Iceland Airwaves Off-Venue | Taste of Iceland Chicago September 7-9, 2023 (2024)

Hear some of Iceland's most exciting up-and-coming artists play live at Martyrs' for the Iceland Airwaves Off-Venue concert.

Get ready for an Icelandic musical invasion in Chicago! The City of Reykjavík, in collaboration with Iceland Airwaves, is throwing a free concert on Thursday, September 7, featuring singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JFDR and punk band GRÓA.

Icelandair's Wheel of Prizes will be on-site during the concert. Several lucky, ticketed concert guests will be randomly selected for an opportunity to spin to win a round-trip flight from Chicago to Iceland and assorted goods from Iceland.

Tickets must be presented at the door at least 15minutes before the event.Ensure you arrive early and sign up for the Icelandair Wheel of Prizes!Those tickets not presented at least 15minutes before the event will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cited as an inspiration by Icelandic legend Björk, Jófríður Ákadóttir has made 12 albums in the 12 years starting when she was 15. Her debut album as JFDR was the acclaimed 2017 Shahzad Ismaily produced (Laurie Anderson, Love In Exile, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Yoko Ono) album Brazil. Her second album New Dreams found fans at Stereogum and Under the Radar, who each included "Taking a Part of Me" and "My Work" in their Songs of the Week columns, respectively. She has collaborated with renowned artists Ólafur Arnalds and Damien Rice in the last two years and scored the Icelandic feature film "Backyard Village" and the Icelandic drama series "Sisterhood." Her latest album is titled Museum and was released on April 28, 2023, to stellar reviews on Pitchfork, Paste, the New York Times, and more.

Listen to JFDR on Spotify or Apple Music.

Bursting into the global punk scene in 2018, Icelandic band GRÓA has thrilled audiences worldwide by embracing unruly freedom. The band comprises sisters Hrabba (drums and vocals) and Karó (lead vocals, guitar, and synth) and their childhood friend Fríða (bass and vocals). The Reykjavík band merges elements of post-punk, noise-rock, and touches of art-pop with absolute abandon, achieving an explosive yet magnificently arranged sound.

Listen to GRÓA on Spotify or Apple Music

Hermigervill

DJ Hermigervill will host the evening and will play Icelandic tunes with a twist to keep the guests moving between sets. A longtime heavyweight of the Icelandic music scene, Hermigervill, a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and DJ, has worked with many notable Icelandic artists, produced many Icelandic number-one hits, and released innumerable records under various guises.

The music is in Reykjavík

Reykjavík has long been known for its vibrant music scene and massive creative output. Internationally revered musicians such as Björk, Of Monsters and Men, Sigur Rós, Ásgeir, Emiliana Torrini, múm, Kaleo, Ólafur Arnalds, and Gus Gus, along with composers like Hildur Guðnadóttir, Víkingur Heiðar, Anna Thorvalds, and the late Jóhann Jóhannsson have all played a part in establishing Reykjavík's reputation as a unique place to enjoy live music. The city's eclectic mix of genres, venues, events, and performers makes any music experience memorable. No matter what time of year, a visit to Reykjavík is incomplete without exploring its unique music scene! For upcoming music festivals (from opera to metal), record stores, and an interactive list of venues, check it out.
Reykjavík Music City

Iceland Airwaves Festival

Iceland Airwaves is an award-winning multi-genre music festival that takes place in Iceland‘s beautiful and vibrant capital, Reykjavík. Each year in November, music lovers and adventure seekers from around the world gather in the city for three days and nights of music in venues across downtown Reykjavík, including a church, a museum, and the city's iconic music venues. Receiving rave reviews for the 2022 edition from outlets such as NME, Rolling Stone, and The Independent and a win for the best indoor festival at the European Festival Awards, the festival is kicking into high gear for 2023 and is set to be the best edition yet.
Secure your festival pass for November 2-4, 2023

Icelandic musicians on the road

If you love live music, discover which Icelandic artists are heading to North America (or anywhere in the world) or are on tour using “Iceland Music LIVE.” Search by band, event, or location. Notable 2023 shows included Björk at Coachella and US tours with celebrated pianist Víkingur Ólafsson and dark-wave darlings Kælan Mikla who were recently announced as the support act for HIM’s Ville Valo.
Iceland Music Live

OFFICIAL ICELAND MUSIC PLAYLISTS

When one thinks of Iceland, one thinks of its music–and its indie artists in particular.

Iceland’s wealth of contemporary artists in myriad genres has had an indelible impact on the globe, with creative talent punching high above its weight class.

Listen on: Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer