I'm an optimist. So all the anticipation of how good it would be to see Bjork in Reykjavik, at Iceland Airwaves, of how good this particular much lauded performance of Biophilia could be, could have been crippling. In fact my wildest expectations had nothing on the reality. This was music and performance at it's pinnacle, in a setting so perfectly intimate that it was hard to believe. To see a major world star performing her finest creative work in her home town, in a beautiful, brand new venue delivering crystal clear sound, with a crowd which, by her standards, must be tiny was a treat beyond all optimism.

As soon as I went into the room it was clear this was going to be incredible. A small stage, mostly at ground level hosting a range of bizarre instrumentation, some electronic and some (as promised) entirely natural – dominated by the 4 giant magnetic swinging things which doubtless have a name, but whose function is to set the beat on various songs. To one side of the stage was around 20 rows of tiered seating. To the other 3 sides just 4 or 5 steps hosting an audience never more than 7 or 8 deep kept back from the performance area by just a rope

We were asked not to take any photos, and that was almost entirely observed until the very last song. I think people guessed that Declare Independence was the climax and that this was their chance to capture this performance. Still, there were no flashes. Clearly, I'm just excusing myself – the photo above was the best my iphone could do in that room and in that light! The photo below of the choir dancing is from IcelandAirwaves on instagram, so that must be OK!

The lights dimmed just a few minutes after 8. Bjork was the last to enter the stage. She was supported by Manu Delago on the percussion, ipads, upturned woks (probably not) and who knows what else and a guy (sorry, missed the name) on keyboards, laptops and assorted electronica. There was also a harpsichordist for some tracks. As well as these three guys there was a choir of twenty or so girls who were brilliant and charming throughout, active on all but one or two tracks and dancing throughout, sometimes choreographed and sometimes freeform at the madder moments.

Bjork herself was wearing the dress and that wig from the album cover. The wig is incredible, it appears to be held on by an inch wide black chin strap, and it has the effect of making her already tiny features and frame become even tinier.

I'm not going to try to run through the show. It was an incredible nearly two hours. It was perfect. She seemed nervous at first but within 3 or 4 tracks was very clearly enjoying herself enormously, I guess she had a lot of friends and family in the audience. Oh, and that voice. That voice. The voice that first got me interested in Iceland back in the Eighties is still in wonderful working order from quietest whisper to the rasping but tuneful screams. She danced, she ran around the stage in circles, she sat down and sipped at tea.

I overheard more than one conversation on the way out around the topic of best gigs ever. This has few peers. For the Bjork stattos out there, I did get the setlist, so here's what she played:

Thunderbolt

Moon

Crystalline

Hollow

Dark Matter

Hidden Place

Mouth's Cradle

Isobel

Virus

Sacrifice

Vertebrae By Vertebrae

Where Is The Line

Mutual Core

Cosmogony

Solstice

(encore)

One Day

Nattura

Declare Independence

The Grapevine review of last night is here. You can still get one of 200 tickets for Sunday's show by queuing at Smekkleysa on Sunday morning. I really suggest you do.