Author: Gabríel Benjamin
Workers Unite!
by Gabríel Benjamin and Andie Sophia Fontaine
How the service industry exploits workers, and why nothing is changingEarlier this month, a news story broke in the Icelandic…
Schrödinger’s Volcano
On August 16, the Western media spotlight fell on Iceland once again. As is usually the case when the outside…
“Eruption Has Probably Not Started”
Today’s reports of an eruption starting at Bárðabunga may have been premature, according to geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson. He said…
It Was My Way, And The Highway
Gálgahraun lava field and the new Álftanesvegur roadOn the Álftanes peninsula, a good ten kilometres from downtown Reykjavík, lies a…
Free Track: Prins Póló’s “París Norðursins”
by Haukur S. Magnússon and Gabríel Benjamin
You won’t find Prins Póló’s unexpected summer hit “París norðursins” (“Paris Of The North”) on the act’s recent LP ‘Sorrí’…
Where Elves Dare Not Tread
Wherein we pay respects to the first of (hopefully) many Norðanpaunk Festivals to come…The first weekend of August is known…
Some Loudness For Your Living Room
When life gives you lemons, you have a wicked house party with live performances! Or, wait, is that what you…
Testes Not Required For Metal
A trip east to the Eistnaflug metal festivalFor the rockers and metalheads of Iceland, the second weekend of July is…
Why Iceland-Palestine?
Sveinn Rúnar Hauksson, chair of the Iceland-Palestine Association, on the conflict and the cause he defendsThe Israel-Palestine conflict has in…
Track Of Issue: Reykjavíkurdætur
To those that don’t understand Icelandic, “D.R.U.S.L.A.” (which roughly translates to ‘S.L.U.T.’) may seem just like an upbeat synth-y song…
Book Worms, Ahoy!
Best Bookstore: Nexus AfþreyingNexus is Iceland’s only store dedicated to fantasy and science fiction and features a large fiction section,…
The Best Way To Hit 12 Bars In 12 Hours!
We at the Grapevine do not encourage people to drink to excess, but if you ever wanted to have 12…
For A Better Society
It seems that in every mention of Icelandic women by the foreign media, Iceland is praised as a feminist utopia…
What’s The Best Thing About Reykjavík In One Or Two Sentences?
by Rebecca Scott Lord, Gabríel Benjamin and Liam Harrison
Alda Sigmundsdóttir Author and blogger The first thing I think of is Grótta with the lighthouse, in Seltjarnarnes, near the…
Gunnar Nelson To Fight Zak Cummings Tonight
Iceland’s undefeated mixed martial arts fighter Gunnar Nelson is set to face the American Zak Cummings in Dublin tonight. The fight…
Track Of Issue: Grísalappalísa’s “Nýlendugata-Pálsbæjarvör-Grótta”
This frantic and irreverent song is the band’s very first single off of their new album, ‘Rökrétt Framhald’ (“Logical Progression”)….
It Doesn’t Matter What You’re Wearing
Organiser María Lilja Þrastardóttir gears up for another Reykjavík SlutWalkOn April 3, 2011, the people of Toronto, Ontario, rose up…
A Personal Account From The Big City
by Hildur Sverrisdóttir and Gabríel Benjamin
On ‘dating’ in ReykjavíkI accept the date request after doing some Facebook reconnaissance and looking into our mutual friends. As…
EasyJet Offering More Flights To And From Iceland
Budget airline easyJet announced at a press conference today that the company will increase its flights to and from Iceland…
The Toll On Nature
While the State and private land-owners argue about admission fees, nature continues to sufferFor centuries, Icelanders have enjoyed the right…
Rauðasandur Festival: It’s On!
The weather, it’s getting betterThe organisers of the Rauðasandur Music Festival have announced that despite some concern yesterday, thepotentially foul weather in…
Track Of The Issue: Uni Stefson’s “Enginn Grætur”
Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson of super band Retro Stefson has recently started a solo project known as Uni Stefson, and it…
Keeping It Clean
Riding along in Iceland’s needle exchange ambulanceOn a quiet Saturday afternoon, I make my way to a white van idling…
May Your Urine Burn, You Cowardly Goat!
by Larissa Kyzer and Gabríel Benjamin
The art of swearing in IcelandicThere are a lot of progress barometers when you are learning a new language, but…
Roosh V. Who?
Roosh Vorek, real name Daryush Valizadeh, is a 35-year-old American known for a series of books that give instructions on…