Concert News

Iceland Airwaves Reveals First Names for 2020

• 19th Feb 2020

Going into its 22nd year with a galvanised mission statement, Iceland Airwaves reveals an impressive first wave of artists for 4-7 November 2020. 

Announcing three of the most exciting international names including Metronomy, who will play their first show at Iceland since 2009, Courtney Barnett, who is set to play a rare intimate solo show, and the recently Grammy Award nominated Texan psychedelic soul duo Black Pumas, the world’s Northernmost showcase festival also adds a host of the hottest new acts to the bill.

This includes the disco funk of Squid from Brighton, South London post punk outfit DryCleaning, the dark and twisted Dublin quintet The Murder Capital and Copenhagen-based R&B producer-songwriter Erika De Casier. Iceland Airwaves also stands out by booking the most boundary pushing performers such as Swedish based German producer and Fever Ray collaborator Tami T, the over-the-top pop sensation DorianElectra from the US, Bristol’s gender-fuck drag artist LynksAfrikka and many more.

With half the line up consisting of Icelandic creatives, the 2020 edition will showcase only the freshest homegrown talent. Of the first 20 local names announced today, not one appeared on the poster last year and many are making their Airwaves debut. 

Iceland’s most famous 9-strong all female rap collective Daughters of Reykjavik return after touring Europe and appearing on Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show, the Westman Islands’ freaky folk pop songwriter Júníus Meyvant returns after 2 years away, and the revered Seabear member Sin Fang is set to bring his intimate indie back to the Iceland Airwaves again. 

Meanwhile Reykjavik’s coolest grassroots DIY collective “post-dreifing” present the young and upcoming artists BSÍ and K.óla for the first time, whilst the award winning 15 year old lo-fi electronic producer gugusar and the one person orchestra dj. flugvel og geimskip (aka Airplane & Spaceship) have also been announced.

The diverse lineup continues with the rising Glaswegian rap prodigy CHLOBOCOP, the highly regarded Icelandic black metal outfit Sinmara, the mysterious alt pop band KiriyamaFamily, the nordic jazz pioneers ADHD and many more (Full line up below).

Iceland Airwaves will be inviting over 8,000 international visitors from 60 countries for an unmissable global gathering on 4-7 November 2020. After picking up a nomination for Best Small Festival at the NME Awards in February 2020 the event has proven to be firmly back at its best. As Iceland’s most vital and longest running music festival it can’t help representing every unique aspect of its country, and does so proudly. Only Airwaves’ line up is as fresh as Iceland’s climate, as progressive as its people and as ready to blow as its most active geysers.

Iceland Airwaves remains the only festival where you can experience shows in spaces as varied as art galleries to churches and concert halls, all in easy walking distance within the downtown 101 postcode. With the festival’s forward thinking, collaborative approach and positive local influence, Reykjavík has developed into a thriving and globally recognised music city.

Super early bird tickets have already sold out, with early bird tickets on sale now and travel packages from UK, Europe, US and Canada available from Icelandair.

You can check music from the first announcement over at the Iceland Airwaves Spotify playlist.