{"id":1446,"date":"2009-01-24T19:16:17","date_gmt":"2009-01-25T00:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/?p=1446"},"modified":"2022-11-04T18:04:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T22:04:27","slug":"sigur-ros-heima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/sigur-ros-heima\/","title":{"rendered":"Sigur R\u00f3s Comes Home to Iceland in Heima"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dean DeBlois’ documentary film Heima<\/em> (meaning “coming home” or “at home”) follows the band Sigur R\u00f3s on their summer 2006 tour of their home country Iceland. The tour consisted of mostly free, unannounced concerts, and with the band in three basic configurations spanning the continuum of the purely acoustic to the fully electric. The four core members J\u00f3nsi Birgisson, Georg H\u00f3lm, Kjartan “Kjarri” Sveinsson, and Orri P\u00e1ll D\u00fdrason perform several acoustic songs just for the camera. The extended band (including string ensemble Amiina) is also seen performing outdoors, fully Sigur R\u00f3sunplugged, at a concert protesting an environmentally destructive dam to be built by the Icelandic government. Finally, in contrast, we also see the full band in indoor concerts with dramatic lighting and video effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sigur
Sigur R\u00f3s live in concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Many Sigur R\u00f3s songs are sung in an invented language called Vonlenska (“Hopelandic”), adding to the universality and international appeal of their music. For the uninitiated, Sigur R\u00f3s are a key representative of the musical genre “post-rock,” which generally refers to highly evocative, cinematic, largely instrumental music sometimes compared to movie soundtrack composition. Other notable bands working in roughly the same idiom include Mogwai<\/a>, Explosions in the Sky<\/a>, and M\u00fam<\/a>. In my opinion, you can trace the genre’s heritage back to the progressive rock of Yes and King Crimson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sigur
Sigur R\u00f3s live in concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interview clips and stunning landscape images punctuate the film, making it almost as much about Iceland itself as the band. The most incongruous clip is from the avant-garde band’s unlikely appearance on the Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn<\/em><\/a>. They discuss being unprepared for the business side of a career in music (lawyers, contracts, etc.), but understand that they have to think of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second disc of the two DVD set features full uninterrupted performances, but with no two songs played in sequence, let alone a full concert. The fragmentation of both the main documentary film and the supplementary features is mildly disappointing. However, the band has plans for a full concert film<\/a> directed by Vincent Morisset.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dean DeBlois’ documentary film Heima (meaning “coming home” or “at home”) follows the band Sigur R\u00f3s on their summer 2006 tour of their home country Iceland. The tour consisted of mostly free, unannounced concerts, and with the band in three basic configurations spanning the continuum of the purely acoustic to the fully electric. The four […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,2,13],"tags":[96,27,100,98,99],"class_list":["post-1446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3-stars","category-movies","category-music","tag-concert-film","tag-documentary","tag-iceland","tag-rock","tag-sigur-ros"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/sigur-ros-heima-feature.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa9lhB-nk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1845,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/explosions-in-the-sky-live-in-central-park-june-30-2009\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":0},"title":"Explosions in the Sky live in Central Park, June 30, 2009","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"July 5, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Explosions in the Sky is an instrumental post-rock quartet from Texas. Their characteristic formula of a chiming guitar power trio on top of pulsating drums is a bit more palatable than their extremely loud, menacing Scottish peers Mogwai (read our review of their April show in New York). Personally, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Explosions in the Sky","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/explosions-in-the-sky-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/explosions-in-the-sky-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/explosions-in-the-sky-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/explosions-in-the-sky-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/explosions-in-the-sky-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3397,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/scorsese-rolling-stones\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":1},"title":"Champagne & Reefer: Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones’ Shine a Light","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"December 29, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Martin Scorsese's long history with musical documentaries and concert films includes working as assistant director and editor on Woodstock (1970), directing an account of The Band's final concert as The Last Waltz (1978), executive producing and designing the shots for Peter Gabriel's concert film PoV (AKA Point of View, 1987),\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/rolling-stones-shine-a-light.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/rolling-stones-shine-a-light.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/rolling-stones-shine-a-light.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/rolling-stones-shine-a-light.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/rolling-stones-shine-a-light.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1439,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/joy-division\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":2},"title":"There’s Nothing Pretty: Grant Gee’s Joy Division","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"January 23, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Grant Gee's documentary Joy Division covers the all-too-brief history of the eponymous post-punk band from Manchester. Joy Division was tragically short-lived, only completing two albums before lead singer Ian Curtis' suicide in 1980, but disproportionately influential. Their sound is all over the early U2 albums Boy and October, and Interpol\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Joy Division","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/joy-division-kevin-cummins.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/joy-division-kevin-cummins.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/joy-division-kevin-cummins.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/joy-division-kevin-cummins.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/joy-division-kevin-cummins.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":721,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/blue-man-group-the-complex-rock-tour-live\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":3},"title":"Blue Man Group: The Complex Rock Tour Live","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"March 23, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"This blogger may have to burn his Rock Snob card, for I just watched and enjoyed the Blue Man Group concert film The Complex Rock Tour Live. I'd long assumed that the Blue Man Group's seemingly permanent residency on Lafayette Street in downtown Manhattan was some kind of tourist trap\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blue Man Group Complex Rock","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/blue-man-group-complex-rock.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/blue-man-group-complex-rock.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/blue-man-group-complex-rock.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/blue-man-group-complex-rock.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/blue-man-group-complex-rock.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1243,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/low-live-at-mercury-lounge-new-york-september-22-2008\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":4},"title":"Low live at Mercury Lounge, New York – September 22, 2008","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"September 22, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope I'm totally wrong, but I picked up on a few hints that this latest tour by Low might mark the end of the band. My half-baked evidence: Alan Sparhawk seems to be having success with new side project, the Retribution Gospel Choir.This tour is not in support of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "4 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"4 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/4-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Low Mercury Lounge 2008","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/low-mercury-2008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/low-mercury-2008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/low-mercury-2008.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/low-mercury-2008.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/low-mercury-2008.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":801,"url":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/low-in-europe\/","url_meta":{"origin":1446,"position":5},"title":"Sebastian Schrade’s tour documentary Low in Europe","author":"Chad Ossman","date":"May 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I came late to appreciating Low, but they have since become one of my favorite bands. I was vaguely aware that trainspotting music critics had christened a genre to categorize bands like Low: slowcore, the distinguishing characteristics of which being playing very quietly and slowly. An overgeneralization, it turns out,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "3 Stars"","block_context":{"text":"3 Stars","link":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/category\/ratings\/3-stars\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Low in Europe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/low-in-europe-studio.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/low-in-europe-studio.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/low-in-europe-studio.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/low-in-europe-studio.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/05\/low-in-europe-studio.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1446"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8040,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1446\/revisions\/8040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chadossman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}