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:
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the festival of unleavened bread, at the festival of weeks, and at the festival of booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed; all shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Deuteronomy 16:16,17.
“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)
“Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme, I have tried; I can find no rhyme to “lady” but “baby”Man innocent rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn”Ma hard rhyme; for “school,” “fool”Ma babbling rhyme; very ominous endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)