Author: Sveinn Birkir Björnsson
The Immigrant Representative
Maybe you could start by telling our readers how you came to enter Icelandic politics. The municipal elections in 2006…
A Loss for Democracy
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or so it would seem, judging from the recent Parliamentary…
Trassar Regroup for Another Attack
“But it’s been 14 years of silence, it’s been 14 years of pain, it’s been 14 years that are gone…
Horse Riding in Hafnarfjörður
Since the Icelandic horse has lost most of its practical value in modern society, having been replaced by more modern…
Vitality and Relevance
Last January, Swede Max Dager took over from Norwegian Gro Kraft as the director of the Nordic House in Reykjavík….
The Best Band No One Knows
The tiny non-profit co-op organic-café shop Hljómalind on Laugavegur has proven to be an incredibly popular concert venue, especially within…
From the Editor’s Chair
As I watched an historic part of Reykjavík burn down, about two weeks ago at the time of writing, I…
From the Editor’s Chair
Apparently, the world at large has little or no idea that Iceland even exists, or at least it would have…
Pure Body – Pure Nation
Tell us a bit about the book. What I try to do in the book is to look at the…
The Brotherhood of the Negative
Iceland’s favourite sons of rock n’ roll, collectively known as Mínus, are back at it. After being hailed as the…
Einar Ben
Located in an old wooden house in the centre of town, Einar Ben is easily one of the most conveniently…
Can I Get a Witness?
When The Sugarcubes first embarked on their musical voyage under the slogan ‘World Domination or Death,’ few people expected them…
Fight for Your Right to Stay on the Air
So, the Mayor, huh? Andri: Yes, he is in my pocket, our new best friend. Búi: I have him on…
Good Show, Unfortunate Venue
There was an unusually subdued and quiet atmosphere at NASA for Lisa Ekdahl’s concert. This was her third show in…
Esja, a New Peak in the Musical Landscape
In many ways, this is an unlikely union. The coalition of former GusGus frontman and now a successful solo artist,…
The Faroe Islands: Remote and Isolated, yet Oddly Familiar
Two days before our Friday departure to the Faroe Islands, my photographer asked, “Did you book a room yet?” “It…
From the Editor’s Chair
Welcome, dear reader, to the 54th issue of the Reykjavík Grapevine. This might be our lightest issue to date. Sometimes…
If No One Dares to Try, We Would Never Get Anything New.
Sigríður Dögg Auðunsdóttir has a stellar reputation as a journalist. In 2006, she was awarded for investigative journalism by the…
Domo
Domo first opened its doors a little over a month ago. In the short time since its opening it has…
Lisa Ekdahl Interviews a Grapevine Journalist
Swedish sensation, Jazz diva, and pop idol Lisa Ekdahl is on tour yet again, having played in Norway and Demark…
Exploring the Þingvellir Lava Fields From the Inside Out
It is still pitch dark outside at nine in the morning when my photographer and I meet up with our…
From the Edtitor’s Chair
It is a new year, a time to wipe the slate clean. A time to start over. There is a…
The Stories That Shaped the Year
In the year that passed, these news stories stood out above others. Heavy Industry to Increase Despite Growing Opposition The…
A New Worldview
Discussing the impact of global warming from the perspective of environmental planning with Trausti Valsson “It seemed that whenever I…
The Thirty Best Icelandic Albums of 2006
“I was quite pessimistic for the most part of the year, feeling that most domestic releases were quite mediocre, but…