Words by

Gabríel Benjamin

@gabrielandmore

Not only can you celebrate the end of the shortest month and least liked month of the calendar year, but you can also celebrate 25 years of beer being legal in Iceland. Whether or not you make your way to the festivals happening at KEX Hostel or Bar 11, there will be ample opportunities to celebrate beer this weekend.

Friday

KEX Beer Festival The gang at KEX Hostel are going all out celebrating this anniversary, bringing in beer from local brewers, including macro- and microbreweries. Friday sees Ölgerðin and Borg Brugghús offer their beers, with indie pop band 1860 playing from 21:00, and Saturday Ölvisholt brugghús, Kaldi Bruggsmiðjan, Steðji brugghús and amateur brewers Fágun showcasing their craft beers, with the KEX Hostel Beer Band taking stage at 21:00. Be sure to show up early though, as the past two days have been absolutely packed.
– KEX Hostel Friday and Saturday, from 17:00, free admission

Einar Indra / Gunnar Jónsson Collider / Brilliantus / russian.girls 
Bravó is hosting the 32nd Möller Records Heiladans (“Brain Dance”), a monthly event that showcases the best of Icelandic electronica. This time the ambient/electro artist Brillantinus starts the show, followed by multi-instrumentalist Gunnar Jónsson Collider. The atmospheric electro artist Einar Indra presents his new EP ‘You Sound Asleep,’ and the psychedelic electrorussian.girls closes the show.
– Bravó at 21:00, free admission

Saturday

Blacklisted / kimono / Grísalappalísa / Klikk / Kælan Mikla / Ofvitarnir
US hardcore band Blacklisted is joined by a myriad of other Icelandic talent, including the rock-indie bands Kimono and Ofvitarnir, punk poets Grísalappalísa and Kælan Mikla and hardcore-punkers Klikk. So come one, come all, and get a plentiful serving of rock, indie and punk.
– Hellirinn TÞM, 1,000 ISK admission

KÍTON: Songbirds In Harpa
Newly formed KÍTON, which stands for ”Konur í Tónlist” or “Women in Music,” is on a mission to promote equality and inspire the up-and-coming generation of Iceland’s female musicians, artists and performers. The two-day festival called “Tónafljóð í Hörpu” or “Songbirds in Harpa,” will showcase some of the best female performers from the Icelandic music scene. There will be a series of panel discussions on Saturday, and several performances in the open spaces of Harpa on Sunday, culminating in a grand performance in the main concert hall from 20:00 with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, Ragnhildur Gísladóttir, Mammút, Ragnheiður Gröndal, Greta Salóme and Sunna Guðlaugs performing.
– Harpa, Saturday and Sunday, 3,900 ISK admission

Sunday 

Golden Age: Reykjavík Big Band
The Reykjavík Big Band performs at Harpa celebrating the golden age of swing with the music of some of its biggest stars including Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Lunceford, Cab Calloway, Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsez, Les Brown, Glenn Miller and more. Guest singers include Björgvin “Bo Hall” Halldórsson, Helgi Björnsson and Ragnheiður Gröndal.
– Harpa at 20:00, 3,500 ISK admission

Black Sunday: Blue Velvet
The trio behind the Black Sunday film screenings will show one of David Lynch’s bizarre masterpieces, ‘Blue Velvet.’ The film stars Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan and Dennis Hopper in a story that starts with the discovery of a severed human ear.
– Bíó Paradís at 20:00, 1,400 ISK admission

This is only a fragment of the Grapevine’s listings. For the complete schedule, head over to ourlistings site. If you have events that you want listed, please email them to us atlistings@grapevine.is.

Correction: Originally we said the KEX Hostel Beer Festival began at 19:00, the correct starting time is 17:00.