The incredibly talented Icelandic group Sigur Rós rattled Detroit’s beautiful Fox Theatre this past Saturday, October 1st, playing a sold out show to an excited crowd. The band’s previous performance in the city was back in 2013, so many Michigan fans highly anticipated this show.
That 2013 show featured the previous year’s Valtari release, and the then-upcoming Kveikur release. Unlike their previous visit, which included an orchestra full of violinists and choral singers among others, the group had a much more intimate show this time around, with no musicians accompanying them on stage. This is also Sigur Rós’ first tour as a trio, as Kjartan Sveinsson, the keyboardist for the band for well over a decade, left the band after their last tour.
Despite these changes, the trio performed just as flawlessly, resoundingly and incredibly as in years past, and the audience’s constant captivation proved just that. In all of my years of attending various concerts and festivals, I don’t believe I have ever witnessed an audience so engulfed in the performance as this past Saturday’s. Barely any phones could be seen pulled out, as most attendees were simply too taken aback by all of the beauty to remember that the outside world even existed.
The evening consisted of two sets of performances, with a 20 minute intermission in between. No opener was scheduled, and Sigur Rós went on at 8:30pm sharp as planned. Each set consisted of a blend of new songs, off of their upcoming album whose name is still a mystery, and various adorned classics from their two-decade discography. “Saeglopur” off of Takk was a favorite, as Jónsi’s piercing falsetto silenced the venue while a bow graced along the strings of his electric guitar, creating hauntingly beautiful tones.
Equally mesmerizing to the evening’s music were the light and stage setup that accompanied it. LED lights and a massive backdrop created scenes of natural beauty, far off galaxies, thunderstorms and vibrant colors which splashed the high ceilings of the historic theatre, and with it, perfectly choreographed explosions of stage lights during each dramatic strike of Orri Páll Dýrason’s drums. In the group’s second set, the trio played the first two songs behind a semitransparent visual screen, while deep, darker lights set the tone, as their instruments resonated around the entire venue.
The performance had a faultless balance of calm, devastating beauty created by the band’s many serene pieces, and the dramatic, vibrant contradictory pieces that shook each member of the audience back awake from a tranquil daze. The segue from one song to another was unforgettably fluent as well, leaving no time for much clapping until the very end, at which point the audience wasted no time in jumping up for a standing ovation following the band’s last song, “Popplagið”.
Don’t miss Sigur Rós in a town near you! Check out their full US tour schedule below.
Sigur Rós Tour Dates
October 3 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
October 5 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
October 6 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
October 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
October 10 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
October 12 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
October 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre
-Words and photos courtesy of Katie Laskowska. See the full gallery below!
