Ólafur Arnalds
My love for Icelandic music doesn’t stop at Bjork and Sigur Ros, no sir. I have been known to dip into some Hjaltalín, Snorri Helgason, and of course Seabear. But none can compare with the heavily emotional and brilliantly arranged movements of Mr. Ólafur Arnalds himself. Not limiting himself to bare piano and string arrangements, Ólafur took a surprising and almost Aphex Twin-like turn with 2009’s Dyad 1909. Even with albums like Eulogy for Evolution, Found Songs, and last year’s gorgeous …And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness, Ólafur is not one to be pigeon holed into the usual “21st Century Composer” category.
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
With this being his first trip to the US, Ólafur had quite a sizable crowd before him at the Great American Music Hall. All of which took a seat either in chairs or right there on the dance floor. If you’re familiar with Ólafur’s music, this was quite appropriate. Joining Ólafur was a string section comprised of three violists and a cellist, along with a sampler with several laptops and few other gadgets.
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
To set the mood correctly, the lighting was one of the most defining factors of the event. With florescent lighting pulsing to the beat of his more aggressive songs, fading light bulbs lining the stage that matched the uplifting moments, and a dim single spotlight that shined upon the man himself when the music often got melancholy. That paired with the beautiful architecture of the venue made the experience that much more rewarding.
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
The crowd was beyond silent. In fact the pictures you see are done very carefully because every “snap!” of the shutter sounded like I dropped a stack of magazines. The audience seemed to be in a trance-like state and for a majority of the show, as was I. Playing some of his best pieces from the past few albums, highlighting mostly on last year’s …And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness, Ólafur disarmed a willing crowd that welcomed the vulnerability and innocence that his music brings. Every once in a while he’d speak into the mic with that Icelandic accent speaking about San Francisco or how he composed a song for a commercial on bathtubs. In fact, the song has touched so many people because of it’s immensity and epic feel, it’s hard to believe it was about…bathtubs.
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur explained that even though most of his music sounds sad, you can find hope and love in it. What he did not mention was how his live performance amplified those feelings and left every audience member, including this writer, floored with what they just witnessed.
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Ólafur Arnalds – Þú ert sólin from …And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness (2010)
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Ólafur Arnalds – Brotsjor from Dyad 1909 (2009)
Ólafur Arnalds / For more pictures from this show, click the above photo
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