“We were told the more north we go, the more like Iceland the gigs would be – so we keep on expecting a lot of drunken farmers to come in”
I’ve been wanting to see Hafdis Huld for ages – I can’t remember now how I first came across ‘Tomoko’ but on hearing it, I instantly bought the 7″ and then the CDs ‘Dirty Paper Cup’ and ‘Synchronised Swimmers’ (limited edition No.742 no less). Hafdis explained that she wrote Synchronised Swimmers to entice her now (English) husband to stay in Iceland “Where it’s winter for 8 months a year….still, it worked!”
Tonight there was old and new material with her husband Alisdair playing beautifully on guitar. The new CD is called ‘Dare to Dream Small’ – “….and there was all this social media telling me to do better things…I’d just made a human being – what’s better than that….and are you trying this diet…No! I eat cheescake…I don’t want to dream big – I want to dream small…” She’s a fantastic orator and the chat between songs was hillarious (and lasts about twice as long as the songs).
Talking through ideas with her mum for a video about dancing, she was told about someone who used to live in a remote part of Iceland who could only be reached by boat or over a glacier – so on Fridays she would start the 6 hour walk over the glacier to meet up with other youngsters to have a dance – her dad would walk her half the way and her pals would meet her for the rest of the journey – dedication or what! ‘Vampires’ is about how they’re always touring and getting in late and sleeping during the day….songs about the dog, getting her belly button pierced, ski jumpers…..all done with a charm that had you smiling all night – a real treat! I really REALLY want to go to Iceland now….
Bob the Chiropodist