Sigur Rós Bring Intense Bliss to LA

Jónsi of Sigur Rós performing at the Shrine Auditorium, LA by Jacob Alvarez

SOLD OUT SHOW AT SHRINE OFFERED DUALITY OF SOUND AND SILENCE

Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós don’t tour as often as they should. This keeps their shows both intimate and slightly rare, similar to that of Björk or Massive Attack gigs. Photographing them is on par with taking photos of favorite Radiohead, so I was immensely excited for the headlining show at LA’s Shrine Auditorium.

I had only shot at the venue one previous time for Rex Orange County, and during that set, photographers were forced to shoot exclusively from the far sides of the stage, limiting the range of perspective. This time, they were allowing us to shoot directly from the pit, at least that was my impression getting there twenty minutes before the band went on. There was no opener, so the stage was garnished with intricately designed chords placed in front of an LED screen backing. This was also paired with vertical lighting rigs and colored bulbs attached to approximately two feet stands all around the instruments and mics. I stood along the stage, noticing how much I was blocking the views of those fans who purchased front row seats. This was going to make it extremely hard to do my job comfortably, so as soon as the lights dimmed, I took a knee and began shooting. I strongly don’t believe the notion of getting the job done no matter what. Fans paid certain amounts of money to be enjoying the show that close up and for me to be blocking them (even for just three songs) wouldn’t be right and I would hate it if the roles were reversed.

Sigur Rós performing at the Shrine Auditorium, LA by Jacob Alvarez

I was barely able to move as more photographers crowded and tried to figure out ways to get their shots without interrupting the elegant ambiance of the room. The first song “Vaka” was about to end as all photographers were pushed out of the pit and told to shoot from the side, but the issue was there were also seats being blocked from side view so most people did the right thing and retreated to the FOH to continue shooting. This however limited the level of detail on each photo.

I was a little thrown off, but the music kept me in check, allowing this sort of shoe-gaze telepathy to take hold. At moments, I was zoned out completely, only being brought back by the drum pattern and the corresponding light flashes. Singer Jónsi brought his trademark intensity, often closing his eyes while playing and holding one minute notes that got the audience to cheer in amazement. The first three songs of the set came from 2002 album () and while playing “Samskeyti", all members of the band locked in with each other at the piano, playing as if they were in the studio trying to figure out what the song would end up sounding like when completed. It was something I had never experienced before with Jónsi facing his back to the audience, completely immersing himself with his mates.

The screen often portrayed frequency signals that at times reflected ocean waves as well as embryos and human faces interlocking. The band played their most notable track “Svefn-g-englar” early in the set, exciting fans and having many stand while it was performed. Jónsi cracked out his bow and shredded his guitar with it, having whimsical lights juxtapose the more hardcore moments of songs. Another interesting idea showcased during the gig was the use of an intermission. The band’s music tends to be lengthy in each track, so allowing the audience to mingle as if they were attending a play or an opera was an intriguing and compassionate approach. The band came back out and played another ten songs to match their eleven previous, showcasing their blissful soundscapes with lights acting as stars. It made me all the more appreciative of what I was able to witness. Check out the set list here!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!