What a great show these folks render! I would say it’s darker, more atmospheric and ambient than I expected, but it’s pretty close to the Inni bluray, at least visually. There were a few performance elements from there as well, it’s a show they’ve rehearsed and worked through the kinks so that it all flowed seamlessly.
Absolutely beautiful backdrop do to the fog in Golden Gate Park moving seemingly with with music and at times swirling around and crossing it. The crowd broke out in spontaneous hand clapping a few times but most absorbed the grand majesty in silent awe.
Wow, must see these folks again! I’ve seen Jonsi three times now, and while the solo shows were more exuberant and cathartic, the band delivers another depth. I’ve heard them called the Pink Floyd of our times, and that Radiohead called them an inspiration. I’ll leave you with this: musical boddhisattva. That is all.
katherine
says:
Last night’s show was, in one word, otherworldly. As mentioned above, the foggy cold San Francisco (summer mind you) weather added an element of magic to the sounds coming from the band. Each song rose the vibration of the park and it’s just so fitting that Metallica was a few hundred yards away playing metal as well but on a completely different level! Everyone in the band was beautifully doing their thing. It was nice to see such a harmonious balance from the girls on the string instruments (they ROCK!) to Jonsi, Georg, Orri, and Kjartan.
Bravo!!!
kari
says:
Once again, they blew my mind away. Since I saw them in Berkeley in 2008, I’ve been waiting to see them again. Most inspiring and lovely band I’ve ever heard in my life. I’m so happy they exist and theyre on tour again. Thanks Sigur Ros.
kathryn
says:
my first concert ever, im 14, and i was blown away. i remember calling my parents from across the contry when i heard sigur ros was comeing to SF. i was screaming when they came out i was so touched i was silent for the rest of the concert. i could not believe how intence and powerful it was. when they left i just stood there and just started crying so hard, stareing at the stage being cleaned up. no words. just life changeing.
I’ve heard a smattering of recordings prior to seeing Sigur Ros last night. I was utterly floored (actually, it was impossible to be ‘floored’, due to the magnitude of the crowd!) Visually stunning, sonically impeccable – especially for a live performance. Almost worshipful, extremely spiritual if not…Brilliant composition, impressive dynamics. I recommend them to all musicians, and to anyone wishing to experience something unique and refreshing.
I must see them again in a setting far less sardine-like!
sophie
says:
My experience was almost identical to kathryn’s. This was my first live concert as well, and for hours afterwards I was trying to find the right adjective to describe it. I finally decided on mind-shattering. These songs that I’d heard for so long from recordings reached a whole new level when played live. The music felt like it was all around you, even in you. At times during the show the fog would rush towards the stage as if sigur ros was summoning it with the music. It was such a magical experience to be surrounded by people who share your love for sigur ros. takk.
a58335
says:
As always, it was wonderful. It was a truly magical concert. I’ve seen Sigur Ros before and wondered how it would translate to a festival. It was fine (well, I was near the front). My kids were seeing Sigur Ros for the first time having become big fans since you were last here. Come back sooner. Please.
teylir
says:
last time i’d seen sigur ros was in berkeley in 2008. that had been one of the most memorable shows i’d ever seen – the setting and the weather helped make it incredible, and i’d been looking forward to seeing them again ever since.
well it was magical again this time! and again, the backdrop and the weather helped make it special. so many of the songs have taken on additional emotional/spiritual meaning for me over the years. they were all wonderful to hear again.
Natalie
says:
The most amazing performance. I had no words. The setting was perfect. The screen show was perfect. And, of course, you were perfect. Thank you for making my life that much better. I hope y’all come to Austin some time, but even if you don’t, I’ll always hold this memory as an incredibly precious one. You are so incredible!
Pilar
says:
beautiful performance on Saturday night. Voice of an angel! Spiritual experience that I hope to be a part of again. Come back to SF anytime!
cassandra
says:
It was the most beautiful night my entire life. Finally, after such a long wait, life achievement unlocked: Witness Sigur Rós live. I cried and probably died a bit. It was a fucking life changing experience. So epic, so beautifully enchanting, mind blowing, so good it hurts, gosh not enough words to explain it. Thank you, thank you so much.
I felt like I was taken to some majestic place in Iceland. Like an eerie dream of being in an unfamiliar place and feeling completely familiar. The journey the crowd was taken on was like a vacation from the ever so present congestion that makes huge festivals stressful. Lifted up into the fog, swirled into melodic hardcore and placed gently back onto the wet grass. Feeling more connected to my brothers and sisters.
Like some others who have posted already, I first saw Sigur Ros at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, 2008, which was an experience I’ll always remember. After seeing them again at Outside Lands in SF, I must say that these musicians are some of the most genuinely and uniquely talented individuals making music in our world today. Any chance to see them would be well-advised, as they will likely leave an indelible mark in music history. Even given the limitations of a music festival setting (shorter set time, tight scheduling, no encores), they managed to provide an experience FAR beyond expectation. The most beautiful and worthwhile act of the entire 3 day festival.
trevmurrjam
says:
this was by far my favorite set at outside lands 2012. amazing. once every song started, every single person shut up and watched. and after every song, people were just mind blown! please, sigur ros, tour again here SOON!
Kent
says:
First time seeing you. I’ve been waiting to see you for many years. Best performance @ Outside Lands. Nobody else even close. Loved the precision. The thought. The attention to sound. Can’t wait to see you again
my first time seeing SR after 6 years of being a fan. I can’t really say anything that hasn’t been said already. it was just phenomenal. sure metallica were the headliners, but the really magic was happening in the hollow! <3
Ryan T
says:
I have been waiting eight years to see Sigur Ros, and it finally happened here in San Francisco. I have attended many shows and festivals, and I can say without hesitation that Sigur Ros was the most mind blowing, breathtaking experience I could have ever imagined being apart of. They have been and will remain one of my biggest musical influences, and with that said, I’m planning my trip to Iceland very soon. Thank you Sigur Ros so much, don’t ever stop!
Anton Fytov
says:
It was outside of time and lands too, I would say! I could not get to a concert itself because all the tickets were sold out, however, I guess, my experience of their music was more objective because of that(excluding the fact that I was high :) ). The stage where they played was very close to the fence, so there were many people around the fence just chilling, drinking, smoking, having lots of fun (more fun than, I think, people who were inside).
So, at some point I started to walk away from the stage to where there is a lake behind it. I sat on a bench and listened to their music across the lake! You won’t believe how fantastic it was. Sound waves made steam that was rising from the lake move towards me (you know, when it just gets dark water evaporates from the surface), and it created an impression that there were angel wings that produce that air motion with little pieces of feathers dissolving on their way towards me )))! Real angel music!
The song was “I gaer”, I believe, I never knew “Sigur Ros” before, but I remembered the music, and now I’m listening to them with pleasure. Thank you guys!
Though nothing could possibly compare with “Popplagið” in the rain in Berkeley in 2008, this show was pretty magical in its own right with the fog. And with Metallica rudely interrupting “Varúð” with its pyro. Haha.
Alyssa
says:
It really was the highlight of Outside Lands. When they played Festival, I couldn’t believe it – my favorite of theirs since I’d heard them last play at the Hollywood Bowl back in 2005. The crowd was the least rowdy of the entire festival – and it was the only time that several people in the crowd offered me pot, haha! I always love being around people who listen to Sigur Ros because they’re all so nice. Please come back to California soon! I need a regular fix.
We were absolutely enchanted. Under the streaming white fog wrapped in your angelic sound we were transported to Valhalla. We were reverent. We cried. We will never be the same. Takk!
Steph
says:
This was the most incredible set ever. I’m not a religious person, but I felt like I high without being on drugs. It was literally like a religious experience. I would go back to outside lands even just to see them.
This performance is such a fond memory for me. On a cool coastal summer night with Metallica playing off in the distance, this was so warm and calming. Everyone was so happy in the moment. I consider this experience one of the most transformative of my young adulthood.
MrBredal
says:So….how was it?
SteveA
says:What a great show these folks render! I would say it’s darker, more atmospheric and ambient than I expected, but it’s pretty close to the Inni bluray, at least visually. There were a few performance elements from there as well, it’s a show they’ve rehearsed and worked through the kinks so that it all flowed seamlessly.
Absolutely beautiful backdrop do to the fog in Golden Gate Park moving seemingly with with music and at times swirling around and crossing it. The crowd broke out in spontaneous hand clapping a few times but most absorbed the grand majesty in silent awe.
Wow, must see these folks again! I’ve seen Jonsi three times now, and while the solo shows were more exuberant and cathartic, the band delivers another depth. I’ve heard them called the Pink Floyd of our times, and that Radiohead called them an inspiration. I’ll leave you with this: musical boddhisattva. That is all.
katherine
says:Last night’s show was, in one word, otherworldly. As mentioned above, the foggy cold San Francisco (summer mind you) weather added an element of magic to the sounds coming from the band. Each song rose the vibration of the park and it’s just so fitting that Metallica was a few hundred yards away playing metal as well but on a completely different level! Everyone in the band was beautifully doing their thing. It was nice to see such a harmonious balance from the girls on the string instruments (they ROCK!) to Jonsi, Georg, Orri, and Kjartan.
Bravo!!!
kari
says:Once again, they blew my mind away. Since I saw them in Berkeley in 2008, I’ve been waiting to see them again. Most inspiring and lovely band I’ve ever heard in my life. I’m so happy they exist and theyre on tour again. Thanks Sigur Ros.
kathryn
says:my first concert ever, im 14, and i was blown away. i remember calling my parents from across the contry when i heard sigur ros was comeing to SF. i was screaming when they came out i was so touched i was silent for the rest of the concert. i could not believe how intence and powerful it was. when they left i just stood there and just started crying so hard, stareing at the stage being cleaned up. no words. just life changeing.
thank you so much. i hope to see them again…
Jeff
says:I’ve heard a smattering of recordings prior to seeing Sigur Ros last night. I was utterly floored (actually, it was impossible to be ‘floored’, due to the magnitude of the crowd!) Visually stunning, sonically impeccable – especially for a live performance. Almost worshipful, extremely spiritual if not…Brilliant composition, impressive dynamics. I recommend them to all musicians, and to anyone wishing to experience something unique and refreshing.
I must see them again in a setting far less sardine-like!
sophie
says:My experience was almost identical to kathryn’s. This was my first live concert as well, and for hours afterwards I was trying to find the right adjective to describe it. I finally decided on mind-shattering. These songs that I’d heard for so long from recordings reached a whole new level when played live. The music felt like it was all around you, even in you. At times during the show the fog would rush towards the stage as if sigur ros was summoning it with the music. It was such a magical experience to be surrounded by people who share your love for sigur ros. takk.
a58335
says:As always, it was wonderful. It was a truly magical concert. I’ve seen Sigur Ros before and wondered how it would translate to a festival. It was fine (well, I was near the front). My kids were seeing Sigur Ros for the first time having become big fans since you were last here. Come back sooner. Please.
teylir
says:last time i’d seen sigur ros was in berkeley in 2008. that had been one of the most memorable shows i’d ever seen – the setting and the weather helped make it incredible, and i’d been looking forward to seeing them again ever since.
well it was magical again this time! and again, the backdrop and the weather helped make it special. so many of the songs have taken on additional emotional/spiritual meaning for me over the years. they were all wonderful to hear again.
Natalie
says:The most amazing performance. I had no words. The setting was perfect. The screen show was perfect. And, of course, you were perfect. Thank you for making my life that much better. I hope y’all come to Austin some time, but even if you don’t, I’ll always hold this memory as an incredibly precious one. You are so incredible!
Pilar
says:beautiful performance on Saturday night. Voice of an angel! Spiritual experience that I hope to be a part of again. Come back to SF anytime!
cassandra
says:It was the most beautiful night my entire life. Finally, after such a long wait, life achievement unlocked: Witness Sigur Rós live. I cried and probably died a bit. It was a fucking life changing experience. So epic, so beautifully enchanting, mind blowing, so good it hurts, gosh not enough words to explain it. Thank you, thank you so much.
Mike
says:Amazing & magical. I love Sigur Ros, but this is the first time I’ve seen them live. It was almost a religious experience.
John Hanusek
says:I felt like I was taken to some majestic place in Iceland. Like an eerie dream of being in an unfamiliar place and feeling completely familiar. The journey the crowd was taken on was like a vacation from the ever so present congestion that makes huge festivals stressful. Lifted up into the fog, swirled into melodic hardcore and placed gently back onto the wet grass. Feeling more connected to my brothers and sisters.
Thank you Sigur Ros.
John Hanusek
http://hanusek.com
dan
says:Like some others who have posted already, I first saw Sigur Ros at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, 2008, which was an experience I’ll always remember. After seeing them again at Outside Lands in SF, I must say that these musicians are some of the most genuinely and uniquely talented individuals making music in our world today. Any chance to see them would be well-advised, as they will likely leave an indelible mark in music history. Even given the limitations of a music festival setting (shorter set time, tight scheduling, no encores), they managed to provide an experience FAR beyond expectation. The most beautiful and worthwhile act of the entire 3 day festival.
trevmurrjam
says:this was by far my favorite set at outside lands 2012. amazing. once every song started, every single person shut up and watched. and after every song, people were just mind blown! please, sigur ros, tour again here SOON!
Kent
says:First time seeing you. I’ve been waiting to see you for many years. Best performance @ Outside Lands. Nobody else even close. Loved the precision. The thought. The attention to sound. Can’t wait to see you again
johanna
says:my first time seeing SR after 6 years of being a fan. I can’t really say anything that hasn’t been said already. it was just phenomenal. sure metallica were the headliners, but the really magic was happening in the hollow! <3
Ryan T
says:I have been waiting eight years to see Sigur Ros, and it finally happened here in San Francisco. I have attended many shows and festivals, and I can say without hesitation that Sigur Ros was the most mind blowing, breathtaking experience I could have ever imagined being apart of. They have been and will remain one of my biggest musical influences, and with that said, I’m planning my trip to Iceland very soon. Thank you Sigur Ros so much, don’t ever stop!
Anton Fytov
says:It was outside of time and lands too, I would say! I could not get to a concert itself because all the tickets were sold out, however, I guess, my experience of their music was more objective because of that(excluding the fact that I was high :) ). The stage where they played was very close to the fence, so there were many people around the fence just chilling, drinking, smoking, having lots of fun (more fun than, I think, people who were inside).
So, at some point I started to walk away from the stage to where there is a lake behind it. I sat on a bench and listened to their music across the lake! You won’t believe how fantastic it was. Sound waves made steam that was rising from the lake move towards me (you know, when it just gets dark water evaporates from the surface), and it created an impression that there were angel wings that produce that air motion with little pieces of feathers dissolving on their way towards me )))! Real angel music!
The song was “I gaer”, I believe, I never knew “Sigur Ros” before, but I remembered the music, and now I’m listening to them with pleasure. Thank you guys!
Nick
says:Though nothing could possibly compare with “Popplagið” in the rain in Berkeley in 2008, this show was pretty magical in its own right with the fog. And with Metallica rudely interrupting “Varúð” with its pyro. Haha.
Alyssa
says:It really was the highlight of Outside Lands. When they played Festival, I couldn’t believe it – my favorite of theirs since I’d heard them last play at the Hollywood Bowl back in 2005. The crowd was the least rowdy of the entire festival – and it was the only time that several people in the crowd offered me pot, haha! I always love being around people who listen to Sigur Ros because they’re all so nice. Please come back to California soon! I need a regular fix.
cass
says:http://blog.cassandraniki.com/2012/08/life-achievement-unlocked-sigur-ros.html
laura
says:We were absolutely enchanted. Under the streaming white fog wrapped in your angelic sound we were transported to Valhalla. We were reverent. We cried. We will never be the same. Takk!
Steph
says:This was the most incredible set ever. I’m not a religious person, but I felt like I high without being on drugs. It was literally like a religious experience. I would go back to outside lands even just to see them.
jessica
says:Everyone always told me that their live shows are emotionally charged and just beautiful. This performance had me in awe:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1158121/IMG_0804.MOV.zip
EnJoi
jessica
says:sorry, this works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlnDfgSJ_FY&feature=youtu.be
Josh H
says:This performance is such a fond memory for me. On a cool coastal summer night with Metallica playing off in the distance, this was so warm and calming. Everyone was so happy in the moment. I consider this experience one of the most transformative of my young adulthood.