Author: Gabríel Benjamin
Free Music: Árstíðir’s “Friðþæging”
Remember the Icelandic indie-folk band that took the internet by storm in 2013 with an a cappella performance of Kolbeinn…
Short Film Contest Open For Submissions
Klapp, a cooperative film organisation, invites thriving and aspiring film makers to partake in short film competition “Skærumyndir“. Contestants are…
Black Metal Band Mutilation Rites Here! Playing A Show!
Riding off of the success of their second album, ‘Harbinger’, the Brooklyn-based filthy black metal band Mutilation Rites is finishing…
PHOTOS: Not Nice Land
Hey everyone, the talented photographer Maciek Suchorabski has travelled around Iceland, taking photos along the way and put together what he…
“Don’t Be A Douchebag!”
Sexting, revenge porn and Iceland’s youth Icelanders are outstanding in many fields. For instance, we proudly hold the record for…
Asylum Seeker Doesn’t Have A Shoe To His Name
Five asylum seekers, a family, and their support group went to the office of the Reykjanesbær social services last Monday,…
Police Stabbing Victim Arrested Outside Parliament
Chaplas Menka, a 35-year-old Liberian refugee who was famously stabbed by the police while in custody in September, was arrested outside…
Searching For The Hidden People In Society
In the old folk stories, the Huldufólk were a race of “hidden people” who lived alongside Icelanders, yet remained outside…
Subject To (Illegal) Search: Sónar, Police And Privacy
There were plenty of reasons to think last year’s Sónar was the dog’s bollocks. There was HE’s theatrical unveiling, Trentemøller’s…
Lights! Camera! Winter!
Happening this weekend: February 6-7Reykjavík’s Winter Lights Festival commenced yesterday. It seems like a fun event, with lots of nice…
VIDEO PREMIERE: Grísalappalísa—Sambýlismannablús
Hey everyone! Our dear friends from Grísalappalísa have just released a new video, and it is glorious. Not in a…
Coldwave Band Antimony Release Dreamy Video
Antimony, a new coldwave band that played its first show in October, has just released its very first music video,…
Dark Music, Reality-TV Art Shows And Punk Rock!
Here’s what’s happening this weekend!Have you checked out our fancy new listings website yet? It’s so fancy! Take a moment to browse…
Shows! Films! Haggis!
Here’s what’s happening this weekend!We at the Grapevine have been hard at work on our shining new listings website, and…
Premiere: New Muck Single And Music Video
Check it out! The hardcore outfit Muck recently made headlines by signing onto the revered heavy metal record label Prosthetic…
Year In News: 2014
The year 2014 was chock-full of controversies, blunders, humour, and, of course, cat stories. So brew yourself a cuppa and…
Track Of The Year: Prins Póló’s “París Norðursins”
by Gabríel Benjamin and Haukur S. Magnússon
Our panel of experts—along with the whole of the Icelandic nation—picked “París Norðursins” as THE song of 2014. The track…
Icelandic Whisky — A Taste Of Things To Come
It exists, we tried it—and we liked itThe small and unassuming Eimverk distillery can be found in an industrial park…
Picks By Local Authors: Read These Books!
Some of our favourite local writers recommend some of their favourite local books (that are available in English) for your…
Squeezing Blood From A Turnip: Iceland’s Universal Healthcare At Risk
In a small and private ceremony in a chapel in Fossvogur, around 30 friends and family members are present to…
May Day Mayday: Iceland’s Ongoing Doctor Strike
Following a round of unsuccessful negotiations, doctors in Iceland commenced their first ever strike in late October. In the wake…
Iceland’s University Hospital: The Director Speaks
Páll Matthíasson runs this ship…Throughout the whole healthcare debacle, one man has consistently remained focused on the big picture: the…
Down To The Bone: The Healthcare System, Post-Austerity
Following the economic collapse of 2008, the Icelandic State’s debts skyrocketed, reaching 126% of the country’s GDP in 2011. At…
Prescribing Trouble: Iceland’s Social Insurance Explained
Prescription drugs used to be either completely, partially or not at all covered by the insurance system, sometimes arbitrarily. On…
Iceland’s Healthcare System: How Does It Work?
Iceland maintains a universal healthcare system, under which all legal residents are covered by the Icelandic social insurance system. All…