Photo ANDREW PARKS
We’ve only been to Iceland’s annual Airwaves Festival once, and while it was nearly seven years ago, the experience remains firmly ingrained in the back of our minds as a benchmark for what a festival should feel like. And that is not a dumping ground for classic rock casualties and endorphin-flooding EDM acts. Frankly, the lineup doesn’t even matter with Airwaves; the vibe does. Since international bands rarely play Reykjavik, there’s an energy at these shows that can’t be replicated. At times, it’s irritating—lots of thrown ‘bows and spilled beer—but hey, all that enthusiasm is certainly better than fair-weather fans who only came to see a couple headliners.
As for how this all relates to Airwaves’ initial 2015 lineup, expect familiar Icelandic faces like GusGus alongside special guests such as Perfume Genius, Ariel Pink and recent XL signing East India Youth.
Check out a bonkers trailer for the fest’s first round of confirmations here:
