You Should Watch Sigur Rós's Set From MOMA
Not like you didn't already, but go ahead and expect to see a Sigur Rós show near the top of this year's Top Live Shows. Of the two I've seen in '08, Bonnaroo was particularly ridiculous (even more ridiculous: a friend who spoke to the quartet afterwards said they were "inconsolable" about it, which makes exactly four people in that tent who didn't lose their minds in bliss). The set a few days later, at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, was great in that it was a Sigur Rós show, in NYC's Museum of Modern Art, and at a time when the band's taken on new vitality and an even richer, untouchable catalog. But the sound, let's just say MoMAs are not built for rock bands.
Anyway CurrentTV filmed the show, and I came upon it flipping through channels last night. Per usual everyone in the room stopped mid-sentence, snapping to minutes later. The acoustics may have been boomy in the room those months ago, but you won't hear any of that here. (In fact, at times it seems like we're hearing Jonsi's voice better than he was in the monitors.) The whole thing's streaming in an embed box, so, point: Today's a good day to mentally punch out 46 minutes early and stare at your computer.
(via Beggars
Photos from the show here. Setlist:
01 "svefn-g-englar"
02 "glosoli"
03 "se lest"
04 "ny batteri"
05 "vid spilum endalaust"
06 "hoppipolla"
07 "med blodnasir"
08 "vidrar vel til loftarasa"
09 "saeglopur"
10 "inni mer syngur vitleysingur"
11 "olsen olsen"
12 "hafsol"
13 "gobbledigook"
----
14 iceland national anthem
15 "popplagid"
Posted at 4:25 PM by amrit in Video
Tags: Sigur Rós
Hoppipolla is one of the best songs written this decade.
Score = 6
Absolutely amazing. They're without a doubt one of the top 5 best bands to see live.
Score = 4
had the extreme pleasure to see them twice on their takk tour in boston. i truly support that statement; they're definitely one of the the top 5 bands to experience live. they produce such out of this world beauty
Score = 0
I stumbled on that show last night as well -- just as it was starting. Couldn't believe my luck as it was freaking great.
Score = 0
Forgot to add -- immediately bought tickets to the UC Berkeley show afterwards.
Score = 0
Still at work, so unfortunately I can't watch the video yet, but I would like to add: currentTV > the rest of TV.
Score = 0
TiVo'd this the other night and forgot all about it. *goes to watch it immediately*
Score = 0
I'm pretty sure Hoppípolla and Sæglópur are reversed in the setlist.
Score = 0
can someone please tell me - why is this AMAZINGLY good? melodies are boring. all the songs sound the same. his voice sounds like geddy lee from rush, if he was icelandic. i'll admit soothing, but in a bad way. way too boring!!! these songs belong somewhere as background music for a depressing film or some poignant commercial. dont get me wrong a like soothing slow music ie radiohead and bjork, but this is BRUTAL! the other thing he's speaking icelandic!! i like to sing along to my music. feel the lyrics. i dont think many people on here or at this concert speak icelandic(or whatever its called). you hipsters are soooo cool.....go listen to burial and blog! Im going outside now. peace on earth
Score = -36
i would rather die than think that sigur ros is boring.
Score = 0
oh and btw his monitors are in his ears. and maybe if there songs werent 20 minutes long the called tell there sound guy to turn the monitors up. or maybe next shoe they could tell the sound guy "yo when i nod my head like this - please turn up my monitors. i cant hear my voice. and yes i know i sound like geddy lee with an icelandic accent"
Score = -28
the fact that you just compared jonsi to Rush means you know absolutely nothing. this should be the one thread where no one disagrees with each other. way to ruin it.
Score = 7
hahahaha
i know what i know and i know that sugar ros is BORING! how can you disagree with that.....oh the show was so beautiful...blah blah blah....yeah no..if you call beauty one who shreaks like geddy lee with an icelandic accent ontop of some dreamy music...sure. btw im back inside listening to burial. i really dont understand these cool critics. do you want something special in your life?
Score = -22
You have no idea how amazing they are until you see them live. Or listen to them while you are lost during a snow storm in a remote village in southern germany on the start of a trip you do not know how long it will be. THEN you will know. Until then, nobody could possibly explain it to you.
Score = 1
TKD: I hate to jump on someone for not enjoying a bad (which is totally subjective), but when you attack a band for whom audience members crying out of an ineffable inner joy is an AVERAGE SHOW, it's best to bring some better critiques to the table.
Zac: Agree 100%
Score = 1
well i guess i'm not the only one who thinks this band is highly overrated. seriously songs are too boring a long, i can't listen to any of their music without fall asleep.
Score = -17
Yeah I gotta agree with some of the comments about not getting Sigur Ros...because I don't...at all. I mean, how can one say a song is one of the best this decade without understanding it? I mean, unless you speak Icelandic. Then I apologize to you. I've tried to keep my mouth shut about this band because everyone seems to be going apeshit over them. But I just really don't get everyone's fascination. Personally, I would rather listen to music that doesn't like gibberish to me. Sorry to rain on everyone's parade though. I never could understand why everyone likes Bjork though, so...maybe I'm just missing the point.
Score = -16
Of course - how can a song be good if you don't understand the words?!? It should be a universal rule - if you want to be in a band, you better sing in English - no free passes for you, foreigners! And while we're on the subject of lyrics, how about that asshole Mozart - his songs never even had lyrics at all! Everyone acts like that guy was so awesome, and he couldn't even put some words to the music? OVER RATED.
Score = 12
Not to be an ass, but Mozart wrote lyrical works.
Score = 2
Ass.
Score = 1
Sorry TC...I guess I just have to open up my mind more to understand Sigur Ros' "genius." You made your point pretty clear...but I'm pretty sure Sigur Ros will not be considered as influential as Mozart in 200 years. Just a hunch...
Score = -6
I think your opinion was already covered in the concert's poster. Now I'm gonna go find a Creed fansite and heckle... wait.. no. I'm actually not. Laundry, maybe.
Score = 0
First song is Glosoli, not Svefn-n-englar. Great band and show but anyone is free to disagree. There are no sacred cows. I personally find Sebadoh, Yo La Tengo, and Loverboy boring.
Score = 1
The setlist posted is from the actual concert. The video on Current is an edited-down version of said concert.
Score = 0
direct link to FLV for d/l
http://v.current.com/video/feeds/fix/Show_SigurRosAtMoMA_FIX_20080805.flv
Score = 0
Oh and I can't wait for their show at The Orpheum here in mpls. If it's anything like what I just saw it'll be worth the obnoxious ticket price knowing I'm paying to see more than 4 people play.
Score = 0
Absolutely cannot wait. The Orpheum will be a perfect setting for this.
Score = 0
here are some photos from the MoMa show for you all : http://www.redboy.com/wp/sigur-ros-photos-moma-61708/
Score = 0
1. thank you so so much for the .flv, you are fucking amazing.
2. ny batteri is not on this?
Score = 0
"i can't listen to any of their music without fall asleep."
Did you know that ants respond to heavy metal and hard rock music by moving more frenetically? If you, as a human being, have not developed beyond the level of an ant then there isn't much for you here.
Score = 2
i liked them better when they were called my morning jacket.
Score = -12
The funny park about this lyrics discussion is that most Sigur Rós sons are sung in hopelandic, a made up language in which words don't have any meaning!
I think that only insensitive people find their music boring, you just have to be special to appreciate their work! :P
Score = 3
Yay idiots!
Score = -1
Is the full set available anywhere? i'd rather like to see ny batteri
Score = 0
SEE!!!! You "fans" cant even decipher which song is which!!! Here's a transcript of a real sigor ruois fan talking with another:
Peter: Yo, I love this music! It transends all beauty! I feel like its raining in my mouth!Svefn-g-englar is playing for 47 minutes non stop and my soul is crying. II dont know why.
Doug: Yo, thats ny batteri. I cant believe you cant tell the difference?!?! DUH! HELLO! And learn the friggin lyrics Peter!
Score = -11
oh and btw - mozart didnt sing. he didnt need too. he was a piano virtuoso. he showed off his amazing piano skills and people loved it...people still do. these dudes...the sugar roses....just SUCK! ohhh wow im playing my guitar with a bow and some expression pedals!! wow how talented! no argument!!! these guys are overrated artsy farty who-ha! for all you artsy fartsy cool people out there! nice try but you cant be cool listening to a band people dont understand. and if you understand it, your not special, your not an alien or a mutant with special powers. your boring. you bought there package. you sold out man!
Score = -17
can't you go be an moron somewhere else? i'm sure there's a guns and roses forum out there somewhere.
Score = 9
haha nope! why would i go on a guns and roses forum? oh....perhaps i could say the anticipated release of chinese democracy is just as rediculous as sigur ros! they're both PRENTIOUS!!! so 2 questions...actually 4 questions.
1) how am i a moron?
2) how am i a moron?
3) how am i a moron?
4) and why do you like sigur ros?
Score = -10
I usually don't do this type of thing but...
1. You can't spell
2. You spend your time hating on things people enjoy for no real reason
3. You said artsy fartsy
4. They are good
Score = 0
For all of you who are complaining about understanding sigur ros-
I can't believe you would shy away from this bands music because they can't understand what hes saying. How many times have any of you automatically gotten hooked to a song but didn't follow what he or she was saying the first time you heard it??? Thats because the overall sound spoke to something inside of you. Can't we remember what music is all about? Listen to it, it was made to sound sad or happy or slow for a reason. Maybe if you all would just listen you could finally UNDERSTAND what sigur ros is all about.
Score = 4
ellen, I love you.
Score = 1
thats the WORST explantation as to why sigur ros is good or understandable!! please! I wish these critics, hipsters, and tryhards stopped trying to be so musically credible! By telling me I dont understand, because im not listening is redundant. I listened to this entire concert! I've tried to listen to there albums back to front! Its brutal! Its boring! Are they playing in a time signature that only humpback whales understand? Because im desperately trying to understand how anybody can like this stuff. This goes for the works of other avant garde shiate! Brian Eno...wow....ambient. ...moving..nope..its not. Burial....wow....amazing...i dont think so. perhaps the only time these bands/artist would be useful is if they 1) the music they made was used for meditation..sure cool...but thats as cool as yanni. 2) they produced an artist that is deserved of such crediblity...they make pretty cool sonic landscapes...whatever. 3) made music for non-commercial use..like commercials, movie background music or video game background music.
so please stop giving these pretentious musicians the high credit they dont deserve. your only feeding the fire of exaggerated importance. which in summary makes you feel important. if you wanna feel important find another way. dont list musicians as important and credible, when they're not.
this bash is not only to the band, but to all those unwarranted critics and coolcats out there. YOU'RE not COOL!!
Score = -13
yanni is a cool guy. i wouldn't be bagging on him if i were you. he's a self taught pianist and composer.. and hey, i don't see you setting any national swimming records.
and as for sigur ros, they own. i would understand that though, because i'm not cool.
Score = 0
i would like to see a list of bands that you find credible. I would like to see that list, take your number one band, and bash on them for no reason. Actually no i wouldn't bc that would make me an asshole. If you do not get them then you do not get them. Nobody should even try and explain it to you. You are already predisposed to hate them now, so what is the point? Its like trying to tell a christian that religion is stupid. or a republican that obama should win. or? I invite people to create better analogies, I am bad at them.
Score = 1
Why would anyone think they can't evaluate how good the band is if the words are not in English? It's just like abstract vs. representational art. Jackson Pollock vs. Norman Rockwell...
Score = 0
Better than this concert was the sound check! I agree that the acoustics to MoMA building are not ideal (I've heard all sorts of musicians/bands perform), but seeing them perform with less than 10 people watching was pretty amazing.
Score = 0
i win. Game over.
Score = -6
don't think so. sigur rós will continue to sell out concerts around the world, and their fans will continue to love them for the special music that they make. if it does nothing for you, that's you loss.
Score = 5
What I see when I read the comments:
"your opinion is stupid."
"nuh-uh, you're stupid."
"nuh-uh, what I don't like is stupid."
"nuh-uh, you're stupid."
Score = 2
Trolls exist in every world.
These are indie trolls.
Score = 2
i cant believe that the hoppipolla/med blodnasir combo was only the 6th and 7th songs played.
bands would pay millions to CLOSE with shit like that. unbelievable. cant wait to see them in october.
Score = 1
what's a troll?
Score = -6
Something that takes a certain cast of mind and no specific skills.
Your ears should be burning.
Score = 1
alrighty!!! so i looked up troll....nope not me. I think im a flamer. you internet geeks are so funny. im gonna make up a word now. you all are sigur pusses. get it!!! OMG LMAO
Score = -5
why no response to njoy's question?
Score = 0
my favorite band is radiohead. i know. i know. i know. and im being serious. but if anybody wanted to bash them sure, but there messing out on the most amazing band ever!! sorry i felt like i didnt need to respond to questions, because nobody was responding to mine. WHY DO YOU LIKE SIGUR ROS!? god they are horrible!
Score = -5
radiohead is your favorite band? well, then it might behoove you to know that radiohead asked sigur ros to open for them a few years back when sigur ros was just starting out (and any good radiohead fan knows that radiohead only invites bands they like to open for them). radiohead also collaborated with sigur ros on a project for the merce cunningham dance company. i would even go so far as to say that radiohead are sigur ros fans. so feel free to ask your favorite band why they're good.
Score = 3
oh i know all of this! Im actually going see radiohead in 6 days. ohh...and im soooo excited to see the liars play! NOT!!! that shit sucks!!! so that still doesnt answer my question. and id rather ask you guys than radiohead. i dont think they'll listen. theres also a few other opening acts radiohead used to open for them..and they suck...i highly doubt that all of them they liked. actually i can bet a million dollars some they absolutely hated! for instance the liars! damn they suck! ohhhh they make noise...yeah go hang out with sigur ros and brian eno. im sure radiohead only associate themselves with these bands is because they want to show how better they themselves are. saw radiohead 5 years ago stephen malkus...sucks!! more noise rock. go back to the 90's with pavement and start over buddy. seriously look for a time machine, because you have it entirely wrong...oh and while your at it tell sonic youth the dont know how to tune a guitar! stupid art/noise/whalesmating/rock/electronica.
what about when radiohead was opening for alannis morrisette. yeah they must've lover her!! and they still do!! i dont think so. oh and theres david grey. can i get a "one hit" wonder.....and some will say, but hes big in the uk. dont bother. i win. again.
Score = -2
hm. made music for non-commercial use... like commercials? yeah can't remember last time i heard something non-commercial on a commercial.
ps bashing pavement, sonic youth, and sigur ros all in the same sentence isn't going to take you far in life when it comes to music criticism.
Score = 1
I find it both unsettling and funny that you refer to these apparent 'shit' bands as stupid art/noise/whalesmating/rock/electronica.
Seems to me that Radiohead (also my favorite bands) are subjects of the very same, cough, criticism.
Additionally, I sincerly hope that your posts reflect the exact image that I have of you in my head. (See below)
http://stereogum.com/archives/video/chapter-27-gets-a-trailer-fat-official-poster_008535.html
In any event, I'm going to listen to the ultimate 'shit' band, Kraftwerk.
Psst...I'm going by your definition so you won't have to force the issue later.
(wink wink, nudge nudge)
Score = 1
hahaha you guys are so lame-orelli!!! like seriously bro-brahs!
first off ..i have no idea what reido was saying about non-commercial and commercial....please make sense.....or at least if its non-sense ..make it funny....but wait...your second statement actually rang a bell for me.....THIS.... IS.... WHAT..... IM ....TALKING .....ABOUT!!!! all you cool hipsters out there say "hey dont bash that band or this band....they make art dude....sonic youth..they're from NYC...duh...its art city." "pavement=art"...screw that...go back to obscurity please.....you cant create a melody worth remembering.....listen here folks...just because a band came around and did something first doesnt mean they are pioneers...hmkay. example: Kraftwork.....the blow chunks....i have some remixs other people did for them...they're good....but kraftwork sounds like they made music for ET the video on atari....and we all know how popular that game was....but damn all i did was fall in holes...it sucked.....now .thats a sweet metaphor for there music. BOO-YA!
oh and yes some might say radiohead making stupid experimental music...but those people probably just listen to the radio....they listen to nickelback..or kelly clarkson. ...they are sheltered.....so pleassssse.....answer my question.....why sigur ros? is it becuase they are playing at 89.874393 bpm or there time signature is 11/2.5? what makes it there art better than nickelbacks art? is it because they where scarfs? help me...help you.
Score = -6
yes, it doesn't make any sense, thanks for proving my point. here is a quote from you, "i dont think so. perhaps the only time these bands/artist would be useful is if they [...] 3) made music for non-commercial use..like commercials"
all i was saying is that bashing those three bands in the same sentence won't go over well, those 3 bands are a large cross-section of music that people on this blog listen to.
i like sigur ros because it is entertaining for me, and if it isn't for you it isn't for you. i would understand if this argument was about nickelback, because they are actually bad. corporate shit. however, sigur ros doesn't fall into that category. they play what they want to play, not what anyone else wants them to play. and it so happens that i like what they choose to play.
Score = 0
"Lame-orelli"?! Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit!
And you're a troll, not a flamer. Flamer's end up in ridiculously childish insult fests that are usually an extension of the fanboy-isms (For example: "xbox360, ftw! ps3 is teh suxxorz!1!"). A troll waits around in threads that are supposed to be for positive--or at least critical if it's negative--discussion of something, and then proceeds to bash said topic. Start your own blog about how Sigur Ros sucks, don't come here to vent your obviously opposed opinions on the band.
And I'm not a *huge* Sigur Ros fan, but I do enjoy a lot of their music, so let me at least attempt to describe why I find the band interesting (for the sake of discussion): I find their music very pleasingly atmospheric, it's swelling textures--in the right environment--really seem to envelop me as a listener. The absence of driving rhythm, or even time signatures altogether, creates a sort of stasis for the music to unfold and fold over itself in. There's trepid weariness to the compositions: A hopeful exhaustion, if you'll permit me a "pitchfork" like analogy (I know, it makes me sick just to type tripe like that). And about the lyrics being nonsensical: I really, really, don't care. I love Radiohead, but few of Thom Yorke's lyrics make sense to me. All I ask from lyrics is that they paint pretty pictures (which doesn't mean they have to be coherent, see Nirvana and The Pixies, two other favorites of mine) and don't make me cringe like I'm lisinening to bad teenage poetry. Other than that, I don't care if the lyrics are mangled samples from TV shows (actually I love shit like that) or absent altogether. I love instrumental music, too. The only lyricists I really think are genius are generally from the 60s and 70s, or rappers from the last two and a half decades, but I digress and this isn't the place for that discussion.
Actually you know, a lot of the reasons I like Sigur Ros are the very same ones I like Radiohead for. I'd be willing to bet you'd find the majority of Sigur Ros fans to be of the same opinion. And just for the record, I think both Radiohead and Sigur Ros are *little* overrated.
Score = 2
But they're both still great bands. I forgot to jot that in there. Damn sneaking around on the net at work!
And lisinening (or whatever the hell I wrote) = listening.
Score = 0
Pee-pole, don't feed the troll.........!
Score = 1
hahaha this reminds me of lunch time at high school. watching those nerds play DD. or whatever magical card game. trolls and shiat. well it looks like im running out of manna power so ill leave this enchanted forest soon...but ..WAIT!
dont tell me i cant write on this "discussion" board thats so childish. this is the interwebs bro-seph. free info. so your gonna take my free info...if you like it or not. thats the beauty of the internet....if you dont like it..turn your computer off...or close your browser...your gonna find everything on the web...be it prentious wankings about art-rock..or bashings. be it trolls or horse porn....
GOOD DAY!
Score = -1
DD?! As in Dungeons and Dragons?! How old are you man?! Alright, Tasslehoff, take your ass back to the newest Orc based MUDD or whatever, maybe we'll catch you on #losers irc.
Score = 0
@kernelsdaughter
you do have the right to express yourself, but not to say "shiat" or any derivative of "lame-orelli." and since all trolls are sub-human, i will use my level 20 banish on you.
sorry bud.
Score = 1
@Huph
????
... i'm 26......seriously...dont try to be funny. you're not good at it. that was far from laughable. remember you dont have to be clever to be funny. live a little huph. BOO-YA!!! Word Out to all my trolls out there....flamers...we love you too.
"Its hard to be a gansta in the interwebs" (tm) - thekernelsdaughter.
Score = -2
Your not funny either, but thats neither here nor there. What you should be doing is reading real reviews if you want an explanation. The people writing in the comments of this are more than likely not music critics. They like what they like and half the time cannot put into words why they do. Some, perhaps can (i like Huphs description about how the music folds into itself) a little better than others. But if you are looking to find a professional opinion go find reviews and crap to read. Or don't. I really don't give a fuck.
Score = -1
Perhaps a little history of icelandic music would help to? Netflix "Screaming Masterpiece".
Oh and, your a fucking idiot for comparing sigur ros to nickelback.
Score = 1
Did anybody catch Puddle of Mudd at MOMA? If you want to talk about a "new vitality and an even richer, untouchable catalog", you need not go further than "She Hates Me".
Hot damn.
Score = 2
beautiful performance, wish I could've been there, but that setlist is really inaccurate, though I suppose that could be because not all songs were recorded. here's the actual setlist, at least of THIS selection:
1.) glósóli
2.) sé Lest
3.) við spilum endalaust
4.) sæglópur
5.) icelandic national anthem
6.) inní mér syngur vitleysingur
7.) hoppipolla
8.) gobbledigook
Score = 0
NY Mag mentions that Sigur's United Palace shows will only be the 4 immediate members of the band. That seems unpossible. Anyone got a line on what on Earf is going on with that?
Score = 0
ohhh man. I was enjoying this banter until the radiohead confession. now that's a real mystery. why would anyone want to listen to that guy whine on?
anyway.. I saw a bit of this show. I liked it. Can anyone tell me the name of the song that he sung stood next to the dude with the twiddly moustache behind the keyboards? little brass bandy guys played in it too after playing the national anthem or something
Score = -1
thekernelsdaughter is truly a fool. it's incredible (and hilarious) that he wanted to waste his time replying to people and continuing this foolish, angry argument.. what a waste of time.
sigur ros and radiohead are so similar in terms of their 'esoteric-ness': they create multi-dimensional, soundscape-oriented songs that are delicate and full. he reduces his argument to absurdity by simply mentioning radiohead. plus, sigur ros are great people. you can tell in the way they carry themselves, in their humbleness. at a show you can just tell that the thing they want to do most is show people their music. there is no commercialism behind it. it is pure music, whether you PERSONALLY find it beautiful or not. although radiohead is slightly more commercial, i would argue they do similar things.
as far as a band goes, sigur ros are intelligent, whether you believe me, or like their music, or not. every single sound that is put into their records is the result of a string of positive aesthetic choices, good recording choices, good songwriting ability, beautiful use of negative space, and a true understanding of ART and BEAUTY. sure, their music could be considered repetitive to an untrained listener... but it's not THAT bad. sure, some people may find it boring, or may not like the singer's voice... but what amazes me about thekernelsdaughter is that he hates on the whole band, hates on the band's fans, and hates on generally everything. PLEASE leave your negativity somewhere else. i am glad that people like you don't like sigur ros. that's why the shows are so perfect.
anway aside from my rant i was very pleased to find this video. if anyone else reads this and saw them at bonnaroo... :D share the love it was the most beautiful time of my life.
Score = 0
I don't listen to much music these days. But I've always follwed Icelandic bands, having visited that other-worldly country 4 times. What strikes me about Sigur Ros is the attention to detail. The crackles of a vinyl LP in the background, the subtle use of electronica and the deft, hand-crafted instrumentation all invoke a mystical energy to me. I believet is difficult for us non-Icelanders to relate to the music. We aren't there to see the Borealis, to spend our Winter's in darkness, nor or Summers in daylight. To me, Sigur Ros has captured the flavor of Iceland. It's an important part of their music. Once it gets inside you, it haunts you for life.
Score = 0