Sigur Ros at Strathmore, MD

Just saw this show last night, I gotta tell ya these guys (and gals) are the real deal. They encpsulated all that is good and true about prog. Original music, great instrumentation, and powerful extended pieces. Would appreciate any feedback from anyone who was there, or anyone who saw them this tour.

P.S. The opener Anima, was very interesting and beautiful as well.

krusty wrote: Hi Nipsey88, I have seen then a couple of times in the UK and was debating seeing them on the upcoming tour especially after hearing TAAK. The trouble is whenever I have seen them I always seem to be surrounded by people more interested in talking about what they did in college that day than actually listening to the band. I was wondering if you have better audience's there? cheers Vince A.

Nope, the audience in MD was very restrained and respectful, quiet during even the soft parts, and only applauding (mostly) when appropriate.

I was able to see them twice in L.A. the past few months. First was a sort-of-secret warm up show at a large club. That was an incredible show. The crowd was great, too. Very into the music. There is a moment during one of their last songs where they simply stop playing. In one of the most magical rock'n'roll moments I've ever experienced, the band stops in mid-measure--they're silent and motionless and the crowd is right there with them--completely silent. And this is in L.A. --in Hollywood. For about thirty seconds, there was not a sound--no one talking, no cell phone ringing, not even a sound from the bar. Then the band starts right where the music paused, completing the interupted phrase, and the crowd goes crazy, and it was just amazing.

Last month I saw them again at the humongous (and half-empty) Hollywood Bowl. Nearly the same set-list, but not nearly the same magic. They may just not be a large venue band. (But very few bands are.) With a larger crowd, and the outdoor setting, (and it was a fairly chilly fall evening) the music wasn't as nearly present. And when they got to the silent-break that night, well, instead of silence, there was a bunch of yahoos shouting "whoo!" I'm sure that happens most nights, actually. It's hard to get an entire crowd onto your wavelength and understand how beautiful silence can be. But Sigur Ros has done that at least once.