in the face of these fair and lovely phenotypes.) Beers won’t bankrupt you, but at $ 9 for a cup of the local grog (Viking is most plentiful), it’s nice to have a cost-efficient alternative for later-hours partying. The exchange rate as of October 2011 is, basically, 100 kroner for $ 1. So shave two decimal points off everything you see and you’ll be in business. At least I hope that is true. I’ll let you know when I look at my next credit card statement, which is some highly American shit to say.