Confirmed: Iceland Is Very Cool
Always a pleasure to hear from our friend Jim McGuinn, PD of Minnesota Public Radio’s KCMP (89.3 The Current)/Minneapolis, which is… um… “currently” on location in Iceland for the annual “Iceland Airwaves” festival, which draws thousands of music fans to this beautiful island nation each year to enjoy hundreds of artists perform from November 1-5.
“Iceland Airwaves has become one of the key discovery festivals in the world annually, launching the careers of artists like Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men, Asgeir, and more, dating back to 1999,” McGuinn tells RAMP. “We are excited to be here for the first time, bringing the sights and sounds of Iceland to Minnesota and the world, with live broadcasts Thursday and Friday from 10am-2pm in Minnesota, hosted by Current evening personality Mark Wheat and including sessions and interviews with established Icelandic artists like Asgeir, Emiliana Torrini and Mammút, new (to most of us) acts like Ösp, 200.000 Naglbitars and JFDR, and interviews with members of Mumford and Sons, Cocteau Twins, and Iceland’s legendary Sugarcubes.”
Wheat (pictured during yesterday’s broadcast) added, “Inspired by our friends KEXP/Seattle, who have been coming to Airwaves and Reykjavik the past several years, we are basing in Akureyri, the ‘Diamond of the North,’ where the festival expands this year and we are hosting our coverage from Götubarinn (pictured), a pub in the center of town.”
In addition to the broadcast, Team Current has been posting videos and photos of their progress on the trip so far, learning to avoid Salt licorice and shark jerky, and searching for the Northern Lights. [Photo credit: Nate Ryan MPR]
