Festival
The first show was held in 1999 as a one-off event in an airplane hangar at Reykjavík Airport. Subsequently, it has become one of the premier showcases for new music in the world, with hundreds of journalists and industry people in attendance.
Airwaves has become known for its intimacy and party spirit. The festival has been called "the hippest long weekend on the annual music-festival calendar" (David Fricke, Rolling Stone) and an "unbelievable zest for music and celebration" (Jonah Flicker, Pitchforkmedia).
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (played Airwaves in 2004), The Bravery (2004) and The Rapture (2002) are among artists who played Iceland Airwaves before their careers kicked off - in each case the groups were playing their first shows outside their hometown, New York. Among other artists who have played Iceland Airwaves are Crystal Castles, Thievery Corporation, Sparta, Flaming Lips, Fatboy Slim, The Kills, The Stills, TV on the Radio, Keane, Hot Chip, Ratatat, Architecture in Helsinki, Klaxons, Wolf Parade, Kaiser Chiefs and local bands Sigur Rós, GusGus, múm, Singapore Sling, FM Belfast, Of Monsters and Men, Seabear, sóley, Sin Fang and Retro Stefson.
In 2009, the festival was held from 14 to 18 October, featuring about 150 artists including Nina Kinert, The Cocknbullkid, Casiokids, Megaphonic thrift, Micachu and the Shapes, The Golden Filter, Metronomy, Golden Silvers, James Yuill, Postelles and Alaska in winter.
The 2010 edition of Iceland Airwaves took place on 13-17 October. The performers included jj, Robyn, Junip, Toro Y Moi, Timber Timbre, Rolo Tomassi, Bombay Bicycle Club, Hurts, Tunng, Alex Metric, Everything Everything, Mount Kimbie, Joy Formidable, Efterklang, Slagsmalsklubben, Oh No Ono, The Antlers and Hercules and Love Affair.
In 2011, Iceland Airwaves was held from 12 to 17 October. The performers included Björk, Sinéad O'Connor, Yoko Ono, Ólafur Arnalds, Of Monsters and Men, We Were Promised Jetpacks, 22-Pistepirkko, tUnE-yArDs, Beach House, Other Lives and Ólöf Arnalds.
Iceland Airwaves is promoted and produced by Iceland Music Export. and sponsored by its founder Icelandair, in cooperation with the City of Reykjavik.
Read more about this topic: Iceland Airwaves
Famous quotes containing the word festival:
“Don’t you know there are 200 temperance women in this county who control 200 votes. Why does a woman work for temperance? Because she’s tired of liftin’ that besotted mate of hers off the floor every Saturday night and puttin’ him on the sofa so he won’t catch cold. Tonight we’re for temperance. Help yourself to them cloves and chew them, chew them hard. We’re goin’ to that festival tonight smelling like a hot mince pie.”
—Laurence Stallings (1894–1968)
“The surest guide to the correctness of the path that women take is joy in the struggle. Revolution is the festival of the oppressed.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)
“Sabbath. A weekly festival having its origin in the fact that God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh.”
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914)