Erik and one of his best friends, Adam Dieffenbach, just attended a concert of one of their favorite bands - Sigur Rós. This was their first concert after four years off being off the road and back in Iceland, their home country. Here's a good description of the band:
"Known for its ethereal sound, frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals, and the use of bowed guitar, the band's music is also noticeable for its incorporation of classical and minimalist aesthetic elements into their music."
Besides your typical instruments - guitar, drums, bass - the members incorporate a whole host of other instruments in their songs including piano, vibraphone, reed organ, glockenspiel, bells, and electronics.
The band travels with seven instrumentalists, including a full string quartet, brass and wind players - all of which can be seen at the back of the stage, accompanying the band.
The outdoor venue, which stands at the top of a hill overlooking the Philly skyline, sold out both performances and the experience was nothing short of spectacular. The lead singer uses a non-literal language called "Vonlenska" (Hopelandic in English) when he sings. Void of any meaning, it focuses entirely on the sounds and articulations that the voice can produce, using it as another instrument in the mix. Being free from language allows him to express that which can't be put into words.
