Happening This Weekend: Our Picks!

Welcome to Merchants’ Weekend: the only days when it is not only ok but encouraged to get so drunk you make out with your cousin. Just kidding, we at the Grapevine don’t promote incest.

Anyway, while this weekend is known for its festivals—check out our guide here—if you’re just chillin’ festival-less, here are your not-to-miss events.

Friday:

Amanda Palmer, Iðnó, 19:00, Free!

Amanda Palmer, singer, pianist, songwriter, author, performance artist, mother, meditation-enthusiast, wife of Neil Gaiman, and so much more, will be holding one of her famous Ninja Gigs tomorrow at Iðnó. If you’ve never heard of her Ninja Gigs, well it’s what it sounds like—a surprise, guerrilla, free gig, where Amanda often performs crazy numbers you’ve never seen before with special guests and much more. While the show is free, she will be passing around a hat for Stígamót, which provides services for survivors of sexual assault and rape, so you should really plan on operating some coins, boy.

Saturday:

Innipúkinn Design & Art Market, Naustin, 14:00, Free!

This annual art market features some of the most exciting young designers and artists around. Trust and believe, it’s part of the Innipúkinn festival, which features the best of the best of Icelandic music, so these guys know how to pick the hot new thangs. Come for prints, paintings, and many other undefined oddities. We at the Grapevine love gifts, so please buy us gifts. Please.

Sunday:

Walking The Strike Of A Fissure, The Volcano Museum, August 5-9, 10:00-17:00

Stykkishólmur’s Volcano Museum explores not just—as you might expect—the geology of volcanoes, but also the culture that has sprung up around them. Over the millennia, many artworks, column-inches and superstitions have been dedicated to the terrifying and majestic phenomena of volcanic eruptions. Curated by artists Angela Berry and Shaun O’Dell, “Walking The Strike Of A Fissure” is a series of multi-disciplinary exhibitions and events that seek to further explode, explain and examine mankind’s relationship with volcanoes. Based on the output of renowned volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson, the artists involved will be present their work on museum’s stage from August 5th-9th, including visual installations, performance, and video screenings. The programme will feature guest artists and scientists including Eva Luzie Synowsky, Gudrun Bergmann and Reykjavik-based artist Arnar Ásgeirsson.

Monday:

Weird Kids Night #5, Mengi, 20:00, 2,000 ISK

The “Weird Kids” scene emerged last year when a bunch of alternative underground musicians—many of whom are non-native, and therefore overlooked in the Icelandic scene—joined forces. The result is a reliable staple of the city’s concert nightlife. This stellar lineup features Sigrun, Madonna + Child, Special K, DVDJ NNS, Claire Paugam & Raphael Alexandre.