Sigur Rós played at the Náttúra concert in Reykjavik, Iceland last Saturday, which was attended by 30,000 people (a tenth of the Icelandic population).
The concert was organised to protest against the Icelandic government's programme of dam-building in the south-west of the country. Although the dams are built to generate hydro-electricity, this is used to fuel environmentally damaging aluminium smelters owned by foreign corporations. The issue was brought to the popular attention after the publication of Andri Snær Magnason's bestselling Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation, which is highly critical of the government's actions.
Sigur Rós, as well as fellow perfomer Björk, received enthusiastic praise from the United Nations for their performances. UN spokesperson Arni Snaevarr punned: "They [Björk and Sigur Rós] are now F.U.N. ... Friends of the United Nations. We believe that we have to act locally and think globally and that is exactly what our Icelandic friends are doing."
In relation to this Kjartan talks about why it is important to preserve Iceland's natural beauty, how the effect of global warming is particularly noticeable and the difficulty in staying green while touring.
The new Sigur Rós album, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust, is out now
