Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sigur Rós At Fort Canning Park



The last time Sigur Rós played closed to our shores in Hong Kong, the schedules didn't match to allow us to fly up. Years later, they've finally put Singapore as a stop on their tour. Excitedly worked travel schedules to be home to watch them. The modern dance scene buzzes with praise for its ambient and post-rock music that draws out soundscapes in so many interpretations. The music cuts across music per se. It is also dance, film, art, passion and love. For their new album 'Valtari', they asked film-makers to choose a song and shoot a video inspired by its music. Those videos are gorgeous.

Jón "Jónsi" Þór Birgisson's falsetto was even more chilling heard live. Goosebumps. The humidity might have helped. His vocals soared high over Fort Canning, which is not the most ideal gig venue for the band, but oddly created an enchanted vibe over the crowd under a red sky that withheld rain. Perhaps due to the secret work of the skewers of bawang-chilli firmly planted all across the venue in dark corners. The video projections screened shots of Iceland's brooding, imposing and magnificent volcanoes, glaciers and lakes. Loved the baby grand placed on stage, along with the elegant string section that lent so much depth to the overall sound. The sound, so decently balanced, never wavered.

Glad to also see friends hop in from different countries, gathering at the humid venue, soaking up the heat at the gig. It was definitely a welcome change from winter for them at home. Still, I was a bit stunned to see a packed-out Fort Canning. Errmmm...so many people in Singapore like Sigur Rós meh? The crowds came prepared for rain. Ponchos, brollies, mats, etc. The skies held through the set, bringing us to an amazing high midway through by the time we got to 'Hoppípolla + Með Blóðnasir'. The friends who had used 'Hoppípollla' as their wedding march-in song three years ago were so thrilled to hear it live. Crescendo. I really really really loved new song 'Brennisteinn' live. Even more majestic as the heavy skies opened up and poured dramatic jewel drops, lasting through 'Ekki Múkk' and stopped at the final song, 'Popplagið'(Click here for Singapore's setlist.) The rain stopped long enough for the crowds to disperse, walk to their cars, the nearest train stations, get into cabs, to the makan places, and shelters. How very kind. We had to go home to, well, pee, and hydrate. Then have a dram of Laphroaig PX Cask as we watched the storm rise. Then we headed out to supper in some sort of post-concert high.

Magical. The perfect gig to close the bountiful year of gigs watched in Singapore for 2012. I leave you with the film 'Varúð' shot by Jeff Ray to 'Brennisteinn' under the umbrella of Valtari's Mystery Film Experiment (on a modest budget), depicting the powerful emotions stirred in the last days of a romantic relationship. (For the rest of the short films, see here, here and here.)

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