I hope Mountain Man takes the opportunity to carefully scrutinise the artist they are supporting as I believe they could learn a lot. As for me the opportunity to experience a performance by the main man from Sigur Rós was an opportunity not to be missed. Jonsi’s debut solo album impressed and sold well over here in the UK achieving a strong album chart position for several weeks. Do I like it as much as Sigur Ros music? I’m not sure but perhaps seeing the album performed live tonight will help me make up my mind.

Jonsi arrived on the packed stage with his band to a huge cheer from an audience that had grown substantially from its original 1,000, in fact so much so that it looked to be approaching capacity. I can sum this performance up in one word: Beautiful. The word applied to every aspect of the show including the ambience created, the vocal performance, the instrumental performance and of course the songs which took on a new importance in this incredible live setting. We were also treated to a few new songs and a few that may have come from the Jonsi archive of previously unreleased material.

Jonsi is not the most communicative of stage performers in terms of chatting with the audience, however, in my long experience of reviewing live shows rarely have I been so moved by an artist’s ability to communicate solely through his/her music. It didn’t matter that Jonsi sang in his native language, in fact I don’t think he could have felt and communicated with this depth of emotional intensity in any other language.

With Jonsi were Alex Somers on guitar, Úlfur Hansson on bass, Porvaldur Porvaldsson on drums and Ólafur Björn Ólafsson on piano, and their contribution to this quite extraordinary show cannot be underestimated as they also tackled a variety of other instruments.

First arrived the fragile stillness and simplicity of opening song ‘Stars In Still Water’ followed by the first song from the solo GO album,’Hengilas’. I can honestly say that by this early point in proceedings I was already overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of what I was seeing and hearing. And when my favourite album track ‘Tornado’ arrived and departed on the most amazing crescendo of sound, I was totally lost in that backdrop forest with animals prancing through it. I have seen some truly mind-blowing shows in my time but nothing has ever moved as much as this.

Jonsi had thrown everything at this world tour including film, art installation, animation and all so beautifully matched to the show’s musical content. It was a 3 Ms night: Moving, Magical, Memorable.

Set-List

1.Stars in Still Water
2.Hengilás
3.Icicle Sleeves
4.Kolniður
5.Tornado
6.Saint Naïve
7.Sinking Friendships
8.Go Do
9.Boy Lilikoi
10.K12
11.New Piano Song
12.Around Us
Encore:
13.New Guitar Song
14.Animal Arithmetic
15.Grow Till Tall