By DAN MACINTOSH
LOS ANGELES, CA – It is quite the rare thing to encounter an act these days that sounds nothing like you’ve heard before, but Sigur Rós is just such a rarity. Even though this act has been recording since the mid ‘90s, the trio still sounds exotic compared to almost everything else on the music scene. Led by the singularly named Jónsi, the band brought its unique Icelandic sounds to an adoring audience of Los Angelinos for a strong, long performance.
The group’s music is rendered all the more exotic because Jónsi sings its songs in his native Icelandic. Therefore, the audience is left to derive song meanings from the emotional tone of the music, rather than from the lyrics. Each band member plays multiple instruments, and switches instruments multiple times during the performance. Kjartan Sveinsson, who plays mainly keyboards, for instance, picked up and blew a trombone at one point, while another song worked vibraphone into its mix.
However, Jónsi is clearly the focal point of any Sigur Rós performance. He sings in a perfect falsetto, and his voice is as much a part of the group’s music as any of its instruments. Songs range from gentle, nearly classical compositions, to pieces that thunder with real rock & roll power. Jónsi doesn’t just strum or pick his guitar, but also oftentimes bows it like an orchestral instrument. It is sometimes in these bowing moments where the music becomes loud and aggressive.
It was difficult to accurately gauge the demographic for Sigur Rós fans. The audience appeared to be half hipsters, half hippies with a few Goths thrown into the mix. The gentleman sitting in front of me came all the way from Mexico just to see his favorite band, so the band has broad appeal.
The show included sharp, angular lighting as well as video backdrops that alternated between artistic graphics and nature scenes. The band doesn’t say much, and lets its unique music speak for itself. It was a show that will stand out for attendees for a long time because it’s nearly impossible to imagine another band like Sigur Rós ever coming along again. And that makes the act extremely special.
