NOVEMBER 28th, 2024
SIGUR ROS
Review by Dmitry Sukhinin
Photos by Polina Kulikovskikh
Photo Gallery: http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/sigur-ros/


Since my early childhood, I’ve attended more symphonic orchestra concerts than metal gigs—around 350 or so. The Sigur Rós concert felt much closer to a symphonic concert than to any other genre, and definitely nothing like any rock subgenre. But hey, Icelandic music is practically a genre of its own.

Oslo Spectrum is once again packed, and I am fortunate to sit quite close to the action—the closest section to the orchestra, in the 11th row. As the start time approaches, the orchestra begins gathering in their places. The “first violin,” or concertmaster, takes the tuning note (A in the first octave), and the rest of the orchestra tunes in—a ritual I’ve heard hundreds of times. Then the lights go down.

Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson enters with vocals. At first, his voice doesn’t sit well in the mix, but within a few lines, adjustments to reverb and EQ bring it seamlessly in sync with the orchestra. Jónsi sounds flawless throughout the set, across both acts, effortlessly hitting high notes with his operatic voice.

This is not just a symphonic concert—the lighting above the audience enhances the mood, shifting tone with each song. I’d especially recommend this experience to fans of movie soundtracks. At least part of the orchestra appears to be mic’d, as some instruments clearly project from the venue’s massive speakers. Adding to the atmosphere, fog rises around the orchestra, creating a mysterious, otherworldly visual effect. The lights and visuals are simply marvelous.

I don’t know how it works commercially, but from an experiential standpoint, the live orchestra is far superior to any backing track. That said, it’s almost impossible to discern what Sigur Rós themselves are playing, as they remain hidden among the orchestra in the fog. I see them holding instruments and playing, but the mix is so balanced and gentle that the orchestra takes center stage. There is, however, one moment where an acoustic guitar plays solo—a fascinating, intricate melody with unusual accents.

Jónsi leaves the stage about seven minutes before the first act is supposed to end, allowing the orchestra to carry the music into the break.

Twenty minutes later, the second act begins with the traditional orchestra tuning ritual. This act is far more dynamic than the first. For the first time, I can clearly hear what the musicians are playing. The lighting also becomes more animated and engaging. During the first song, I notice the piano make an obvious mistake, playing a dissonant chord. This small imperfection confirms that everything is live, not prerecorded—a detail that makes the flawless mix balance even more impressive. When Jónsi switches from bow to pick on his guitar, I hear the string clanking louder than the amplified guitar itself.

The live performance far surpasses any recording, and the two hours fly by so quickly that I barely notice the time passing.

Set 1:
Blóðberg
Ekki múkk
Fljótavík
8
Von
Andvari
Starálfur
Dauðalogn
Varðeldur

Set 2:
Untitled #1 – Vaka
Untitled #3 – Samskeyti
Heysátan
Ylur
Skel
All Alright
Untitled #5 – Álafoss
Sé lest
Hoppípolla
Avalon