Grapevine Events: Wacken Metal Battle, Children’s Culture, Fucking Genius & More

We’re coming at you with another events roundup — and on the first day of summer, no less! To be honest, our brains still may not have fully recovered from the holiday we just had, but that’s not gonna stop us from getting back out there this weekend and having fun. And there’s plenty of things to do, from daytime wholesomeness to evening intellectualism to nighttime debauchery, we’ve got you covered. Don’t forget to check out our events site if you want even more options!

Image: Facebook

R6013: Lottó, Afterparty Angel, Final Boss Type Zero

Thursday April 20 — R6013 — 19:00 — Free

It’s finally the official first day of summer — according to the Norse calendar anyway — and what better way to start the season than with some super crispy bands with spicy sounds! Newcomer indie-pop romancer Lottó, performance artist-electro seductress Afterparty Angel, and gabber-rapper-punks Final Boss Type Zero will take over R6013 and fill it with music as popping as a freshly opened bottle of Faygo. If you’re a fan of art students starting bands and making fucked up music, you’ll be into this for sure. Between the three of them, the basement venue is guaranteed to be packed and sweaty, so get there early! RX

Image: Facebook

Wacken Metal Battle Iceland 2023 – The National Final

Saturday April 22 — Gaukurinn — 19:00 — 3.500 ISK

It’s that time again, when metalheads come together to cast their vote for the Icelandic contribution to the annual Wacken Open Air festival in Germany (August 2 to August 5). On Saturday, bands Alchemia, Epidermal Veil, False Majesty, Krownest, Merkúr, and Óværa will compete for the favour of the crowd as well as a panel of 12 judges. Bands Une Misère and Múr will headline – both bands having previously played at Wacken Open Air. Just last year, Múr snagged 4th place. Don’t miss out. Come to the show! JB

Image: Facebook

Ólafur Kram Album Release Show – EKKI TREYSTA FISKUNUM

Saturday April 22 — Húrra — 19:30 — 1.500 ISK

If you know Ólafur Kram spells Mark Rufalo backwards, congratulations. You’re now one of their top fans. Having released their debut album last October, the time has finally come for a release show. And what a release show! Besides the lovely indieheads of Ólafur Kram, artists Kusk and Óviti, Rakel Sigurðardóttir, and Sucks to be you Nigel will be on hand to support this momentous occasion. Húrra is the spot, 1.500 ISK is the price. Rumour has it that the band has received a fresh batch of vinyl records which will be up for grabs for 5.000 ISK. Get them while they’re hot! JB

Image: Reykjavik.is

Children’s Culture Festival

April 18 – 23 — Multiple locations — Free

Since 2010, Barnamenningarhátíð (Children’s Culture Festival) has brought a wide array of artistic disciplines to the youths of Reykjavík through workshops, performances, and participatory events. Focused on children up to 16-years old, the five-day festival comprises dozens of free events all over town. This year’s focus is specifically on events in the family-oriented suburb Grafarvogur and events related to peace. The festival is well-known for fostering the next generations of artists and creatives in Iceland, and is open for all to take part in. Grab your kids and go create. RX

Image: RILF

Reykjavík International Literary Festival

April 19 – 23 — Multiple venues & times — Free

Crack your spines and fold back your dog’s ears, people, it’s time for the Reykjavík International Literary Festival! For over 30 years (non-consecutively, however) the gathering of all-things-books has brought together writers of all stripes to celebrate the joy of the written word. Taking place over several cosy venues across the city, this year’s lineup features over 25 wordsmiths, including Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad Colson Whitehead, bestselling author and champion of women’s fiction Jenny Colgan, and acclaimed non-fiction author Åsne Seierstad. The whole programme is free, conducted in English and open to all. RX

Image: Reykjavík Ensemble

Djöfulsins snillingur

Sunday April 23 — Tjarnabíó — 20:30 — 6.490 ISK

How to characterise the immigrant experience in Iceland? The journey of one international artist struggling to break into the local scene is the focus of Djöfulsins Snillingur (Fucking Genius), the latest production of the Reykjavík Ensemble International Theatre Company — and it is a doozy! Written for stage by Ewa Marcinek and Pálína Jónsdóttir, the black comedy spotlights the difficulty faced by many Iceland — it may feel painfully real, depending on your experiences with Útlendingastofnun. It’s a powerfully acted, sharp and thought-provoking production. CF