A prominent figure in her Scandinavian music scene or a number of years, the folk singer/songwriter, guitarist and charango player (and new mother to an 8-month-old son) Ólöf Arnalds took the stage on Tuesday evening at Greenpoint’s Lutheran Church of the Messiah with openers Sam Amidon and Kría Brekkan to a crowd of wide-eyed Brooklyn fans.
The former Múm member, who struck out on her own in 2007 with debut album Við Og Við (which clocked in at #38 on our Best of 2007 list), proved herself every bit the modern-day troubador as sat with guitar in hand and sang simple, perfectly beautiful songs that reflected the frigid and blustery landscapes of her native Iceland. Her traditional, folkloric set stunned the quiet crowd, which sat mostly crossed-legged in the dark basement of the church. Like a clear, crystal bell, Arnalds’ voice and a multitude of guitars in varying shapes and sizes remained central throughout the set, though the stage was often shared with the violin-playing Sam Amidon, who opened the evening’s show. Fittingly, Olaf’s young son awoke during her set, crying out for his mom, and she finally resorted to singing him a lullaby that lulled him and the audience back into a peaceful sense of calm.
Related links:
Youtube: Olof Arnalds performs Klara for the Iceland Airwaves Podcast
Review: Iceland Airwaves Festival
Ctrl-V: From Reykjavik With Love (And Dagger-Cold Drizzle)