Sour Grapes & Stuff: Issue 10, 2015

Most Awesome Letter Of The Issue!

Hi Grapevine

It’s a bit of a long shot, but I wonder if you can help me?
I’m an English drummer/composer staying in Reykjavik between July 25th and Sept 21st.
I’m coming out to try and work with interesting alternative Icelandic musicians/bands for the period of that stay – a kind of musical adventure/experiment really.

It obviously makes sense to make con- tact with potential artists before my visit, so I can ‘hit the ground running’.

So I wanted to ask you if you wouldn’t mind keeping an ear to the ground for anyone needing a drummer for a short term project/collaboration, or to cover another drummer’s absence?

Or perhaps you could suggest any RVK musician’s Facebook groups I could join? All ideas welcome!

My tastes definitely ‘alternative’. I have my own electronic alt.pop project–www.ghostsindaylight.com and I also play drums for www.thelittleunsaid. com–whose music is not really definable–and I think that’s a really healthy thing! :).

I will have drums with me, including sampler/percussion. And a car–so travelling around RVK or the region is fine.

Takk fyrir for any time you spend on this!

Tim

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Hi Tim,

So our hope is that someone will read this letter and contact you! Otherwise, just come on over, go to some events, and talk to people. Post some flyers. Join the Facebook group “Tónlistarviðburðir á Íslandi.” Also, there are jam session around the city, like at Hressó, KEX, Húrra and Dúfnahólar 10.

Good luck!

Grapevine

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Help!

Dear Grapevine,

I’m writing a novel which has accidentally ended up being partly set in Iceland, more than I’d planned (those pesky characters won’t always obey their author). I’ve been to Iceland a few times, but it’s way too far for me to pop over from Australia, each time I’ve got a query. I’m wondering if there are any Icelanders who wouldn’t mind answering the odd email from time to time, checking little details? (Mainly trivia that Icelanders would know instantly, like, do you buy Panodil in supermarkets or pharmacies?, that sort of thing). I hate it when foreigners write books in Australia and get the most obvious details wrong–so I’d like to minimise (though I’m sure not eradicate) the number of clangers I make about Iceland. I’m happy to answer any number of queries about Australia, in return!

I’m not sure if your readership is too oriented towards visitors? Please suggest if you think somewhere else would be more suitable place to look for friendly Icelandic micro-fact-checkers.

thanks,

Sarah

boj_j76@hotmail.com

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Hi Sarah,

We’re a flaky, flighty, generally chaotic bunch at the Grapevine, so don’t count on us to answer your questions because we’ll see it in our inbox, think “Someone should respond to this,” sit on it for a few days, forward it to an intern who will remember it a week later, and will by then have assumed another intern already answered it. BUT there is this Facebook group you could join to ask questions called “Away From Home–Living In Iceland.” Ask nicely, say takk, and hope that a helpful soul will reach out!

Happy writing,

Grapevine

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Dear Grapevine and Hannah,

It is bad journalism and poor form not to mention the headliner for this night was Iceland’s own Sólstafir.

Eistnaflug Thursday: Paint It Black

Signed,

Watching the Fallout

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Dear Mr./Ms./Mx. Fallout,

On behalf of the Grapevine, we apologise for the elitist kvlt taste of our journalist Hannah. We’ll sit down and force her to listen to some Deafheaven.

Grapevine

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