Iceland is well-known as the home of creative musicians, amazing voices, and other artists. One amazing way to experience all this is to fly in for the annual three-day music festival – Iceland Airwaves. The festival is held each year in early November (around the U.S. 3-day holiday weekend and my birthday!). While the acts are primarily Icelandic, there are a handful of international acts each year – I’ve seen Ukrainian, British, Canadian and Faroese music too! M’s Tip: Don’t be concerned if you don’t understand Icelandic – even if you don’t understand every word of the songs, the vibes are great and Icelanders all speak English so you won’t have any problem getting around.
I grew up listening to the radio station KEXP based in my hometown of Seattle and remember hearing the DJs return from Airwaves, talking about the shows they’d seen, artists they’d discovered, and the camaraderie that developed amongst the fans in this distant, cold, dark, mythical city called Reykjavik. One would recall bounding down the hill to catch the end of a set in an off-venue pub, one would share seeing an exciting musician in a church. I just knew I wanted to be a part of it one day….and (minus COVID) I’ve been going since 2019.
For three days, Reykjavik explodes with music. There is literally music everywhere. And you can actually enjoy it whether you have a full festival pass or not. This is because the festival is held over both official venues and “off-venue” shows. You need a festival wrist-band to get into the official venues. These differ from year to year but, at least since 2019, these have included the cavernous main hall of the Art Museum and the smaller Idno theater near the pond. In 2024, a stage was added in the Flea Market building nearby the Art Museum. It looks like in 2025 they are expanding to 8 official venues! M’s Tip: While the lines for some of the main venues can be long, the weather can be bad, and the venues get crowded for the most popular shows, generally speaking, you can get into a show or a venue you want with a little planning. Maybe get in to see the act before and stay – it’s bound to be something great!
One of the most fun aspects of Airwaves, however, is discovering the off-venue shows. The venues can be anything from a record store to pub or a store. Off-venue sites vary from year to year, and are often announced very late, just before the festival itself. But I highly recommend checking them out. The shows start earlier in the afternoon, extending the concert day. And, they are a great way to see singers that aren’t in the main festival or to see an act that might conflict with another show you want to see later in the day on a main stage. Off-venues can be very crowded but they’re always fun – and free! Some of my favorite Iceland Airwaves memories are from off-venues. I saw Icelandic superstar Briet – finally – in a bank lobby, I listened to Una Scharm in a teeny tiny kiosk, or and saw Icelandic singer/actress GDRN in the bar of a (sadly now closed!) youth hostel – RIP Kex Hostel. In 2024, we stumbled on some great groups from the Faroe Islands playing in both a bookstore turned off-venue concert venue and then in an off-venue bar called Bird. (Update: For the 2025 festival, Bird is now an official venue.)
The festival is constantly evolving and differs year to year. The last couple of years, they’ve added an industry focused conference that runs in parallel to the days of music. All I can say is, if you love music and are looking for a good reason to visit Iceland – this is it! See you there!
Official website here: Iceland Airwaves
Check out my favorite discoveries from recent years’ festivals on my Iceland Airwaves playlist below.
