Hi Of Monsters & Men , where are you right now and what are you doing?
We are in front of the mirror trying on our matching outfits for the Iceland Airwaves gig.
Who is in the band?
Nanna (vocals, guitar), Raggi (vocals, guitar, melodica, glockenspiel), Brynjar (guitar, melodica), Arnar (drums, percussion, melodica, glockenspiel, vocals).
Congratulations on winning the musiktilraunir (new bands) competition, how does it feel to follow bands like Maus, Mínus, Mammút and Jakobínarína?
It feels wonderful! We couldn’t be happier. But it’s on us now to make the most of these “15 minutes of fame” and show people what we can do. Those bands that you mentioned did just that and it would be awesome to follow in their footsteps.
There will be 5 or more other bands playing at the same time as you – so why should people choose your show?
Because we’re something new and something you probably haven’t seen or heard of before. But also if it so happens that you have seen us, than you’ll be in for a big surprise because we have changed our set quite a bit and added a whole bunch of instruments as well, so we promise a great gig! And also there will be a pretty lady in the crowd handing out free candy to all those who cheer us on.
Have you seen the festival line-up? What other bands are you excited to see?
Yeah, they have a great line-up this year. Lots of cool stuff. We’re really excited about seeing Bombay Bicycle Club, Hercules and Love Affair, Efterklang and Rolo Tomassi. There are also a lot of great Icelandic bands that we look forward to seeing. Mugison of course. Also Cliff Clavin, Orphic Oxtra and Rökkurró are all fantastic!
And finally, how about a few local tips for the festival first-timers?
We recommend a nice, warm pair of mittens. It can get pretty cold in the night if you’re waiting in an endless line holding your beer. And also, It’s ok to make plans so you won’t miss your favorite bands but we’ve noticed that the real adventures happen when you throw your plans away and just go with the flow. Let the spirit of the festival infest your body. It will probably end up being the best night EVER!
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Be sure to catch Of Monsters & Men, and some candy, at Risið on Thursday at 10pm.