Icelandic babes soaking in hot springs? Raving underneath the Northern Lights? DJs performing while contorted inside of tiny boxes? Alunageorge? No, this is not just every young boy’s fantasy—it is the one and only Iceland Airwaves festival, which took place last week in the nation’s capital of Reykjavík! This icy soirée’s inaugural bash—wait is it cold in Iceland?—was held in 1999 in an airplane hanger, and since then the festival has been known as one of the premier annual showcases for new music… and super weird shit in general.
Everyone from Fatboy Slim and Hot Chip to Sigur Rós and the Flaming Lips have taken the stage(s) here and it’s known to be a breeding ground for cutting edge music and a whole lotta glamorous hipsters. Where else can you roll out of bed, hunt for waterfalls and lava fields, then dive into the world famous Blue Lagoon while doing your best two-step to world-class talent? Iceland, baby. Check out this stunning gallery from photo ninja Nicky Digital and join me in scratching my head as to why the hell I didn’t go to the festival. There’s always next year…
Videos by VICE

Squeezing in one last DJ set at Dolly with
Nicky Digital

The infamous Northern Lights
Nicky Digital

Jon Hopkins live set at Harpa Concert Hall
Nicky Digital

Harpa Concert Hall
Nicky Digital

Sykur live at Harpa Concert Hall
Nicky Digital

Hermigervill off venue performance at the Kex Hostel
Nicky Digital

Hermigervill off venue performance at the Kex Hostel
Nicky Digital

Hanging with Hermigervill at the Kex Hostel
Nicky Digital

Nicky Digital hanging with Rakel Mjöll of Halleluwah
Nicky Digital

AlunaGeorge live at Harpa
Nicky Digital

Oculus live at Harlem
Nicky Digital

Iceland Airwaves Chill Party at the Blue Lagoon
Nicky Digital

Retro Stefson live at the Iceland Airwaves Chill Party at the Blue Lagoon
Nicky Digital

Iceland Airwaves Chill Party at the Blue Lagoon
Nicky Digital

Harpa Concert Hall
Nicky Digital

FM Belfast live at Harpa
Nicky Digital

Jagwar Ma like at Reykjavik Art Museum
Nicky Digital

Jagwar Ma like at Reykjavik Art Museum
Nicky Digital

Young Fathers live at Gamli Gaukurinn
Nicky Digital

Tanya & Marlon live set at Boston
Nicky Digital

MØ live at Reykjavik Art Museum
Nicky Digital

Harpa Concert Hall
Nicky Digital

Reykjavik Harbor
Nicky Digital

Steve Sampling at the Möller Records showcase at Lucky Records
Nicky Digital

Ultra Mega Technobandið Stefán at the Band in a Box performance
Nicky Digital

Grísalappalísa at the Reykjavik Art Museum
Nicky Digital

Bloodgroup live at Harpa
Nicky Digital
More
From VICE
-

-

Ebet Roberts/Redferns -

(Photo via Alones Creative / Getty Images) -

Jim Bennett/Getty Images
