Support came from fellow Icelandic band For a Minor Reflection whose music was an ‘organic’ take on the Icelandic post rock sound. They didn’t say very much and came across as being rather overwhelmed by the size of the crowed which was very polite in its response. This was my 3rd Sigur Ros gig in 8 years. The 1st was after their debut EP came out and they supported Radiohead in Tredegar and the polar reactions that the band evoked from the audience was a testament to how unique their music is on first listening. On that evening the band were mesmerizing and shrouded in mystery as they crouched over their instruments leaving you only glimpsing and speculating as to the methods they used to get those eerie whale calls from their instruments.

4 years ago I saw them perform with Amiina, their female friends who are responsible for the string and electronic arrangements which are now synonymous with the Sigur Ros sound. That gig had a force and energy that was absent for me tonight. Though their set was utterly faultless and meticulous in its execution there was no sense of the heady wildness that I had previously experienced when watching this band. I kept expecting (wanting) them to veer off on an unpredictable tangent and take me out of myself. It’s not fair of me to criticize a band for being too well rehearsed, but that is what it amounted to. Given their recent rise in notoriety I did feel privileged to see them in a venue as modest (in size) as the Colston Hall but fear that they’ve lost some of the manic energy that created the mammoth sonic experience I had previously experienced. Saying that I am impressed with how their recorded output has evolved over the years and I can appreciate that this was reflected in the live set I saw which was stripped down and controlled. Still, despite the critique, listening to Sigur Ros perform within their comfort zone is more exciting than a lot of stuff you could subject your ears to

(Review by Ashli from Spillers Records. Pic by Lou_Natik. More from her tomorrow.)