In Photos: Björk plays to 10% of Icelandic population at Náttúra
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This weekend DiS decamped to Reykjavik in Iceland to see homecoming heroes Björk and Sigur Rós play an event protesting about aluminium smelting plants, which will blight Iceland's beautiful, unspoilt wilderness.
Entitled Náttúra, the event was hugely popular. So popular, in fact, that today it's been announced that it was the largest live music event ever held in Iceland, with over 30,000 people filling the hillside in Laugardalur Park, situated in central Reykjavik. Thirty-thousand people is an incredible figure, and accounts for around ten percent of the population of Iceland. The event was also broadcast live to a global audience via National Geographic's World Music website (we imagine some bootlegs will crop up for those that missed it).
Explaining why she was playing the gig, Björk said: “Too often battles being fought for nature turn into something negative and into mudslinging. We will not go that way, we are not saying that this and that is forbidden, we are rather asking, ‘What about all these other possibilities?’ The 21st Century is not going to be another oil century, but rather a century where we need to recycle, think green and design both power plants and our surroundings in harmony with nature.”
Ahead of a full review of the show and a photo diary from DiS's competition winner, here are some photos by DiS snapper Toby Price.
Organisers of the event have released a statement, which reads:
"It is hoped that the event will inspire and inform a different way of approaching the issue as many believe that Iceland, ranked #1 in the world in a recent UN quality of life survey, can maintain a strong and progressive economy without the intrusion of polluting industrial processes and the sale of ecologically rich land (at reduced prices) to multinational companies. More info at www.nattura.info."
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Share on FacebookI would have KILLED to be there
Damn society's aversion to murder...
Yet more hypocrisy
So Bjork with homes in Iceland, London and New York, who commutes between them in flying aluminium tubes objects to aluminium production does she? Guess she'll be against global warming next ...
When SIgur Rós played gobbledigook
Bjork joined in beating a big drum. How sweet!
Jesus
Iceland has a tiny ass population.
.
i thought they were much better at the church earlier this week. they tried too many of the same things like the confetti which just didn't work outside.
.
sigur ros that is
Reykjavik itself
Is a massive percentage of the total Icelandic population, can't remember the exact figure but it's 40% ish?
Plus, a lot of the island, especially the middle, is frozen glaciers, and most towns are on the coast, as the first settlers from Norway and Scotland found it easier to settle there, and it was better for transport back home.
I believe that's correct
I went there on a school trip when I was 14, you can travel for miles and miles in the more remote areas without seeing another sign of human life.
think it's more like 60%
according to the in flight magazinw
.
you went there on a school trip? Damn, that's cool...
hypocrisy...no
With respect, you've missed the point slightly gagaga.
Of course we have to be able to build things like aluminium planes, coca-cola cans etc, it would be be very naive to suggest otherwise, but its the way the aluminium smelters are being constructed in areas in Iceland that are irreplaceable, amazing and special that's the problem.
The Icelandic government have sold such areas to large power companies on the cheap and they simply rip apart assorted waterfalls, glacial rivers and countryside to make way for some cheap energy production. The companies put pressure on local people/land owners to sell up/agree to this and then the land is theirs and lost forever. There is another way. The smelters don't have to be built there, its just because its cheaper for the energy companies to do so, and that's what the concert was about.
I love Iceland (the country and its music) to pieces, as you might be able to tell, so I'm quite passionate about this subject. It makes me really sad to think that large chunks of it are being bulldozed without a very good reason.
School trip to Iceland!!!
best school EVER!
agreed
completely.
The Icelandic government are disgustingly bad at looking after the country in some areas and lots of people can't really seeing it getting any better. They also seem to be telling people that this is all taking part in areas of the country where noone will really miss. Which is bullshit because there's a beautiful warm river in the hills out near Hveragerði (30 min drive from Reykjavík) which is in big danger.
absolutely...
spot on James.
I saw an amazing river and waterfall that will soon be turned to concrete so people can chuck away cheap cans of drink every day. I've read that America chucks away enough cans to renew the entire national airline fleet four times over every year.
Sorry to get political but as that hairy ass Bob Geldoff explained "music is the pied piper..." and its a strong way of making a bit of a difference to stuff we're bothered about, or should be.
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