Iceland Comes To NOLA: Sigur Ros Performs At The Saenger Theater – Review, Photos & Setlist

Words & Images by: Wesley Hodges

Sigur Ros :: 05.21.17 :: Saenger Theater :: New Orleans, LA

View Wesley’s gallery of photos below his review.

After their planned set at The Hangout Festival was heavily shortened by less-than-ideal weather conditions on the Gulf Shore beach the night prior, Iceland’s Sigur Rós appeared at the beautiful and historic Saenger Theater on the edge of the New Orleans French Quarter on Sunday night. Now touring as a lean trio outfit, the uncategorizable band delivered one of the most immersive and memorable live music experiences I’ve witnessed in quite some time.

It has been awhile since the band toured with only veteran full-time members (they were a quartet until the departure of Kjartan Sveinsson in 2013) and the condensed setup did not underwhelm. The Icelanders operate on a different plane, every ray of light and digital flourish is well thought out. Watching the set unfold feels like existing in an immersive audiovisual wonderland, something you might see at a next level modern art exhibit. The stage evolved and the lighting direction was unlike anything I’ve seen. Light rods were lined around the stage, screens placed in front of and behind the band (as they have in the past) and the two main spotlights came from deep in the wings of the stage, in addition to the floor lighting array across the stage front shooting up and outward toward the balcony. Long story short, this is not your traditional colorful-lights-overhead and/or video wall production.

The darker set one kicked off symbolically with “Á” just after 8:15 p.m. and it was immediately evident that the visual component of this presentation was going to be on par (and arguably exceed) past touring productions. Oscillating from indescribable psychedelic etherea to full throttle Nordic metal bursts, there was nary a dull moment during the nearly two hours of music I witnessed.

Like so many of their most grandiose songs, the pacing of set one was an audiovisual crescendo before the stunning “Smaskifa” exit that spotlighted drums/keys player Orri Páll Dýrason on a placid and painterly solo that continued to breathe with life and resonate even after he exited stage right, slowly fading as the lights gave way to darkness.

After a brief intermission, set two began and more familiar tunes like the cinematic “Starálfur,” rousing “Sæglópur” and pop-oriented “Festival.” Visually, the bar was set high in set one and the second frame ratcheted things up yet again. The larger-than-life closing epic “Popplagiõ” (aka “Untitled 8” from the ( ) LP) served as a microcosm for all things Sigur Ros and this show in particular, building towards exposition on the strength of relentless and furious drum fills by Páll Dýrason and Jonsí’s crystalline siren calls enveloping the hall. “Popplagiõ” again exploded at a massive peak, bursting with light and metallic sound that totally enraptured the stage in light and sound, leaving Saenger patrons breathless and many exiting utterly spellbound.

There is no band on earth like Sigur Ros and, for my money, perhaps no live show out there at the moment that can compare to what these guys are doing. Even after trimming the touring outfit from the pocket symphony we’ve come familiar with on past tours, as a trio, Sigur Ros continues to captivate to a level very few (if any) other artists can reach.

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Setlist

Set One: Á, Ekki Múkk, Glósóli, E-Bow, Dauõslshiõ, Niõur, Smáskifa

Set Two: Óveõur, Starálfur, Sæglópur, Ny Batterí, Vaka, Festival, Kveikur, Fljótavík, Popplagiõ