Photo courtesy of band website, sigur-ros.co.uk
Sigur Ros at the Chicago Theater (September 21, 2005)
Chicago rocked 'til it cried to this ethereal Icelandic quartet
By Elizabeth Rhodes
Published: October 3rd, 2005 | 1:37pm
Rumor has it that indie kids have emotional breakdowns at Sigur Ros concerts. The innovative soundscapes, intense bowed guitar, and ethereal falsetto can prove too much to handle. Although no one collapsed out of their chair and ran wailing down the aisles when the Icelandic quartet played the Chicago Theater on September 21, it’s a more believable scenario than you’d think. A Sigur Ros concert is like watching a picturesque tragedy in slow motion — painfully sad, but somehow beautiful and powerfully cathartic.
Atmospheric, Autechre-ish, and also Icelandic, female quartet Amina were the opening act. Wearing coordinating handmade royal blue dresses, the pale musicians floated silently from instrument to instrument between spacey, yet soothing songs. Clearly talented at layering surprising sounds and creating ambience, but less clearly as instrumentalists, Amina held its own against the main act.
A white, translucent screen fell in front of the backlit stage when the four blurry figures of Sigur Ros appeared — all looking in need of a hearty sandwich. They’re in the middle of a lengthy, international tour to support Takk…, the comparatively accessible fourth album. Jon Thor Birgisson sings in Icelandic, instead of the made-up language heard on previous albums. Songs feature tighter arrangements, lots of strings, and are much happier — unlike ( ), this album could not function as a funeral soundtrack. However, Takk…, is still intensely emotional, showcasing sublime vocals and experimental accompaniment. Instead of breakdowns, listeners may start having reawakenings at Sigur Ros concerts.
The curtain rose, revealing band members clad in brown shirts and dark jeans, and a backdrop of black and white film segments. Sigur Ros played a variety of old and new material, proving their excellent ability to bring 7-minute songs to climax again and again. Birgisson sang with a contorted, pained expression, holding his microphone in his right hand so his bow stuck straight up in the air as a spotlight beamed down on him. Orri Pall DyRason played drums through clenched teeth on “Ny Batteri,” smacking his set fiercely, but with extreme control.
Many of the fans knew the band’s earlier material, going crazy at the first electronic “ding!” of “Svefn-G-Englar.” The women of Amina returned as the string quartet halfway through the set, and stayed until Birgisson broke his bow during the final song, whacking it repeatedly against his guitar.
Sigur Ros is a band you see live. Their music is not for everyone — the falsetto, extended song length, and Icelandic lyrics turn some listeners off. But if you do like their music and you haven’t seen them live — shame.
Issue #35
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