The Fanpage of the Icelandic band Hellvar by Wim Van Hooste

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hellvar on Friday 3. September 2010 @ Rockville Festival 2010 @ Paddy's Reykjanesbær

Rockville
@ Paddy's
Keflavik/Reykjanesbær

Dagskráin/The Schedule

Wednesday 1. September

0:30 – 21:00 Örvar

21:15 – 21:45 Myrra Rós

22:00 – 22:30 Johnny Stronghands

22:45 – 23:15 Fjarkarnir

23:30 – 00:00 Ástþór Óðinn

00:15 – 00:45 Reason to believe

Thursday 2. September

20:00 – 20:30 Nevolution

20:45 – 21:15 Klaus

21:30 – 22:00 Rökkurró

22:15 – 22:45 Lifun

23:00 – 23:30 Black Earth

23:45 – 00:15 For a minor Reflection

00:30 – 01:00 Endless Dark

Friday 3. September

20:30 – 21:00 Keanu

21:15 – 21:45 Dark Harvest

22:00 – 22:30 Bróðir Svartúlfs

22:45 – 23:15 Hellvar

23:30 – 00:00 Reykjavík!

00:15 – 00:45 Æla

01:00 – 01:30 Bárujárn

Saturday 4. September

20:00 – 20:30 Kallakór Kaffibarsins

20:45 – 21:15 Nóra

21:30 – 22:00 Valdimar

Fireworks

23:00 – 23:30 Orphic Oxtra

23:45 – 00:15 Berndsen

00:30 – 01:00 Who knew

Sunday 5. September

Rockville hangover-killer

21:45 – 22:15 Joanne Kearney

22:45 – 23:15 The Esoteric Gender

23:30 – 00:00 Hangover-Killer Bunny

Festival Pass: 2.500 IKR

1 Night for 1.000 IKR

Get your Tickets @ Faktorý @ Reykjavik or Paddy's @ Keflavik

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Review by Paul Gary Nixon

Hellvar
Just having grown from a four piece to a five piece with the addition of drummer Oli the next band come from Iceland. A mix of electronica and rock probably puts them into the category of electronic rock. Of the eight tracks here there are two live performances that emphasise the heavier, rock edged side of their music persona. American readers can check them out on a few dates in early August and the two live tracks ‘Nowhere’ (which also appears in a studio version) and ‘To Late, Liar’ certainly illustrate their ability to craft a tune around the Heida’s strong vocals. I have been trying to avoid typing the second part of the sentence, because if I were in an Icelandic band I would hate it, however, I have to bow to the inevitable and say that, particularly on ‘Stop That Noise!’ she sounds like Björk. In the interest of blogging balance, I can say that that they in no way remind me of Sigur Ros. There, now that’s over we can move on. My favourite track was a track to gossip about, ‘Kjaftaedi’. The backing keyboards somehow reminded me of The Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ and it’s stripped down simplicity appealed to me. I also liked both of the live tracks, ‘Nowhere’ (studio version) and ‘Stop That Noise!’. Let’s hope they don’t take their own advice.
Source: Nr. 68 @
Paul Gary Nixon @ MySpace

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Heiða "Svarið" (The Answer) Review in Morgunblaðið

Review in Daily Newspaper Morgunblaðið
on 25. November 2000
Hressandi tilbreyting frá Heiðu og félögum
SVARIÐ
Svarið er fyrsta sólóplata Heiðu Eiríks
Lög og textar: Heiða Eiríks
Upptaka og upptökustjórn: Birgir Örn Thoroddsen
Hljóðfæraleikur: Birgir Örn Thorodddsen gítar og ýmis fríkhljóð, Þorvaldur H. Gröndal trommur, Sverrir Ásmundsson bassi, Sigurður Björn Blöndal bassi, Birgir Baldursson trommur, Guðni Finnsson bassi, Ólafur G. Ólafsson trommur Valdi Kolli bassi, Stefán Magnússon gítar, Freyr Eyjólfsson mandólín, Vernharður Jósepsson bassi, Sigurjón Kjartansson gítar, Samúel J. Samúelsson básúna, Lára Lilliendahl Magnúsdóttir trompet, Hildur Guðnadóttir selló, Úlfur Eldjárn farfísa, Jóhann Jóhannsson.
Tekið upp í stúdíó Rusli 2000.
Útgefandi: Japis.
Platan er styrkt af tónskáldasjóði FTT.
EINN dropi jólaplötuflóðsins 2000 er sólóplata Heiðu Eiríks. Þykir mér dropi þessi reyndar vera í stærra lagi og spái plötunni töluverðri athygli, jafnvel vinsældum. Ég myndi síður en svo lasta það ef platan yrði söluhá, því mér finnst hún standa undir öllum kröfum sem hægt er um gæði. Heiða er góður lagasmiður og textarnir eru alls ekki sem verstir. Fátt er hægt að finna að hljóðfæraleiknum og útsetningarnar eru hreint ágætar.

Lögin eru öll mjög frábrugðin hvert öðru og spanna stílbrigðin allt frá órafmagnaðri tilfinningasveiflu yfir í argasta pönk. Því er það rödd og söngstíll Heiðu sem heldur plötunni saman og gerir hana minna sundurleita. Reyndar er það svolítið erfitt að láta plötuna spilast í gegn, því lögin kalla svolítið á mismunandi stemmningar. Það getur til dæmis verið erfitt að vera kippt úr hugljúfu lagi í rokk og stuð. Þetta ætti þó að vera hægt að leysa með því að búa til sína eigin lagaröð á geislaspilaranum. Veislur held ég þó að séu hvað bestur vettvangur fyrir plötuna, því þá geta gestirnir dansað og hvílt sig á víxl. Hún hefur nefnilega á sér allsterkar stuð-hliðar.

Heiða sýnir það og sannar hér með að hún er mikil söngkona. Hún hefur breitt raddsvið sem hér nýtur sín vel. Raddanirnar eru flottar og laglínurnar hæfa rödd hennar fullkomlega, svo útkoman verður áreynslulaus og beint frá hjartanu. Helsta aðalsmerki plötunnar er enda að mínu mati söngurinn.

Í mörgum laganna má heyra andblæ sem minnir á Unun forðum, sem er bara gott og blessað, en önnur og fersk áhrif eru einnig áberandi í þessu stórgóða framlagi Heiðu. Það er eiginlega ófært að fara að tíunda hvaða lög eru best og hvaða lög eru síðri á plötunni. Ég tel það verði að vera hausverkur hvers og eins sem á hana hlýðir. Lögin eru einfaldlega öll góð, en bara svo frábrugðin hvert öðru, svo eðlilega falla þau misjafnlega að smekk manna. Lagið sem mér féll þó best, svona eftir nokkuð skamman áheyrnartíma, er alveg örugglega lag númer þrjú ,,103 mars", sem er fallegt dægurlag í mjög smekklegri órafmagnaðri útgáfu. Einnig finnst mér textinn við það vera sá besti á plötunni. Laglínan er svolítið skemmtilega skandinavísk einhvern veginn, minnir jafnvel á sænska söngvaskáldið Kornelis Vresvik og hans líka.

Algjörlega ófært reynist mér aftur á móti að finna dæmi um slæmt lag á plötunni. Lögin hafa einfaldlega eitthvað við sig sem gerir að verkum að manni getur ekki fundist þau vond, jafnvel þó svo að manni líki þau ekki beinlínis, svona í fljótu bragði. Platan verður svo aftur betri við hverja hlustun.

Eftir þennan mikla lofsöng er vægast sagt nauðsynlegt að taka fram að verkefnið er stórt. Um það bil tuttugu manns koma að plötunni með einum eða öðrum hætti. Það er ótvírætt mönnum til sæmdar að vera bendlaðir við þessa plötu.

Mér finnst nýjasta framlag Heiðu til íslensks tónlistarlífs vera nokkuð frumlegt. Þá á ég ekki við frumlegt í þeim skilningi að verið sé að skapa nýjan stíl - enda er margt sígilt í lögunum - heldur er platan skemmtilega á skjön við þá íslensku tónlist sem hvað mest hefur verið hampað fyrir frumleika síðustu misseri. Þetta gerir það að verkum að hún er mjög hressandi tilbreyting. Það er í mínum eyrum að minnsta kosti.

Ólöf Helga Einarsdóttir

MBL

More Live @ NY Photographs by Lára




All Photographs by
Lára Lilliendahl Magnúsdóttir

Keep on Moving

Heiða, Elvar & Oliver are moving from Rock Town Keflavík to Paradise City Reykjavík (Bergstaðastræti).
Welcome in 101

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Hellvar @ Rockville Festival 2010 @ Paddy's Reykjanesbær

Rockville Festival 2010
@ Paddy's Irish Pub @
Hafnargata 38, Reykjanesbær
@ Ljósanæturhelgina
2-4. September 2010
Program:
Æla
• Bárujárn
• Black Earth
• Bróðir Svartúlfs
• Endless Dark
• For a Minor Reflection
Hellvar
• Kallakór Kaffibarsins
• Keanu
• Klass-Art
• Klaus
• Lifun
• Nóra
• Orphic Oxtra
• Reykjavík!
• Rökkuró
• Valdimar
• Who Knew

Friday, August 20, 2010

Another Review of Hellvar @ Party Expo, USA

This time Heiða was quicker in finding a review of their gig. You know why?

Hellvar, on the other hand, were ridiculously and totally awesome. They are from Iceland, and I totally wanted to hook up with their lead singer, even though I am far taller and better looking than she. Also, I am going to California Cryobank tomorrow, and must retain my precious sperm.

Source: The Internet Versus Me

No doubt the bottlecaps they acquired tonight will help Iceland's economy recover.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Hellvar Review

Went to a show last night. All alone. was dancing all by myself, etc. Saw Chipocrite. Was awesome. Also good was ro-bear. Also awesome was this Icelandic band Hellvar. The girl singer had spunk. She reminded me of my friend Olivia, although was more Icelandic, and less Arkansasy. Also excellent: Small Devices. They are playing Aug 30 at Trash. I might go. You might too.

There were some other people too. Very cheap. 5$. You should have come.

Source: Computerization

Monday, August 09, 2010

Hellvar @ Hudson Waterfront

Crowds are growing for Hudson waterfront concerts
'The audience listened, picnicked and played Frisbee as Hellvar entertained at the Hudson waterfront Saturday for Hudson Harbor Fest'
By John Mason
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Sunday, 8. August, 2010
Hudson’s summer waterfront concerts are coming into their own. Dogged by often-skimpy attendance in past years, the first two concerts of Hudson Harbor Fest 2010 have attracted better crowds.

The lineup of Bella’s Bartok, Yukari Roja, Wreck of the Steamboat Swallow and the Bleeding Hearts Dancers drew about 150 people July 31. And Saturday, the Icelandic rock quintet Hellvar and the drum-bass guitar duo Tween brought in around 200, sitting on blankets or lawn chairs, dancing in front of the stage or picnicking on Hazel’s fried chicken.

The series is being cosponsored by Time & Space, Ltd., Musica and the city. TSL’s Claudia Bruce said that when Geeta Cheddie became chairwoman of the Common Council Arts, Entertainment and Tourism Committee, “she went around to everyone she could think of: Will you do something [about the summer concerts]? She came to TSL, we said ‘We’ll be happy to do it again.’ Linda [Mussmann] went to Rob, he was very excited, said he could help by looking for bands.

“We got support from Lili and Lou, gotohudson.net, Herrington’s, Columbia County Tourism, Columbia County Economic Development Council and Ginsberg’s,” she said.


*
Cheddie attributed this summer’s turnaround to Caldwell’s leadership.

“Rob’s fabulous,” Cheddie said. “He’s been nothing but good for this community. He brings in teens from around the county in a positive way. Rob’s presence has added people who don’t usually come down to the park. We hope he will continue his participation next year, as he has promised he would.”

It was apparent Saturday that Caldwell was doing more than contacting bands — the bands were using his equipment and he was on the ground from 3:30 p.m. on, helping them set up, doing sound checks and organizing.

“We have popular local acts with social networks,” he said, when asked to explain the increased attendance. “ ‘The Wreck of the Steamboat Swallow has quite a lot of outreach — they’re all people who live or work in the ‘grid,’” he said, referring to the area of Hudson between Front and Eighth streets and between Washington and Allen streets.

He said the hardest part of doing the series is giving up Saturdays at Musica, “my biggest retail day.” He said Sundays would be better for him.

The other hard thing, he said, was that the access to the river is not good.


“I get 20 calls a concert,” he said. “No one knows how to get here.”

Cheddie said she’s been meeting with Mayor Rick Scalera and Public Works Commissioner Robert Perry “and we’re working on coming up with a sign.”

The bands, of course, are not all local.

“We have really great people coming into town,” he said. “Hellvar [whose members all come from Iceland] owns this town.” The band also played at Daba, the Spotty Dog and on WKZE-FM.

“They’re seeing Hudson through rose-colored glasses,” Caldwell said. “Everybody they meet is a poet, musician, artist, writer. People are moving in.”

Asked how he found Hellvar, Caldwell said it was on a layover in Reykjavik. The lead singer, Heida, was working at a CD store in the airport.

“She picked out a couple CDs for me to buy,” he said. “I left my glasses; she had the airport page me. Then she said, ‘I got a band,’ and gave me her MySpace. I really liked their CDs; she said they had friends in Albany, in a band called Zahnarzt. She said, ‘Maybe we’ll do a northeast tour, ha-ha.’”

Caldwell was able to arrange appearances for them at Musica when it was in Chatham, as well as at the Peint’0’Grwr, and they also played in Troy and Albany with Zahnarzt.

Hellvar presented a varied set of electronic music, ballads, hard rock.

One song was called “Women and Cream” and was about facial cream.

“You don’t need cream to be beautiful,” Heida counseled the crowd before the song. “It’s the big cream conspiration — oh, conspiracy!” she amended, following a bandmate’s correction.

Matthew O’Koren and Anthony Kingsley formed the duo Tween, which took its name after finding that its original moniker, Cosmopolitan, was already taken.

They described their sound as “loud, distorted, frantic music.” They took their name to suggest their concern with satirizing American popular culture and the way things are marketed to youth.

Supervisor John Musall, who did the lighting, said, “Everything is perfect. I’m so glad to see people are coming to this. I think it’s finally catching on.”

Coming up are the Black Arts Festival next weekend, then Paprika and Azuki & Bongo Roots Aug. 21, and Girl Howdy! and Liv Carrow Aug. 28.

To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2266, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
Source:
Register Star

Sunday, August 08, 2010

My new Summer Wear

My brand new summer outfit - Thanks to Hellvar

176. Song of the Week: Berglind Ágústsdóttir feat. Hellvar "Kúrekastelpan"



Berglind Ágústsdóttir @ MySpace
Berglind @ Gogoyoko

Berglind Ágústsdóttir feat. Hellvar are the 176. Song of the Week on my blog I love Icelandic music:

"Kúrekastelpan"


MusicPlaylist

Begga & Hellvar Takk fyrir!

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Hellvar in the USA - Some Photographs

Hellvar
goes Acoustic @ Restaurant


New Drummer Oli & girlfriend Lilja
Photos by Lilja Dögg Bjarnadóttir

Sunday, August 01, 2010

Of Monsterds & Men Video by Alexandra

A Video made by Alexandra of the band Of Monsters & Men with frontlady Nanna (aka Songbird), winner of the Musiktilraunir (Musical Experiments) 2010 Competition
www.youtube.com/v/CvPhfGQd7X0&hl&fmt=18

Of Monsters & Men