The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 11 — 2011
The Reykjavík Grapevine Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík www.grapevine.is grapevine@grapevine.is
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Published by Fröken ehf. www.froken.is Member of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association www.saf.is
Editorial | Anna Andersen
Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies.
Editor:
Haukur S Magnússon / haukur@grapevine.is
Actting Editor and Journalist:
Anna Andersen / anna@grapevine.is
Journalist:
Paul Fontaine / paul@grapevine.is
Editorial:
Go Drive Around Iceland! Anna’s 1st Editorial
+354 540 3600 / editor@grapevine.is
A dvertising:
+354 540 3605 / ads@grapevine.is
Publisher:
We at the Grapevine were shocked, saddened, enraged and disgusted by the terrorist attack in Oslo, Norway last week. Adding to the pain were how some of our colleagues in the international press chose to presume the attack was the work of Muslims, and tenaciously clung to trying to attribute at least partial blame to Muslims, even after the attacker was revealed to be a racist Islamophobe. If we are to learn anything from this incident, it is that the hatred and intolerance in Europe needs to be addressed rather than ignored. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg demonstrated this deftly when he first spoke publicly of the attack, assuring his people that the ideals of equality, democracy, and personal liberty shall not be tainted by acts of destruction. Our deepest, most sincere sympathies go out to the people of Norway. Know that you are all in our thoughts, as we face the future of Europe together.
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / hilmar@grapevine.is +354 540 3601 / publisher@grapevine.is
Contributing Writers:
Hildur Lilliendahl Íris Erlingsdóttir Snorri Páll Jónsson Úlf hildarson Marc Vincenz Egill Helgason Bob Cluness Paul Fontaine Jón Gnarr Magnús Sveinn Helgason Valur Gunnarsson Egill Helgason Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir Clyde Bradford Joe Shooman a. Rawlings Don Freeman Álfrún Gísladóttir
Editorial Interns:
Felix Jimenez Gonzalez / felix@grapevine.is Marta Bardón Moreno / marta@grapevine.is José Angel Hernández García / jose@grapevine.is S. Alessio Tummolillo / alessio@grapevine.is Melkorka Licea / melkorka@grapevine.is Natsha Nandabhiwat / natsha@grapevine.is
On-line News Editor
Paul Fontaine / paul@grapevine.is
A rt Director Emeritus:
Hörður Kristbjörnsson / hoddi@grapevine.is
A rt Director
Sveinbjörn Pálsson / sveinbjorn@sveinbjorn.com
Design:
Páll Hilmarsson / pallih@kaninka.net
Photographer:
Hörður Sveinsson / hordursveinsson.com
Sales Director:
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / adalsteinn@grapevine.is Guðmundur Rúnar Svansson / grs@grapevine.is Helgi Þór Harðarson / helgi@grapevine.is
Distribution manager:
Þórður Guðmundur Hermannsson distribution@grapevine.is
Proofreader: Jim Rice
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Founders:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson, Hörður Kristbjörnsson, Jón Trausti Sigurðarson, Oddur Óskar Kjartansson, Valur Gunnarsson The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from November through April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine is distributed around Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður, Borgarnes, Kef lavík, Ísafjörður and at key locations along road #1, and all major tourist attractions and tourist information centres in the country. You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored (no articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’).
In case you were wondering… You’re seeing an unfamiliar face on this page because our seasoned editor Haukur S. Magnússon is out driving around the country in one of those fancy Happy Campers campervans this week. And you can read all about the fun places he’s been visiting in our special twelve-page travel pullout inside! I always tell people that if they have one week in Iceland that they should most definitely rent a car and explore the island on their own, and try to spend the nights at small farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. Now, I suppose it would also be pretty cool to drive around in a campervan with a solarpowered refrigerator, sink, stove, and bed. It’s probably only missing a shower. But that shouldn’t be a problem, as Iceland has over 130 swimming pools, and another thing I always tell people to do in Iceland is to go swimming. Then again, you could also opt to forego showering for a week. In the olden days (not that long ago) Icelanders only showered once or twice a year… which reminds me of an Icelander my fam-
ily once hosted in California, where I grew up. That guy brought with him two pairs of socks to last him three months and they were strategically black socks to mask their filth. He didn’t shower very regularly either. We also once hosted an Icelander who went out biking, bought a big boom box, and then biked back home with it, but lost his way and wound up riding on a freeway. Needless to say he was picked up by the police and given a ride home. I’m not kidding. But it’s actually not so strange considering that Iceland’s main throughway Route 1, which circles the island, is a simple a two-lane road. But I’ve gone off on a tangent, as The Grapevine sometimes allows itself to do. One of the things you’ll notice about The Grapevine is that it isn’t your typical travel magazine. While liberties are taken to have fun with it, it’s also a space where people write critically about important issues that should interest tourists and locals alike…and that’s what I really wanted to reflect upon here. Given the recent tragedy in Norway, I’ve been thinking about how important it is to be critical and
conscientious of the evils in our world. Though it’s easy to live one’s life removed from and indifferent to the injustices in the word—like genocide, racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty, and corruption—this makes us complicit in the evil. To quote Camus: “The plague bacillus never dies or disappears for good… it can lie dormant for years and years in furniture and linen-chests…and that perhaps the day would come when…it would rouse up its rats again and send them forth to die in a happy city.” Although Camus warns that crisis can strike any ordinary town, like it did in Oran, he predicts that, like the people of Oran, many apathetic people will be nonetheless surprised to find that they are not immune to crisis. Now on that note you should read our interview with Hörður Torfason, Iceland’s first openly gay man who helped lead the Pots and Pans Revolution—a model citizen who refuses to accept injustice.
Who are Ofvitarnir? You surely will know some of them. Notorious multitasker Þórir Georg (of My Summer As A Salvation Soldier, Þórir Georg, Fighting Shit, Gavin Portland, Deathmetal Supersquad, etc., etc. fame) leads the band on vocals and guitar, joined by mysterious vixen Júlía on bass and powerhaus kitbanger Fannar Örn on drums. The trio plays a heavy, melodic and grunge-y sort of punk rock that brings to mind a lot of early ‘90s alt.heroes like Fugazi, Pixies and Dinosaur Jr. (and even newbies like Wavves!) on first listen. Some of it’s happy music, some is depressing, doomy gloom, but all of it’s pretty great for a listen. Download the record’s immediately catchiest track ‘O O O O’ from www.Grapevine.is before heading over to their record label’s website, www.pbppunk.com, where you can download the entire album for free (all the label’s releases are available for free download actually, but the label—which is probably themselves if we know the crew correctly—encourages you to buy ‘em at places like Geisladiskabúð Valda). Enjoy!
TRACK OF THE ISSUE
Ofvitarnir OOOO
Download at www.grapevine.is TRACK OF THE ISSUE
Download at grapevine.is
Grapevine is glad today! And you know why? Yes, it’s because Grapevine’s favourite new Icelandic rock band, Ofvitarnir, has finally released an album! And because that album, ‘Stephen Hawking/Steven Tyler’ is just as great as the first tracks we gleamed at shows and on the internet promised it would be. Truly a day to rejoice! Seriously, we’ve been playing that record all day, all night ever since it was released a couple of weekends ago. It’s a style of music we haven’t heard with local bands for a while, and it’s all done with a passion that’s too often lacking.
Photo: Hörður Sveinsson - www.hordursveinsson.com
BE SQUARE AND BE THERE Gullfoss and Geysir are surely a must-see in Iceland, but neither is something you eat. That’s why we have 13 brilliant and creative hamburgers at Hamborgarafabrikkan (The Icelandic Hamburger Factory).
THE LAMBURGER 120 g Lamburger (lamb), garlic grilled mushrooms, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, sauce Béarnaise and french fries. Those who taste The Lamburger will hardly be able to believe their taste buds.
Hamborgarafabrikkan would eat Hard Rock Café for breakfast, but since there is no Hard Rock Café in Iceland we eat our original Lamburger with the wonderful Icelandic lamb. Turninn Höfðatorgi 105 Reykjavik Tel: 575 7575
The Reykjavík Grapevine awarded Hamborgarafabrikkan the “Best Specialty Burger 2010”. It made us happy. Because we aim to please. That’s why we only use 100% fresh high-quality ingredients, directly from the Icelandic nature. Attention: Our hamburger buns are not round. They are square. Does it taste better? You tell us. Be square and be there.
fabrikkan@fabrikkan.is www.fabrikkan.is
Opening hours: Sun-Wed. 11.00–22.00 Thu-Sat. 11.00–24.00