The Triumph Of A Heart video is about Björk’s stormy marriage to a cat, whom she leaves for a time to get drunk at the now extinct bar Sirkus in Reykjavík. I only saw the video recently while I was sweating on a skiing machine in my gym in Reykjavík, and the audio was turned off. I had a laughing fit, most of the actors are good friends of mine and on the video I saw them in a completely new light, which was very funny. And Björk was hilarious.
I’m mentioning this because I came across somebody on the 4UM who had seen Triumph Of A Heart on a recent setlist, and was disappointed that it wasn’t performed. I’m not going to comment on that per se, but I did email Björk recently, offering to play the cat in the song, whenever we would play it. She asked me back: “Ok, but who will play Sirkus?”
It is a shame Sirkus has closed down (I’m not sure why). I have many fond memories from that bar. My last time there was when I attended an absolutely fabulous concert with Ghostigital.
So my question is: What BAR in Reykjavík is going to play Sirkus in the future?
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April 19th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Smekkleysa. No, that’s closing too and it’s not a bar.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:50 am
First post here. Hello!
Closing down Sirkus was a really silly thing to do. Its really depriving Reykjavik of one of its cultural hearts I feel and definitely one of the things that made it unique. All the other bars in town are generally far more generic and typical. Sirkus had real soul and people came (and will still come) far and wide to queue outside in the cold until they got the chance to squeeze into the overflowing sea of human bodies and shake their stuff atop the nearest table. lol.
So there’ll never be replacement I think. But if one really wants to look for one, Boston is a logical place to start, considering the owner. But it feels far less spontaneous than Sirkus. I must confess that in my recent trips to the land of ice, I’ve been enjoying Organ for its live music, but that place is definitely far removed from a Sirkus vibe.
So I hate to say it, but unless someone finds a rundown 19th century shack, occupies it and starts selling beer, then any search for a Sirkus Novum is a hopeless one.
P.S: Saw you guys play on Monday and it was definitely way up in the upper stratosphere of my favourite gigs of all time. Thank you very much!
April 20th, 2008 at 5:19 am
Jonas looks at the 4um!?!
April 20th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
All things pass. We have no such bar here either. Culture is changing everywhere.
People don’t drink alchohol as much as they used to. Hard to make money as strictly a liquor dispenser. That’s why live music was brought in originally, whether a combo, piano player, small orchestra or soloist. Bookstalls and coffeehouses now feature performers. Raves are set up in empty warehouses, and audiences bring their own intoxicants. Many musicians rather play a bar than a restaurant. Who wants to fight to be heard over the clatter of diners? Smart places charge a cover for bands, and dispense libations as an courtesy depending upon demographic of audience. This way they can lock down bar and feature performers that appeal to teens, then later convert for a legal adult crowd.
I agree, musicians need places to try out acts before Carnegie Hall calls. The health of the industry depends upon it, and it’s a shame to witness the decline of a time tested symbiotic tradition. But fear of disease, improvements in home stereo, and turtle behavior after too many bad experiences limit audiences. Cafes were variously banned by repressive rulers throughout history. Any revolutionary spirit is therefore quelled, as all unrest starts in such gathering places, where notes are compared and consensus formed. Corporations, governments, and insurers rather see individuals dependent and isolated.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Kaffibarinn, on the Bergstadastraeti near Laugavegur.
Or Highlanders on Laekjargata.
But why not building your own bar ? It could be the “Volta Bar”, the “Triumph of a Bar” ET …
Welcome to the Volta Bar. Founded 2008 B.C. by Bjork Gudmundsdottir and Jonas Sen.
Mottos : “Here there are no strangers but friends who never met before” or “There is poetry in a pint of Guiness”.
Sounds good !
Romain
April 20th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
“Triumph of a Heart” is one of my all-time favorite Björk videos. It cracks me up. The cat is quite endearing in it, as is Björk.
Both of their personalities come through beautifully. I like that the cat wears a wife beater. And Spike Jonze is the man! I’ve never been to Iceland, so cannot recommend a bar… is it even possible to recreate this magic?!
April 20th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
You could always add on a bar to the Jónas Sen Bed and Breakfast/Brimstone. Is there a Blue Eyed Pop bar? Where was that place?
April 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Ah ! This famous Jonas’s B&B … let’s add this to the bar. This could promote all the new Icelandic artists, with a stage and so on. Customers and producers would come here and have a lot of fun.
Gabriela Fridriksdottir could care of the interior of the bar. I read the book “Dusk” (with a text about Western Mithology and so on by Jonas) and my favourite work is “Ourobouros” as it smells Iceland. All the waitresses and waiters would wear the coats with the “Existentialism” drawing on it …
Sound gibberish for some people, but Jonas must understand what I am saying LOL.
Romain.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
________________________________________smekkelysa is here___________the volta bar >to the harbour
_____________________________________________________________________________bus stop_____________
The plan of the bar would be like this ; on the main street of reykjavik. Close to the smekkleysa shop and to the shuttle connecting the city to the airport.
This plan makes me think to Lars Von Trier’s “Dogville” and “Manderlay”.
Romain.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Organ is great also.
Jónas let me know when you’ll be back in Reykjavík, I’d like to meet you
April 21st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I need youtube footage from last night’s ‘I Miss You’.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
And Triumph of a Heart!!!
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 am
Hey Jónas,
Do you think you can ask Björk what she thinks about changing “Pluto” with “Enjoy” instead? There are a lot of people on the forum (including me) who think Enjoy would be great on this tour (considering the brass) and just think she needs to switch it up a bit!
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Sirkus and Smekkleysa closing is quiet sad. Iceland seems to be going through a lot of not so positive change (ie the Dam project and whaling) to me as an outsider. I know one thing about Iceland and it’s people its that you can weather even the most difficult of circumstances and adjust better than most can so I’m sure a group like Ghostigital and others will help give birth to a new scene and place. I hope for the best and thanks for taking a look at the 4UM Jónas your always welcomed there.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:33 am
Here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPSwTqhecI
April 24th, 2008 at 8:57 am
well Boston was a candidate, but i thought it lacked the intimacy and darkness. but it did hold up to some good times!
April 24th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Smekkleysa SM is just closing the record store down. It has only been active for 5 years, compared to the 22 years Smekkleysa has been running like a label.
We have been losing money on the record store, the equal to putting out 10 new records a year. So closing it down will give us more rope to hang our selves and put more records out.
If we find a suitable location we will open up again.
until then we will try to maintain the website http://www.smekkleysa.net as the best for good music.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Thank you for seeing my thread and making one of my wishes come true!
April 25th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
♥
April 27th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I am looking forward to hearing this on Monday!