107-622: Sigur Rós ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsɪːɣʏrous] ) is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík . It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson , bassist Georg Hólm and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson . Known for their ethereal sound, frontman Jónsi's falsetto vocals, and their use of bowed guitar , Sigur Rós incorporate classical and minimal aesthetic elements. Jónsi's vocals are sung in Icelandic and non-linguistic vocalisations
214-500: A cello 's bow . In 2001, Sigur Rós christened their newly completed studio by recording an EP titled Rímur with an Icelandic fisherman named Steindór Andersen . The EP contains six songs, all of which feature Steindór Andersen reciting traditional Icelandic rímur poetry. Sigur Rós accompany him on three songs. Two songs feature Steindór alone. The last song on the EP, "Lækurinn", is a duet with Sigurður Sigurðarson. A thousand copies of
321-606: A "post-rock noisefest". Post-rock incorporates stylings and traits from a variety of musical genres and scenes, including krautrock , ambient , psychedelia , prog rock , space rock , math rock , tape music and other experimental recording techniques , minimalist classical , British IDM , jazz (both avant-garde and cool ), and dub, as well as post-punk , free jazz , contemporary classical , and avant-garde electronica . It can also bear similarities to drone music , and usage of drones in psychedelic rock . Early post-rock groups often exhibited strong influence from
428-425: A Q&A session during which Georg promised that 2012 would be a "very busy" year for Sigur Rós. The band hinted at a new album and tour in the second half of 2012. The Q&A session was curtailed when a stage light began to emit smoke and the room was evacuated. "The band's next album is scheduled for release in the spring. Based on excerpts presented by Mr. Sveinsson, the new music promises to be as exceptional as
535-647: A famous composer made by the Faircloth Brothers glass firm. The foyer is finished in Art Deco style. Designed by architect Sidney Badgley , Massey Hall was completed in 1894 at a cost of CA$ 152,390.75 . Construction was financed by Massey, the founder of the Massey Manufacturing (later Massey Ferguson ) manufacturing conglomerate. The hall's debut concert was a choral performance of Handel's 'Messiah' on June 14, 1894. Ten years after
642-505: A few days before the band was formed. Sigur Rós signed a record deal with the Icelandic Sugarcubes -owned record label Bad Taste , because they thought the falsetto vocals would appeal to teenage girls. In 1997, they released Von and in 1998 a remix collection, Von brigði . The band was joined by Kjartan Sveinsson on keyboards in 1998. He is the only member of Sigur Rós with musical training, and contributed most of
749-434: A fully stocked bar. Prior to this addition, alcohol was not permitted in the hall. The decor of Centuries includes hundreds of photos of artists who have performed there over the years (largely collecting portraits of popular music stars since the eighties), including many autographs. Centuries has a capacity of 220 people and often hosts CD releases and post-show parties for visiting artists. Roughly five years after Centuries
856-654: A headlining act for the 2008 Splendour in the Grass Festival in Byron Bay , Australia, Latitude Festival 2008, and the 2008 La Route du Rock Festival in St Malo , France. In addition, the band performed a late-night set at the 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee , where they blew a speaker at the end of their second song. Jónsi Birgisson commented, "The piano is exploding, I think," one of
963-556: A live DVD of the previous summer's Iceland tour, was released. Just prior to the release of Hvarf/Heim , on 29 October, a single named " Hljómalind " was released. The 2007 feature-length documentary from Sigur Rós's summer tour in Iceland, which occurred in 2006, attempts to shed light on the band's homeland. Therefore, the film is called " Heima ", which means "at home". In the movie, the band members express their interpretation of "Iceland". The film revolves around three main elements;
1070-747: A live take, from a 2000 concert in Denmark, of the then-unreleased "Njósnavélin" (later 'unnamed' "Untitled #4") appeared in the Cameron Crowe film Vanilla Sky . The former two also subsequently appeared in the US version of the television series Queer as Folk . Their music has also appeared in the TV series 24 with "Ný batterí", and CSI with "Svefn-g-englar". In 2004, Wes Anderson used "Starálfur" in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou as did
1177-487: A loading dock for equipment and deliveries. On the fourth floor, is the new 500 seat TD Music Centre. It additionally contains the Deane Cameron Recording Studio, which gets its name from the late Massey Hall CEO. Located in the basement is a bar that has another performance space as well. The new modern glass passerelles leading to the tower hangs off the side of Massey Hall and contrasts with
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#17327906977661284-519: A means of enabling the exploration of textures, timbres and different styles. The genre emerged within the indie and underground music scenes of the 1980s and 1990s, but as it abandoned rock conventions, it began to show less musical resemblance to conventional indie rock at the time. The first wave of post-rock derives inspiration from diverse sources including ambient , electronica , jazz , krautrock , psychedelia , dub , and minimalist classical , with these influences also being pivotal for
1391-411: A melancholy and crescendo -driven style rooted in, among other genres, chamber music , musique concrète techniques and free jazz influences. In 2000, Radiohead released the studio album Kid A , marking a significant turning point in their musical style, with Reynolds describing it and the 2001 follow-up album Amnesiac as major examples of post-rock in the style that had been established by
1498-631: A new album, due to be released some time in 2013. He described it as a dramatic change of direction, "an anti-Valtari". The band performed a new song, entitled " Brennisteinn " ('brimstone'), in Reykjavík on 4 November at the Iceland Airwaves 2012 festival, to favourable reception. On 12 November 2012, the band announced a new North American tour, to take place in March and April 2013. The band also announced that every ticket purchased will include
1605-433: A new digital copy of a three-track EP, containing new and unreleased music, made available to ticket holders on 22 March 2013. On 24 January 2013, Sigur Rós announced in a Q&A on Reddit that Kjartan had left the band, feeling it was time "to do something different". They announced their seventh studio album, Kveikur , on 22 March. On the same day, they also released the album's first single: "Brennisteinn". The album
1712-552: A new seven-story addition, two new smaller concert rooms and a new retractable seating system. The new addition is called the Allied Music Centre, located on the site of the Albert Building. It incorporates an artists' lab, studio, lounge and theatre. It was completed in 2022. In 1973, Toronto City Council designated Massey Hall a Heritage Property under the province's Ontario Heritage Act . Massey Hall
1819-599: A number of albums that were regarded as post-rock, most notably To Be Kind , which was acclaimed by AllMusic at the end of 2014. Massey Hall Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra . An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to seat 3,500 patrons, but after extensive renovations in
1926-416: A religious theme. Massey also wanted to construct the building in memory of his son Charles, who loved music. Massey also did not want the music hall to make large profits. He wanted both rich and poor to attend events. Ideally, once all expenses were paid, Massey wanted tickets for a season of lectures to sell for $ 1. The building was designed with a neoclassical facade and features Moorish arches that span
2033-582: A series of free surprise outdoor concerts throughout Iceland in July and August, playing in various venues such as abandoned bunkers and community coffee shops, all of which were included in the 2007 documentary film Heima . They also performed twice in the United States in February. In August 2007, a limited DVD+CD edition of the 2002 soundtrack to the documentary Hlemmur was released. Hvarf/Heim
2140-608: A series of shows during his solo tour in summer 2010. On 1 February 2011, Jónsi's official website announced that he would be back in the studio with the band over the spring. On 11 August 2011 Sigur Rós's official website unveiled a trailer for a project called Inní , a DVD and double CD of the band's live performances in London, directed by Vincent Morisset. It was screened at the 68th Venice International Film Festival , and saw official release in November 2011. On 16 September 2011,
2247-469: A standing general-admission area during performances and enhancing the audio and lighting systems. This refurbishment allowed for more flexibility for a variety of performances. The audio enhancements included diminishing the echo effect of sound that occurs during performances by introducing sound-absorbing plaster into the space. The refurbishment also restored the mixed architectural styles of Moorish revival, Palladian revival, and Art Deco found within
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#17327906977662354-606: Is a live recording of the orchestral piece being performed in Paris in 2004. On 14 February 2022, Sigur Rós announced that Kjartan had rejoined them. The following week, they announced their first world tour in nearly five years. In addition to the tour, it was announced that the band are in the process of writing and recording a new album. On 16 June 2023, Sigur Rós released "Blóðberg", the first single from their eighth studio album, Átta (eight in Icelandic). The self-produced album
2461-519: Is no grammatical relation between or among syllables, nor are they accompanied by clearly defined word boundaries. Vonlenska emphasizes the phonological and emotive qualities of human vocalizations, and it uses the melodic and rhythmic elements of singing without the conceptual content of language. In this way, it is similar to the use of scat singing in vocal jazz and puirt à beul in traditional Irish folk music and Scottish . The band's website describes it as "a form of gibberish vocals that fits to
2568-522: Is often seen on the label of Neurot Recordings . Similarly, bands such as Altar of Plagues , Lantlôs and Agalloch blend between post-rock and black metal , incorporating elements of the former while primarily using the latter. In some cases, this sort of experimentation and blending has gone beyond the fusion of post-rock with a single genre, as in the case of post-metal, in favor of an even wider embrace of disparate musical influences as it can be heard in bands like Deafheaven . A precedent to post-rock
2675-461: Is operated by The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, a non-profit charitable organization. It is located at the intersection of Shuter and Victoria Streets, just east of Yonge Street, in downtown Toronto. The idea of Massey Music Hall (its original name) began with Hart Massey , who wanted to build a music hall in order to fill the need for a secular meeting place where people from Toronto and area could meet and enjoy choral music not of
2782-463: Is the late 1960s U.S. group The Velvet Underground and their " dronology "—"a term that loosely describes fifty percent of today's post rock activity". A 2004 article from Stylus Magazine also noted that David Bowie 's 1977 album Low would have been considered post-rock if released twenty years later. British group Public Image Ltd (PiL) were also pioneers, described by the NME as "arguably
2889-617: The Simpsons episode " The Saga of Carl ", which aired on 19 May 2013. The band appeared in the HBO TV series Game of Thrones episode " The Lion and the Rose " on 13 April 2014. They also covered the song " The Rains of Castamere ", which was originally recorded by the National for the earlier episode " Blackwater ". Georg and Orri worked with Georg's brother Kjartan Dagur "KD" Hólm and
2996-546: The 2006 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race , advertisements for the BBC's coverage of England games during the 2006 FIFA World Cup , on television advertisements for RTÉ 's Gaelic games coverage in Ireland, and on an advertisement for Oxfam . It was also used in the final scene of the movie Penelope , for the trailer of the film Children of Men and for the trailer of the film Slumdog Millionaire . Following this, demand for
3103-561: The Emmy -winning 2005 TV film The Girl in the Café . In Enki Bilal 's Immortel (Ad Vitam) the song "Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)" is used. The song "Svefn-g-englar" was also used on V on 24 November 2009, and features prominently in Café de Flore released in 2011. After the release of Ágætis byrjun , the band became known for Jónsi's signature style of reverb accentuated guitar work using
3210-588: The Inni album and live video became available to pre-order from the band's site in a variety of formats. Additionally, the band made the video for the song "Festival" available to watch online, as well as offering a free download of the audio from a live performance of the song. On 3 November 2011, following the UK premiere of Inni at the British Film Institute in London, the band members participated in
3317-524: The Juno Awards of 2021 , which was performed from a variety of venues across Canada, the surviving members of the Tragically Hip performed their 2002 single "It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken" with Feist on lead vocals, which marked the band's first televised performance since Gord Downie 's death. On February 29, 2024, singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith staged a retrospective concert at
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3424-628: The Kranky label like Labradford , Bowery Electric , and Stars of the Lid , are often cited as foundational to the American first wave of post-rock, especially in the Chicago scene. The second Tortoise album, Millions Now Living Will Never Die , made the band a post-rock icon, with bands such as Do Make Say Think beginning to record music inspired by the "Tortoise-sound". In the late 1990s, Chicago
3531-458: The Toronto Symphony Orchestra , although the intention was always for Massey Hall to remain open for other purposes following renovations. Its permanent name as Roy Thomson Hall was announced in January 1982, following a donation from media mogul and philanthropist Roy Thomson . In 1994, to commemorate the hall's 100th anniversary, the basement was completely refurbished to include Centuries,
3638-732: The United States . Its original release was scheduled in May, but because of the sudden demand of "Hoppípolla" it was pushed back from that date. Sigur Rós recorded three new songs to appear on the EP ("Refur", "Ó friður", and "Kafari"). In July 2006, Sigur Rós finished a major world tour with stops in Europe, the United States (where they played a headline show at the Hollywood Bowl ), Canada , Australia , New Zealand , Hong Kong and Japan . Upon return to their homeland, Sigur Rós provided
3745-454: The "strictness" of the band's avant-garde approach, and their musical characteristics of uncertainty and unevenness. Originally used to describe the electronica -tinged rock-adjacent indie music of English bands such as Stereolab , Laika , Disco Inferno , Moonshake , Seefeel , Bark Psychosis , and Pram , many of which began in post-punk and shoegaze roots, post-rock grew to denote further elaborations on this style. Bands from
3852-462: The 1940s, it now seats only up to 2,765. It has an extensive history of concerts by artists of many musical genres which continues today. Massey Hall was a gift to the people of Toronto from industrialist Hart Massey . Massey Hall was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on June 15, 1981. The hall closed in July 2018 for a two-year-long renovation including a new seven-storey addition and two smaller concert rooms. It re-opened in 2021. It
3959-440: The 2000s due to the use of many of their tracks, particularly their 2005 single " Hoppípolla ", in TV soundtracks and film trailers. These bands' popularity was attributed to a move towards a more conventional rock oriented sound with simpler song structures and increasing utilization of pop hooks, also being regarded as a new atmospheric style of indie rock. Following a 13-year hiatus, experimental rock band Swans began releasing
4066-472: The 2010s renovations. It had a unique two-storey oriel window. In 1933, the Massey Foundation undertook further renovations to the hall. The venue simplified its name to Massey Hall at this time. Further renovations occurred in the 1940s. Sister venue Roy Thomson Hall was known as New Massey Hall during the early planning stages. It was intended to replace Massey Hall as the primary venue for
4173-600: The Beatles , writer Christopher Porterfield hails the band and producer George Martin 's creative use of the recording studio, declaring that this is "leading an evolution in which the best of current post-rock sounds are becoming something that pop music has never been before an art form." Another pre-1994 example of the term in use can be found in an April 1992 review of 1990s noise-pop band The Earthmen by Steven Walker in Melbourne music publication Juke , where he describes
4280-537: The British TV Documentary Protecting Our Children as well as during a section of the London 2012 summer Olympics on the BBC. It can also be heard in the climactic scene of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on Netflix. "Untitled 4" from the album (also called "Njósnavélin") featured in the final scene of Vanilla Sky , and director Cameron Crowe commented, "We struggled to find an appropriate track to end
4387-461: The DJ ", aired on 29 December 2017. On 8 May 2018, the band released a new multimedia project called Liminal , which they described as an "endless mixtape" of ambient music which will be continuously added to over time. In addition, Jónsi, Somers, and frequent collaborator Paul Corley announced a series of "live soundbaths," where the music would be played in front of an audience. In September 2018, Orri
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4494-567: The EP were printed and sold during the spring tour of 2001. The EP was sold in a blank-white-paper case. In 2001 the band toured in Canada, performing at Massey Hall in Toronto in September. Drummer Ágúst left the band after the recording of Ágætis byrjun and was replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason . In 2002, their highly anticipated follow-up album ( ) was released. Upon release all tracks on
4601-552: The Kinks , Rush , Kraftwerk , Lenny Kravitz , Gordon Lightfoot , Yngwie Malmsteen , Golden Earring , Bob Marley and the Wailers , Nightwish , Joe Satriani , Seventeen , Ravi Shankar , Harry Styles , and Kiss . Lightfoot played the hall over 170 times in his career, the most of any artist, including both the last show in 2018 before it was closed for renovations and the first show after it reopened in 2021. Speakers at
4708-609: The Massey Hall Restoration began in 2013 and was completed in 2017. This 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m ) project consisted of the deconstruction of the adjacent Albert Building to prepare for the foundation of the new tower that was planned to be constructed in Phase Two. The second and primary phase of the renovation was a 124,000 sq ft (11,500 m ) project with a budget of up to CA$ 113 million, including contributions of CA$ 30 million from
4815-489: The Ontario and Canadian governments. The main aspects of the second phase included a full restoration of the interior and exterior elements and the construction of the new addition. The phase was completed in 2022. However, Massey Hall reopened for performances in November 2021. The renovation of the interior of Massey Hall incorporated upgrading the technology by implementing mechanized removable seating to provide space for
4922-496: The Senile Man (Part One) (1979) as "a door opening on multi-faceted post-rock music," citing its drawing on avant-garde, noise and jazz. This Heat are regarded as having predated the genre, while also being credited as an influence on bands in the first wave of post-rock. Their music has been compared directly to Slint , Swans and Stereolab . Stump were referred to as "a significant precursor to post-rock" due to
5029-570: The album booklet. In 2002, the band also wrote an original score for the Bodyscript dance production by Wayne McGregor Random Dance in collaboration with Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Arts Council England . In October 2003, Sigur Rós and Radiohead both composed music for Merce Cunningham 's dance piece Split Sides ; Sigur Rós's three tracks were released on the March 2004 EP Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do . Radiohead's contribution
5136-515: The album features in the score of the 2010 film 127 Hours , providing the euphoric backing to the climax of the movie. It is also featured at the end of HBO mini-series " 24/7 – Flyers-Rangers". The track "Untitled #7 (Dauðalagið)" was also featured in the launch trailer for Dead Space . In 2009, Jónsi embarked on a solo adventure with his first solo album Go , released the next year. On 28 May 2009, Sigur Rós announced that they had almost completed recording their latest album. The band said
5243-452: The album was taking form as a slower and more ambient record than both Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust and Takk... . The music was also described as melodic but much less noisy and more "out there" than previous albums. The unnamed album was expected to be released sometime in 2010. However, the band later revealed that the recordings had been scrapped. In a 2010 interview, Jónsi confirmed "We haven't got another album ready", he said. "It
5350-459: The album were untitled, though the band later published song names on their website. All of the lyrics on ( ) are sung in Vonlenska , also known as Hopelandic, a language without semantic meaning, which resembles the phonology of the Icelandic language. It has also been said that the listener is supposed to interpret their own meanings of the lyrics which can then be written in the blank pages in
5457-440: The associated scene of artists. The term has since developed to refer to bands oriented around dramatic and suspense-driven instrumental rock , making the term controversial among listeners and artists alike. The concept of "post-rock" was initially developed by critic Simon Reynolds , who used the term in his review of Bark Psychosis' album Hex , published in the March 1994 issue of Mojo magazine. Reynolds expanded upon
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#17327906977665564-475: The audience below from debris. The renovation allowed audiences to see the repaired detailed ceiling. The interior renewal also consisted of keeping the Hall’s original brass railings and new seats, which mimicked the originals. The renovation moreover, focused on re-establishing the 100 original stained-glass windows that had been concealed with plywood since the 1950s due to sound disturbances. The refurbishment of
5671-490: The authorities. The case was dismissed in October 2019 but this decision was later overruled by an appellate court. Three members were cleared, but the charges against Jónsi and his company Frakkur proceeded. On March 24, 2023, all charges were dismissed. In October 2020, the band announced that a new album, Odin's Raven Magic , an orchestral work that was debuted live in 2002, would be released on 4 December 2020. This album
5778-531: The band "they're so good, man!". Current members Touring musicians Former members Post-rock Post-rock is a subgenre of experimental rock characterized by the exploration of textures and timbres as well as non- rock styles, often with minimal or no vocals , placing less emphasis on conventional song structures or riffs than on atmosphere for musically evocative purposes. Post-rock artists can often combine rock instrumentation and rock stylings with electronics and digital production as
5885-492: The band playing live, the Icelandic nature shaping their music, along with interviews, where they tell the viewers what it was like to play at home in addition to sharing their overall experience of the tour. To promote their film Heima , the band scheduled a series of premiere screenings throughout the world, featuring a short acoustic set before the film and a question-and-answer session afterwards. Sigur Rós's fifth regular studio album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust ,
5992-422: The band terms Vonlenska . They have released eight studio albums, and attracted critical and commercial attention with their second album Ágætis byrjun . Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (guitar and vocals), Georg Hólm (bass) and Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson (drums) formed Sigur Rós in Reykjavík in January 1994. The band's name, which means "Victory Rose", is taken from the name of Jónsi's younger sister, Sigurrós, born
6099-748: The best of the band's catalog. Mr. Holm called it "introverted", while Mr. Birgisson said it was "floaty and minimal". "An ambient album" was how Mr. Dýrason described it, with "a slow takeoff toward something". For a visitor who heard a preliminary recording in which Mr. Birgisson's falsetto was surrounded by rich choral voices and what sounded like a pipe organ, the music was thrilling". Beginning in February 2012, Sigur Rós announced their live return with festival appearances at Bestival in England, Summer Sonic Festival in Japan, and other shows in Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Poland, and Italy. The band
6206-435: The complete album leaked out on the internet. On 10 May 2012, Sigur Rós's new track "Dauðalogn" was premiered on " The Departed ", the season 3 finale of The Vampire Diaries . It was rumored that an already-complete additional album would follow-up their sixth release, Valtari . However, the band has dismissed the rumor as a "fabrication". On 2 November 2012, Georg Hólm confirmed that the band had already started work on
6313-440: The completion of construction (after the 1904 Toronto Great Fire ), a pair of fire escape staircases were installed along the front face of the building. They were installed to deal with fire concerns of the building. These fire escapes (now removed) were considered an iconic part of Massey Hall's exterior. At some point in its renovation history, three of the windows at the front of the venue were converted into doors. The doors at
6420-575: The composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson on the soundtrack to The Show of Shows: 100 Years of Vaudeville, Circuses and Carnivals . This was released as an album, Circe – Music Composed for The Show of Shows , on the Krunk label in the UK on 28 August 2015. A reissue of the band's second album, Ágætis byrjun , was announced in early 2015. It was announced to feature previously unheard studio and live recordings as well as photographic and documentary material from their personal archives. On 31 January 2017 it
6527-524: The concert, the band released the 2013 EP The Road to Massey Hall , comprising covers of songs by other musicians who had played the hall in the past. In 2015, Canadian rock band Spirit of the West performed at Massey. The preparations for it are profiled in the 2016 documentary film Spirit Unforgettable . Toronto-born comedian, Russell Peters' April 2016 appearances at Massey Hall, were recorded for his Netflix stand-up special Almost Famous . For
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#17327906977666634-477: The early 1990s such as Slint or, earlier, Talk Talk , were later recognized as influential on post-rock. Despite the fact that the two bands are very different from one another, with Talk Talk emerging from art rock and new wave and Slint emerging from post-hardcore , they both have had a driving influence on the way post-rock progressed throughout the 1990s. Groups such as Tortoise, Cul de Sac , and Gastr del Sol , as well as more ambient-oriented bands from
6741-460: The few things spoken in English. The band released the first song from the album titled " Gobbledigook " for free on their website, along with a music video. On 8 June, the whole album was made available for free streaming on their website. In autumn 2008 Sigur Rós embarked on a world tour supporting their newly released album. The band played as a four-piece without Amiina and the brass band,
6848-465: The film with and then I went to see Sigur Rós perform in Los Angeles and they played this song, "Njósnavélin", that was just perfect. I had to have it." This track is also featured on Canadian TV series Orphan Black in episode 10 of season 3 . Their fourth album, Takk... employs the distinctive sound of their second album in a more rock oriented structure with greater use of the guitar, and
6955-437: The first post-rock group". Their second album Metal Box (1979) almost completely abandoned traditional rock and roll structures in favor of dense, repetitive dub and krautrock inspired soundscapes and John Lydon 's cryptic, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. The year before Metal Box was released, PiL bassist Jah Wobble declared that "rock is obsolete". Dean McFarlane of AllMusic describes Alternative TV 's Vibing Up
7062-540: The first time the band had played as a four-piece in seven years. The tour started on 17 September 2008 in the United States, at the United Palace Theater in New York City, and finished with a concert in Reykjavík at Laugardalshöll on 23 November 2008. The majority of the tour was European with the exception of concerts in the United States, Australia, Canada and Japan. The track "Festival" from
7169-406: The first wave of post-rock. Post-rock pieces can be lengthy and instrumental, containing repetitive build-ups of timbres , dynamics and textures. Vocals are often omitted from post-rock; however, this does not necessarily mean they are absent entirely. When vocals are included, the use is typically non-traditional: some post-rock bands employ vocals as purely instrumental efforts and incidental to
7276-401: The first wave. In the early 2000s, the term became divisive with both music critics and musicians, with it being seen as falling out of favor. It became increasingly controversial as more critics outwardly condemned its use. Some of the bands for whom the term was most frequently assigned, including Cul de Sac, Tortoise, and Mogwai, rejected the label. The wide range of styles covered by
7383-412: The front of the venue were painted red (from their earlier brown-gold colour), a giant neon sign was hung above the main entrance, and notice boards listing upcoming acts were revamped on either side of those doors. The Albert Building, at 15 Shuter Street, was added as a janitorial residence in 1917 and later converted as backstage space. It has since been demolished and replaced by a new addition during
7490-468: The hall have included William Booth , Winston Churchill , Helen Keller , Thomas Mann and the Dalai Lama . Comics have included Jerry Seinfeld and Russell Peters . In May 1953, Massey Hall was the location of a notable jazz concert put on by five of the genre's most prominent artists of the era: Charlie Parker , Dizzy Gillespie , Bud Powell , Charles Mingus , and Max Roach . The performance
7597-471: The hall to mark his sixtieth birthday. In 2013, the Corporation of Roy Thomson and Massey Hall announced the closing of the performance space at Massey Hall for a revitalization project. The then 119-year-old building would proceed to undergo a two-phase renovation to restore some of the building's historic elements and the construction of new spaces to improve the community-driven centre. Phase one of
7704-481: The idea later in the May 1994 issue of The Wire . Referring to the artists Seefeel , Disco Inferno , Techno Animal , Robert Hampson , and Insides , Reynolds used the term to describe music "using rock instrumentation for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures rather than riffs and power chords ". He further expounded on the term that [p]erhaps the really provocative area for future development lies [...] in cyborg rock; not
7811-462: The interior of the building while also ensuring the structural integrity of the building. The main idea was to make sure the Hall looked as if nothing had changed. This refurbishment procedure included the original wood, steel beams and restorers, repairing details, and making new plaster moulds of arch features if they were beyond repair. The ceiling had previously been covered in chicken wire to protect
7918-424: The krautrock of the 1970s, particularly borrowing elements of the " motorik ", the characteristic krautrock rhythm. Post-rock compositions can often make use of repetition of musical motifs and subtle changes with an extremely wide range of dynamics. In some respects, this is similar to the music of Steve Reich , Philip Glass and Brian Eno , pioneers of minimalism who were acknowledged influences on bands in
8025-446: The music and acts as another instrument." Often, in lieu of typical rock structures like the verse-chorus form , post-rock groups make greater use of soundscapes. Simon Reynolds states in his essay "Post-Rock" from Audio Culture that "A band's journey through rock to post-rock usually involves a trajectory from narrative lyrics to stream-of-consciousness to voice-as-texture to purely instrumental music". Reynolds' conclusion defines
8132-509: The music". Sigur Rós' music has been described as post-rock , and dream pop . Early influences for the band included British bands Spiritualized , the Verve , Ride , and Irish band My Bloody Valentine . The Scottish dream pop band Cocteau Twins was often cited as an influence on Birgisson early in his career; in fact he had not heard their music, but in an interview noted he was introduced to it subsequently by Alex Somers and remarked of
8239-404: The orchestral and string arrangements for their later work. International acclaim came with 1999's Ágætis byrjun . The album's reputation spread by word of mouth over the following two years. Soon critics worldwide were praising it effusively, and the band drew praise from high-profile acts such as Radiohead , Coldplay and David Bowie . Three songs, "Ágætis byrjun", " Svefn-g-englar ", and
8346-452: The original brick structure creating a connection between the new and the old. This state-of-the-art facility was designed and designated as a space for the community, artistic development and outreach initiatives. The two-phase restoration process of Massey Hall was led by Marianne McKenna of KPMB Architects and Christopher Borgal of GBCA Architects. KPMB mainly focused on the architecture and interior design aspects, while GBCA focused on
8453-444: The panes involved the fitting of noise defensive shades for the glass during concerts and performances. The renovation also facilitated the updating of Massey Hall to meet current Canadian accessibility standards. These updates included a Passerelle to connect the old Massey Hall to the addition and an elevator allowing individuals easy access to the upper levels. The grand stage was rebuilt and lifted to provide better visibility from
8560-425: The performances. Hawkins' band, The Hawks, or permutations of it, backed most, if not all, of the acts. All of the musicians performing that night were collectively dubbed "The Rock ‘N’ Roll Orchestra ." The May 2008 performance by Matthew Good at Massey was released as a live album, entitled Live at Massey Hall . In 2013, folk-rock band Whitehorse made their first appearance at the venue. In conjunction with
8667-637: The single grew. It was made more widely available by EMI in consequence. This song is also used in the trailer for the Disney movie Earth as well as in the 2011 film We Bought a Zoo . Whilst it does not appear on the film's soundtrack Album, it is also featured in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga . An extended Sæglópur EP was released in July 2006 in most parts of the world and in August in
8774-492: The sound, rather than a more traditional use where "clean", easily interpretable vocals are important for poetic and lyrical meaning. When present, post-rock vocals are often soft or droning and are typically infrequent or present in irregular intervals, and have abstract or impersonal lyrics. Sigur Rós , a band known for their distinctive vocals, fabricated a language they called "Hopelandic" ("Vonlenska" in Icelandic), which they described as "a form of gibberish vocals that fits to
8881-651: The sporadic progression from rock, with its field of sound and lyrics to post-rock, where samples are manipulated, stretched and looped. Wider experimentation and blending of other genres have taken hold in the post-rock scene. Cult of Luna , Isis , Russian Circles , Palms , Deftones , and Pelican fused metal with post-rock styles, with the resulting sound being termed post-metal . More recently, sludge metal has grown and evolved to include (and in some cases fuse completely with) some elements of post-rock. This second wave of sludge metal has been pioneered by bands such as Giant Squid and Battle of Mice . This new sound
8988-783: The stage of Massey Hall. The hall was also a prominent location for political speeches before the development of television. Until 1984, the primary performer at the hall was the Toronto Symphony Orchestra , along with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir . Operatic singers have included Montserrat Caballe , Maria Callas , Enrico Caruso , Luciano Pavarotti and Vladimir Rosing . Classical musicians have included George Gershwin , Glenn Gould , Vladimir Horowitz , Oscar Peterson and Arturo Toscanini . Popular musicians and singers have included Joni Mitchell , Tears for Fears , Justin Bieber , Cream , Bob Dylan , Billy Joel ,
9095-419: The substyle of ambient pop . Artists such as Talk Talk and Slint were credited with producing foundational works in the style in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The term "post-rock" was notably employed by journalist Simon Reynolds in a review of Bark Psychosis ' 1994 album Hex . With the release of Tortoise 's 1996 album Millions Now Living Will Never Die , post-rock became an accepted term for
9202-480: The term include its employment in a 1975 article by American journalist James Wolcott about musician Todd Rundgren , although with a different meaning. It was also used in the Rolling Stone Album Guide to name a style roughly corresponding to " avant-rock " or "out-rock". The earliest use of the term cited by Reynolds dates back as far as September 1967. In a Time cover story feature on
9309-562: The term not to be of his own coinage, writing in his blog "I discovered many years later it had been floating around for over a decade." In 2021, Reynolds reflected on the evolution of the style, saying that the term had developed in meaning during the 21st century, no longer referring to "left-field UK guitar groups engaged in a gradual process of abandoning songs [and exploring] texture, effects processing, and space," but instead coming to signify "epic and dramatic instrumental rock, not nearly as post- as it likes to think it is." Earlier uses of
9416-473: The term, they and others have claimed, robbed it of its individuality. As part of the second wave of post-rock, Explosions in the Sky , 65daysofstatic , This Will Destroy You , Do Make Say Think, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Mono became some of the more popular post-rock bands of the new millennium. Sigur Rós, with the release of Ágætis byrjun in 1999, became among the most well known post-rock bands of
9523-449: The upper gallery seats. The restoration additionally re-established new backstage artist and performer accommodations. The construction of the new southern seven-story glass addition, named the Allied Music Centre, was designed to accommodate more support spaces for the hall. Accessible through the outdoor passerelles, the addition contains rehearsal spaces, a performance studio, a lounge, new washrooms, dressing rooms for performers, and
9630-477: The venue in 1977 and 1978, followed by a solo performance by Kim Mitchell , formerly of Max Webster, in 1984. On January 8, 1995, Ronnie Hawkins celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert at Massey, which was documented on the album Let It Rock . The concert featured performances by Hawkins, Carl Perkins , Jerry Lee Lewis , the Band and Larry Gowan . Jeff Healey sat in on guitar for most, if not all, of
9737-454: The wholehearted embrace of Techno 's methodology, but some kind of interface between real time, hands-on playing and the use of digital effects and enhancement. Reynolds, in a July 2005 entry in his blog, said that he had used the concept of "post-rock" before using it in Mojo , previously referring to it in a feature on Insides for music newspaper Melody Maker . He also said he later found
9844-528: The width of the interior hall. This interior was inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Spain as well as Louis Sullivan's Chicago Auditorium . The exterior is Palladian architecture while the interior is Moorish Revival architecture . The exterior neoclassical facade was a preference voiced from Lillian , Hart Massey's daughter. Around the top of the hall are thirty stained glass windows, each depicting
9951-406: Was accused of sexual assault by artist Meagan Boyd. On 1 October 2018, he announced that he had decided to leave the band "in light of the scale of this matter". In March 2019, Sigur Rós were charged with tax evasion , accused of having submitted incorrect tax returns from 2011 to 2014, evading 151m Icelandic krona. The band members blamed their former accountant and said they were co-operating with
10058-424: Was also added to Montréal 's Osheaga 2012 lineup, and the 2012 Lollapalooza lineup. After a four-year hiatus, an interview with the band in the March 2012 issue of Q magazine confirmed the completion of a new album, titled Valtari , scheduling its release on 28 May 2012. On 26 March 2012, the band released the first official single from the album, " Ekki múkk ." On 14 April 2012, a lower quality version of
10165-629: Was announced that the band would be touring later in 2017, playing concerts in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. The band, in collaboration with Alex Somers , produced two instrumental pieces, "End" and "Match", for the Black Mirror season four episode " Hang
10272-412: Was created, an additional bar in the balcony lounge was added. In 2013, Massey Hall began a long-awaited major renovation, which included the demolition of the Albert Building and preparing the rear space for construction activities. In July 2018, Massey Hall announced phase two of the renovation, entitled "Massey Hall Forever," which included extensive exterior and interior renovations, expanded stage,
10379-635: Was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on June 15, 1981. The primary use of the hall has been for musical performances, but the hall has been used for many types of events, including public memorials, speaking tours, and boxing, among others. Many dignitaries have attended the hall since its inauguration. In 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George V and his wife Queen Mary ) visited with Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier . Many prominent choirs, comedians, musicians, musical groups, singers and speakers have appeared on
10486-508: Was just a rumour. We started to record something, but then we chucked it all away. So I think we are going to have to start it all again". Without further word on the new album, Sigur Rós were rumoured to be on indefinite hiatus as of January 2010. However, before taking the stage at Coachella in April 2010, Jónsi commented that Sigur Rós would be getting back to work that year: "I'm gonna record some other stuff with Sigur Rós when I'm home", between
10593-415: Was marked, by the band, with a new tour, as well as an interactive musical experience, where fans could live stream a concert, taking control of the camera. The band later performed at the iTunes Festival , on 2 September 2013, where selected portions of their concert were later released on 21 October. The band provided original music and a rendition of " The Simpsons Theme ", as well as a brief cameo, for
10700-452: Was not commercially released. Sigur Rós' 1997 debut album Von found a US and UK release in October 2004. "Untitled 3" (a.k.a. Samskeyti) from the album is used on the video 6AM by film maker Carmen Vidal, winner of the 2006 Student Academy Award. "Untitled 3" is also used at the end credits of the indie drama movie, Mysterious Skin . It can also be heard in Skins and CSI: Miami and
10807-458: Was recorded and released as Jazz at Massey Hall . Neil Young 's performance on January 19, 1971, was recorded and later released as a live album, entitled Live at Massey Hall 1971 . Young has since performed several times at Massey Hall. In June 1976, Rush recorded the live album All the World's a Stage here. Max Webster , a Toronto band, opened for Rush and would later headline at
10914-770: Was recorded at Sundlaugin Studio , on the rural outskirts of Reykjavík. Vonlenska (English: Hopelandic ) is a term coined by the band to refer to the vocalizations that Jónsi sings on ( ) in lieu of lyrics in Icelandic . It takes its name from "Von", a song on Sigur Rós's debut album Von where it was first used. However, not all Sigur Rós songs are in Vonlenska; many are sung in Icelandic. Vonlenska differs from both natural and constructed languages used for human communication. It consists of strings of meaningless syllables containing non-lexical vocables and phonemes . There
11021-502: Was released in June 2008 to generally positive reviews. Stylistically different from their earlier releases, it featured fewer strings and more guitar, and had more pop-oriented songs, making it "the group's most accessible effort" while maintaining the "majestic beauty that defines the band's music." The final track "All Alright" is the band's first to be sung in English, though all the other lyrics are in Icelandic. The band were announced as
11128-408: Was released in September 2005. " Hoppípolla ", the second official single from Takk... , was released in November alongside a new studio remake of "Hafsól", a song that was previously released on the band's 1997 debut, Von . "Hoppípolla" was used in the trailers for the BBC's natural history series Planet Earth in 2006, as well as the closing credits for the 2006 FA Cup final , ITV 's coverage of
11235-453: Was released on 14 June (releasing two days earlier in Japan, and four days later in the US) and marked both a musical and thematic change for the band, providing a more aggressive sound, compared to their previous albums. The album was well received by critics, scoring 80 on Metacritic, with several reviewers praising for the band's new musical approach, as well as a lack of commercialism. The release
11342-406: Was released on 5 November (6 November in the U.S.), a double compilation album containing studio versions of previously unreleased songs — "Salka", "Hljómalind" (formerly known as "Rokklagið"), "Í Gær" and "Von" on Hvarf , and acoustic studio versions of the songs: "Samskeyti", "Starálfur", "Vaka", "Ágætis Byrjun", "Heysátan" and "Von", on Heim . On the same day (20 November in the U.S.) Heima ,
11449-513: Was the home of a variety of post-rock associated performers. John McEntire of Tortoise and Jim O'Rourke of Brise-Glace , both of Gastr Del Sol, were important for many of these groups, with them both also producing multiple albums by Stereolab in the 1990s and 2000s. One of the most eminent post-rock locales is Montreal, where Godspeed You! Black Emperor and related groups, including Silver Mt. Zion and Fly Pan Am , recorded on Constellation Records ; these groups are generally characterized by
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