In a COVID-19 world, one place that doesn't seem so grim is Iceland. The country has managed to effectively get the virus under control. With very few cases and spread, they've been able to reopen and phase normalcy back into their lives, including LIVE CONCERTS!
To celebrate the end of quarantine, Icelandic gem Björk has planned a four-night performance at Harpa Hall in Reykjavik on August 9, 15, 23 and 29. For those that can't make the show and/or live in other parts of the world, the shows will be livestreamed, but you have to buy a ticket!
Tickets for in person attendance have been sold out, and proceeds will go to Kvennaathvarfið, a charity in Iceland that supports women and immigrants of all origins.
The shows are in celebration of various Icelandic musicians Björk has worked with over the years like the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, the Hamrahlíð Choir, and flute septet Vibra.
See her very important message below:
"Dear friends i would like to invite you to some concerts to honour folks who got hit hardest in the coronavirus and the black lives matter movement and to honour how many Icelandic musicians i have worked with through the years i recorded almost all of my albums with local musicians:
Homogenic with an Icelandic string octet
Medulla with schola cantorum ( an icelandic mixed choir )
Volta with 10 brass girls i found all over the island and then later they formed wonderbrass
Biophilia with langholt´s church girl choir graduale nobili
Vulnicura with a 15 piece string ensemble
Utopia with 12 female fluteplayers who later formed the flute septet viibra
Cornucopia with hamrahlíð´s choir conducted by þorgerður ingólfsdóttir
All these albums where then performed all around the planet with these musicians, together they are over hundred people!!
And we are going to celebrate that we are all healthily exiting quarantine together by playing concerts in Harpa Music Hall for 3 weekends of August
My input into the feminist fight is to brag about that almost all of those arrangements are by me
Unfortunately this is something that is almost always ignored when women are arrangers
The concerts will be in the afternoons and will also be streamed live online, where there will be an option to donate to the icelandic women’s shelter – which supports women of all origin in iceland
For those attending in person, after the concert we will be offering food to raise money in support of this charity
The concerts will be “unplugged” or acoustic and performed without beats and electronics
The concerts will be performed with the icelandic symphony orchestra and guests
I feel we are going through extraordinary times
Horrifying but also an opportunity to truly change
It is demanded of us that we finally confront all racism
That we learn that lives are more important than profit
And look inside us and finecomb out all our hidden prejudices and privileges
Let´s all humbly learn together transformhumongous
love
björk"
The shows will focus on different albums from throughout her entire career, and like she mentioned, they will be performed unplugged. Knowing Björk, it will be a soundscape to behold!
Curious which of these songs will make it on the setlist? We've dug into our archives to make some psychic predictions! It's been a while, but we're hardly ever wrong!
- Jóga
- Pagan Poetry
- The Gate
- Hunter
- Pluto
- Bachelorette
- All is Full of Love
- Pleasure Is All Mine
- Mouth's Cradle
- Wanderlust
- Quicksand
- Blissing Me
- Courtship
- Notget
- Mount Mantra
- Mutual Core
- Thunderbolt
