from the bjork camp:
2:47pm on June 29, 2008
Náttúra, the largest live music event ever held in Iceland, took place yesterday evening in front of 30,000 people in central Reykjavik. As well attracting 10% of the country's total population, the event was also broadcast live to a global audience via National Geographic's World Music website.
Náttúra, the largest live music event ever held in Iceland, took place yesterday evening in front of 30,000 people in central Reykjavik.
As well attracting 10% of the country's total population, the event was also broadcast live to a global audience via National Geographic's World Music website.
During the headline performance, performed under blazing sunshine in Laugardalur park, Björk protested against the hugely destructive industrial developments (mainly aluminium smelting plants and their associated infrastructure, which have caused the total annihilation of many unique and ecologically important areas such as Kárahnjúkar) that have been already built, with many more planned, in Europe's largest unspoilt wilderness, Iceland.
During the encore, referring to the aluminium smelting plants, she repeatedly chanted: "náttúra, náttúra, náttúra, náttúra," ending with "náttúra - don't sell it" to huge cheers from a crowd that ranged from young children to grandparents.
Sigur Rós, who recently released the album 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust', performed several songs from the record including the single 'Gobbledigook', which received an especially warm reception as Björk and Ólöf Arnalds joined them on stage for a unique collobaration.
About 10% of the total population of Iceland attended the free event, which also saw Ólöf Arnalds and Ghostigital performing on a massive stage near the centre of Reykjavik, Iceland's capital.
Organiser Einar Örn Benediktsson, Björk's Sugarcubes bandmate who joined her on stage for one song, simply said after the event: "This was a truly momentous evening."
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.
www.nattura.info
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