Initially launched as a one-off event in an airplane hanger back in 1999, Iceland Airwaves, the world’s most northern music festival takes place each year in downtown Reykjavík. This year the fest will once again showcase global and local talent, in venues around the city, from historical churches to record stores and museums. From November 6 to 8, the Iceland Airwaves will celebrate it’s 26th year with homegrown acts like Sunna Margrét and Elín Hall, as well as global artists, like US emerging acts Joey Valence & Brae, UK talent Kenya Grace, and Toronto’s very own Saya Gray.
But what I discovered last year while attending the festival, is that even with its wealth of opportunities to enjoy new music amid gorgeous venues, during a festival that — instead of building makeshift stages allows the city to become the stage itself — is how much of the culture in Iceland is a mixture of modern and historic identity. That includes wellness, nature, and deep appreciation for art as part of its every day tradition. This is what makes Iceland Airwaves the perfect retreat for music lovers — making it possible to slow down, reset, and not only discover the wonders of Icelandic music but the wonders on the Nordic island itself. Here are just a few of the ways Iceland Airwaves is the perfect music festival getaway for music lovers looking to recharge, reset, and renew.
The Sky Lagoon Concert Experience
Iceland is brimming with geothermal pools, bodies of water heated by the Earth’s internal heat — and just a quick 15 minute drive from Reykjavik, you can experience the warmth and relaxation of these wonders at Sky Lagoon, a thermal spa that celebrates Icelandic bath culture. Last year, mid festival, we were able to take a plunge, and enjoy the spa’s seven step Skjól ritual — first dipping into the natural warm pool with an infinity-edge view of the Atlantic Ocean. Next, you cool down (literally) with a cold plunge that stimulates the senses and gives you a natural high. After that, you sit in the sauna and take in more panoramic views of the ocean before refreshing in a misty room inspired by Icelandic fish-drying houses. Then you apply the spa’s signature Sky Body Scrub, before heading into a steam room, to take in all the effects of the scrub. And once that’s done, you rinse of the scrub and enjoy a shot of juice made of crowberries — native to the Iceland that grow in lava fields — ending the ritual with an actual taste of the island before roaming back into the thermal pools. It’s the ultimate mid-fest reset, and this year, they’re taking it even further — with its first ever concert experience on Nov. 5, featuring a performance from Icelandic artists Una Torfadóttir, a perfect marriage of self care and live music.
The Community
One overlooked aspect of wellness is community — the ability to connect with likeminded individuals, the art of reminding yourself that you’re not alone. Community may not always involve a yoga class, a shared mediation, or even a communal dip in a geothermal pool (but it’s nice when it does… ) but since humans are wired for connection, and social bonding allows us to release oxytocin, reminders of purpose and belonging are key to overall wellness. Thankfully, Iceland Airwaves is not just a festival but also the IA Conference, where you can sit in on talks about the future, importance, and sustainability of music. This year’s topics range from the importance of grassroots nurturing of artists, embracing strange and singular artistry, the joy of creating and rethinking automation when it comes to unlocking creative potential. There are also multiple windows of networking and lunches, where delegates and attendees can relax, be human, and (of course) connect.
The Meditative Music
One of the things you’ll notice when attending Iceland Airwaves is just how integral music seems to be for the performers — they appear in each other’s bands, talk about songwriting and jam sessions the same way many people talk about eating and breathing — it’s part of their day, in their bones, something that is innate to their culture and the way they communicate with the world around them. Digging into the history of music in Iceland, you’ll be able to trace back notable national acts like Sigur Rós to rímur — a traditional form of Icelandic epic poetry. That storytelling ability, mixed with ethereal sounds and ambient symphonics has became a sort of calling card for the region — and the way it’s made, distinctive in its rhythm and alliteration, is a testament to the Nordic tradition. But even acts with less notoriety than Björk and, more recently, Laufey, still have the undeniable and palpable meditative draw when it comes to music that connected to the land of fire and ice, an atmospheric bent that had me completely present while listening to every note Lúpína sang in a historical cathedral last year. Maybe it’s the post spa relaxation, the stillness of the dramatic landscapes, or the upholding of songwriting and poetic tradition, but even acts from the US, like Magdalena Bay who played at the city’s Art Museum, take on a fresh, reflective, and spiritual slant to their sound, while playing at Iceland Airwaves.