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Rating: A year and a half after the first Italian appearance of Sigur Rós (Teatro Ciak in Milan, April 12, 2001, the worst concert ever played according to them), I return to see the Icelandic quartet, performing in Milan at the Rolling Stone.
I arrive late. Outside, there's not much crowd, some who are even more delayed than me hurry to the box office. Inside, not too many people, but not too few either.
The lights go down and the show begins.
The four start with the first three tracks from the new album and immediately create a suspended and muffled atmosphere; Jonsi's ethereal falsetto at the microphone blends with Kjartan's keyboards, all accompanied by the strings of the Amina Strings, four young ladies who have been accompanying the group with their violas and violins for 2 years. In the background, blurry and soft images are projected, while two colored balls cast lights on the hypnotized faces of the audience.
They move on to the more well-known tracks from Agaetis Byrjun, and Jonsi begins to torture his guitar with a violin bow. The sound produced is both symphonic and electric, sweet and icy at the same time.
The group then presents a new piece called Milano (in memory of the performance at Ciak, a gem since it has only been played once before), before concluding with the older songs from the first album, Von and Hafssol, rearranged for the live version.
The drums become more insistent, George's bass is played with a drumstick, and the beat intensifies: it's the prelude to the grand finale with Popplagid.
The minimal and enveloping sound grows into an engaging rhythm, Jonsi’s voice becomes an instrument and merges with the strings, now going wild. It’s 15 minutes of crescendo that literally paralyze, leaving one breathless.
Ice and fire: in one word, Iceland.
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