Long-running Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós has announced an extension of their current tour into the Spring of 2017. The North American tour will begin in April at the Santa Barbara Bowl in California and stretch for over two months into June, where the tour will conclude at Queens, NY’s Forest Hills Stadium.
Much like their previous tour, which found the band taking to theaters instead of much-larger venues (with the exception of their performance at the Hollywood Bowl ampitheatre), this tour will be different than the typical Sigur Rós live show. Once again the band will perform as a trio (Jónsi Birgisson, Georg Hólm, Orri Páll Dýrason) without the elaborate backing instrumentalists that typically accompany the band. Gone are the string arrangements and other acoutraments that define much of Sigur Rós’ sound. Once again, they will perform two complete sets, spanning the course of their influential discography. And, as was the case in the earlier portions of the tour, there will not be an opening act.
Much like that tour and their summer tour, expect to see the band perform a lot of new material as they prepare to release another album of ethereal experimental rock music.
Just a month ago, the band released a re-worked version of their song “Hoppipola,” which was used in a trailer for the BBC show “Planet Earth.”
Founded in 1994, Sigur Rós has been active for over 20 years and over the course of that time has released seven studio albums, the latest being 2013’s Kveikur. Over that period of time the band has become one of the most acclaimed groups in the experimental world, mixing pop sensabilities with intricate instrumental arrangements and themes.
The band has also released a trailer for the tour, find it below:
UPDATE (1/17): Sigur Rós have outlined details about their performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall along with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Some of the biggest names in modern music composition including Dan Deacon and Owen Pallett will provide string arrangements for the shows. Also providing arrangements are multi-disciplinary composer Nico Muhly, former composer-in-residence with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Anna Meredith, Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Lang, Opera Company of Philadelphia composer in residence, Missy Mazzoli, Icelandic composer Páll Ragnar Pálsson and Reykjavík Festival co-curator Daniel Bjarnarson.
These arrangers will collaborate with the Icelandic experimental rock group on new songs as well as older tracks. The three performances coincide with the Reykjavík Festival. Incredibly, this will be the first time Sigur Rós will play a public performance with an orchestra since 2003.
Each performance will offer the audience a different experience. The performances will be prefaced by a different symphonic and choral program by Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Anna Þorvaldsdóttirand and Jón Leifs.
As if that was not enough, the performances will also debut a new violin concerto from Daníel Bjarnason, which will be performed by Pekka Kuusisto. Rounding out this jam-packed celebration of music are United States premieres for Haukur Tómasson’s piano concerto that features Icelandic soloist Vikingur Ólafsson and Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson’s BD.
See the full schedule below:
Each program preceded by Nordic Affect chamber music program.
Program 1 (April 13):
Pekka Kuusisto, violin (April 13)
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík (a capella choral works TBD)
Hlynur Aðils VILMARSSON BD
Daníel BJARNASON Violin Concerto (LA Phil commission; world premiere) Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Sigur Rós works
Program 2 (April 14):
Vikingur Ólafsson, piano (April 14)
Schola Cantorum Reykjavík (a capella choral works TBD)
Anna THORVALDSDOTTIR Airiality
Haukur TÓMASSON Piano Concerto (LA Phil co-commission; U.S. premiere)
Vikingur Ólafsson, piano
Sigur Rós works
Program 3 (April 15):
James McVinnie, organ (April 15)
Schola Cantorum (a capella choral works TBD)
María Huld Markan SIGFÚSDÓTTIR Aequora
LEIFS Organ Concerto
James McVinnie, organ
Sigur Rós works
SIGUR RÓS SPRING 2017 TOUR DATES
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4/7 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
4/8 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre
4/11 – Irvine, CA – Bren Events Center
4/13 – 4/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Walt Disney Concert Hall (accompanied by LA Philharmonic)
5/20 – Gulf Shores – Hangout Fest
5/21 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
5/23 – Atlanta, GA – The Fox Theatre
5/25 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
5/28 – Toronto, ON – TD Echo Beach
5/30 – Montreal, QC – Place des Arts
6/2 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre
6/3 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre
6/4 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre
6/5 – St Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House
6/7 – Dallas, TX – Bomb Factory
6/9 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater
6/10 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater
6/12 – Nashville, TN – Andrew Jackson Hall
6/13 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre
6/15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
6/16 – Philadelphia, PA – Mann Center for the Performing Arts
6/17 – Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
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