AUSTIN, TX- Sigur Rós returned to Austin, TX, and played two nights, May 23rd and 24th, at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. When I attended the show on May 24th, I was instantly transported into a land of musical mysticism as the band emerged from misty, hazy shadows and performed an artful and transcendent set that hypnotized the room with a gentle rhythm that embraced the quiet audience.
I didn’t request a review ticket this time because I was physically unwell, so my commentary is based on my personal experience of listening to the band for many years. The first three songs I was able to shoot, a few others were heard from the entrance, and the last one was from the bathroom! (It sounded great there, no joke).
I became a fan of Sigur Ross at around 21 years old because my boyfriend at the time really liked them and it became the soundtrack of our activities. I don’t have a very close relationship with him, but If he ever reads this piece (unlikely) I’d like to tell him, “thanks for this and nothing else.”
The lighting and visuals were beautifully synchronized (a photographer’s nightmare but as an actual fan of the band they set the perfect mood for the audience). After all, an artistic set isn’t meant to be for someone to get a money shot and make it about themselves, and that’s something that music documentarians should all keep in mind.
The barrier of linguistic communication has never been relevant in how their listeners receive their beautiful work. There’s a universal language created by particular notes and freely sung emotions. I am grateful I don’t have to mispronounce the names of my favorite songs by the band because I can poorly read them, but most definitely not pronounce them accurately. But I actually love that.
Heard “Ný batterí” from 1999 ‘Ágætis byrjun’ when I went to the bathroom and stayed for a few minutes because of all the images this recalled from the period of time I first heard the song. It was half a decade-plus from the time of the release when I was aware of the song, but still so relevant to my personal experiences I stood there alone enjoying how it resonated in the room.
The span in which pitch, rhythm, structure, expressive performance and the wide range of features that make Sigur Rós special and recognizable came across as a storm with undertones and different intensities.
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