Author: John Rogers
PHOTOS: Inside The Grapevine Music Awards Party 2019
by John Rogers
The Grapevine Music Awards Party 2019 took place last night at Húrra in downtown Reykjavík. It was packed out, and…
Grapevine Music Awards 2019: Best Song – Prins Póló’s ‘Lifið ertu að grínast’
by John Rogers
Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson, aka Prins Póló, sits down regally on the bench, his back straight and fingers interlocked over one…
Grapevine Music Awards 2019: Artist Of The Year – Ólafur Arnalds
by John Rogers
2018 felt like the year when composer, musician and performer Ólafur Arnalds came into his own and stepped out into…
Smitey Smitemas: A Mid-Season Check-In With Our Vikings-At-Large
by John Rogers and Greig Robertson
The Christmas period is a crazy time in football. With matches coming thick and fast—particularly in the English Premier League,…
The Grapevine Music Awards 2019: The Winners Are Here!
by John Rogers
One of the most common questions asked about Iceland—right up there alongside volcano stuff, the ‘incest app’ and the pissy…
Over The River: A Taste Of Winter In Selfoss
by John Rogers
The Ölfusá river gushes down through southern Iceland, from the place where the Hvítá and Sog rivers meet. The rapidly…
Grapevine Playlist: Hermigervill, sillus, HATARI, Psychoplasmics, ZAKAZ & More
by John Rogers, Hannah Jane Cohen and Phil Uwe Widiger
A lot of great music sneaked out over the Christmas period, whilst your eye was off the ball, and on…
There’s A New Ramen In Town: Hi Noodle Prioritises Authenticity & Consistency
by John Rogers
Reykjavík foodies have long lamented the relative lack of Asian cuisines in this city that are readily available is most…
Grapevine Music Awards: Readers Choice Poll Now Open!
by John Rogers
The Grapevine Music Awards are almost here, looking back at the best, brightest, most exciting and inspiring music that came…
Bondage-Synth-Punk Trio Hatari Announce Final Gig After Failing To Dismantle Capitalism
by John Rogers
Hatari released a statement to the media today concerning the recent announcement of their last ever concert, to be held…
In Photos: Reykjavík Lights Up For Christmas
by John Rogers
Yup. It’s Christmas. Reykjavík 101 is pretty famously a very cosy and pleasant to be at Christmas time. It’s dark…
UK-Iceland Expats’ Resident Statuses Secure On Both Sides, Says UK Ambassador
by John Rogers
The UK Ambassador to Iceland, Michael Nevin, has announced on Facebook that negotiations have been completed to secure the residential…
Randall Dunn’s ‘Beloved’ Dissolves Musical Structure; IÐNÓ Show Next Week
by John Rogers
The NYC record label figureight has released a stream excellent albums since its formation in 2017—not least, by Icelandic artists…
The Final Six: Winners Of Kraumur Music Awards 2018 Announced
by John Rogers
The Kraumur Music Awards have announced the final winners from their impressively diverse 2018 longlist. The six winning releases this…
Warning: Windstorm Hits South Iceland—Be Careful. Plus Bonus Netflix Recco
by John Rogers
According to vedur.is, a windstorm is about to hit the southwestern corner of Iceland, which is, somewhat inconveniently for us…
#IcelandSmites: Heimir “The Scarred Eye Of Óðinn” Hallgrímsson Sails To Qatar
by Valur Grettisson and John Rogers
Former manager of the Icelandic national football team, Heimir “the scarred eye of Óðinn” Hallgrímsson, The Darth Dentist, The Westman…
A Flying Visit: Keflavík’s Hotel Berg Is A Tucked-Away Gem
by John Rogers
We streak out of Reykjavík along Route 41, escaping snarls of Saturday morning traffic and shooting into the snowy wilderness…
Fiiiiiive Goooooold Riiiings: Christmassy Goings-On In Reykjavík City
by John Rogers and Hannah Jane Cohen
Reykjavík is a cosy and festive place to be at Christmas, from the decoration-festooned downtown streets to pop-up markets, special…
Quality, Ambition, Originality: Kraumur Music Awards Unveil Diverse Longlist
by John Rogers
As the year draws to a close, music journalists, bloggers and critics are starting to draw up their end-of-year-lists of…
Secretly Satanic: SMIT Records Explores The Frontiers Of Experimental Music
by John Rogers
“It’s about infecting people with satanic music,” says Héðinn Finnsson, in a quiet, deadpan voice, with a neat grid of…
Geothermal Beer: Hveragerði’s Ölverk Brew Pub Is A Must-Visit
by John Rogers
Until recent years, many of Iceland’s small rural towns have had—despite a couple of top-notch exceptions—very limited options when it…
Christmas Is Coming & We Are Getting Fat: A Festive Guide To Reykjavík Restaurants
by John Rogers, Shruthi Basappa, Ragnar Egilsson and Alexander Jean de Fontenay
After last year’s tour of easy-going downtown havens like Mat Bar, Snaps and Skál, we decided to broaden the net…
Music News: Jónsi Triple Album! Vök’s World Domination! Kiasmos NYE Blowout! More!
by John Rogers
Oh lord! It’s all going off in the Icelandic music scene. Here’s a summary of what’s new. Jónsi has released…
#IcelandSmites: Horde In Hamrén-induced Hypersleep; Glory Abounds Anyway
by John Rogers and Greig Robertson
After the end of their injury-smited, ignominious UEFA Nation’s League campaign, the horde has dispersed back to their day jobs,…
Town Guide: Chess Masters, Thrift Shopping & Memorable Meals In Selfoss
by John Rogers
South Iceland’s main town of Selfoss is an hour-long drive from Reykjavík on the banks of the wide and gushing…