Sigur Rós – “2022 World Tour” O2 Apollo Manchester United Kingdom 7/11/22.

November 11, 2022
International Concert Reviews, UK Concert Reviews
by Paul Evans Photographer/Writer

Ever since I bought ”Ágætis Byrjun” way back in 1999, Iceland’s Sigur Rós have been an ever present in my record collection and on my playlists. In the tradition of the mighty Cocteau Twins listening and watching them is almost a spiritual experience. With unearthly sounds and glossolalia vocals they capture on record the deepest, rawest emotions and sound like no other band on earth and I’m humbled to be allowed to photograph tonight.

There’s an eerie hushed quietness before singer and guitarist Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson; bassist Georg Hólm; keyboardist Kjartan “Kjarri” Sveinsson and drummer Ólafur Björn “Óbó” Ólafsson arrive on stage for the first of their two sets. It’s the first of two appearances in Manchester tonight as part of a 2022 World Tour and it’s packed, dark and the O2 Apollo stage is full of atmospheric smoke. It’s been over 20 years since the band arrived internationally with the album Von, so it’s apt they open with three of its delicate tracks. “Untitled #1 – Vaka”; “Untitled #2 – Fyrsta” and “Untitled #3 – Samskeyti”. The bands figures are silhouetted by beautiful moving images of red laser heads and Jonsi’s tender hymnal vocals perfectly resonate throughout the orbiting slow-moving piano melody during “Vaka”. I get shivers, look around and I’m reminded of the Close encounters of the third kind end sequence as the crowd just stand and stare. It’s immediately obvious that capturing this stunning band in only words and still images is going to be difficult and as I’ve only got restricted photography access it will be doubly difficult.

Band members swap instruments and imagery changes to abstract black and white visuals for the gracefully beautiful “Fyrsta” and its gorgeous hypnotic piano. Jónsi is an utterly unique performer. His swooping, emotional falsetto vocals sung faultlessly in the incomprehensible, fictitious dialect of Vonlenska (Hopelandic) adds a musical dimension I’ve not experienced since Liz Fraser. The achingly bittersweet instrumental “Samskeyti” is hypnotic and I again look around the crowd soaked in the pale stage lights and they’re still stood in wonder, absorbed by the delicate beauty of Jónsi’s vocals and his use of cello bowed guitar.

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Congregating in the keyboard corner for the intimate and gentle “Svefn-g-englar”, Jonsi’s ethereal vocals are mysterious, nocturnal and soothing in the Apollos’s darkness. I close my eyes and rest my head on a wall for the reverb-drenched “Smáskifa” and I genuinely feel overawed by its beautiful, melancholic, moving presence. “Glósóli” from 2005’s “Takk…” continues my emotional journey, its rising levels of unearthly vocals and keyboards crashing the song into its climax. “Untitled #6 – E-Bow” has me closing my eyes and resting my head again and it’s simply one of the most emotional moments I’ve ever felt at a gig. It’s alluring, brittle and just perfect.

Jonsi continues to saw at his guitar during “Sæglópur” and “Festival” creating inconceivable noises as the stage visuals continue to atmospherically silhouette the band. “Kveikur’s” rising wave upon rising wave of distorted sound and feedback mirrors the rugged fire and ice landscape of Iceland and singing in both Vonlenska and Icelandic, Jonsi’s falsetto is as always, otherworldly and flawless. I have no understanding of his words, but images and feelings of fear, darkness, beauty and hope appear in my mind.

“Untitled #8 – Popplagið“ from the “( )” album closes the set, a song I worked on an animation for many moons ago. It’s a performance which takes my breathe away as it sonically journeys through the stunning landscape of the bands home country before perfectly culminating in its frenzied and furious finale. The band return to the stage twice, bowing to endless applause and then they’re gone. As good as they are on record Sigur Rós are stunning live in concert and tonight’s voyage through their intricate soundscapes leaves me completely astounded. It was a stunning, joyous 2-hour set and a perfect, emotional ride by a band at the top of their game and a band who are still doing it their way, just like they have for the last 25 years. A band who sound like no other band on Earth.