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When Ásgeir made his Australian debut earlier in the year, Australian music fans lost their shit. When he took to the triple j studios for the popular 'Like a Version' series, they lost it all over again. For the 22 year old from Iceland who had come over with In the Silence blowing up with music fans, it was the perfect introduction to a country that had always been so far out of reach, quite literally. Returning for the Falls Festivals and Southbound over New Year's, as well as some special headline shows, Ásgeir's excitement is almost tangible.
"We cannot wait to get back there." he enthuses. "Everybody is excited about it over there [Australia] too, so there was no question that we needed to go back there. When we got there the first time, it was my first time and the first time for everybody – everybody fell in love with the country. We really wanted to go back."
Not only does Ásgeir and his band get to return to what will surely be some warm receptions, they're going to be playing a special show at the iconic Sydney Opera House. For Ásgeir, these are shows that have been on his bucket list for years now.
"Since I heard that [the Opera House show] it was an idea and since I heard it was confirmed, I’ve been excited." he says. "It’s the venue that stood out the most. We’re introduced, when we’re growing up, to some beautiful buildings, venues and music halls, when we’re in school and the Sydney Opera House always stood out. It’s definitely a big dream come true when I heard we were going to play there. It’s unbelievable and it still is. Because we had sold out the first show, we’re going to do a second show there and I’m overwhelmed by it, but at the same time, I think it’s going to be great. It’ll be something special there."
Reflecting on his debut Australian shows, Ásgeir's the first to admit the overwhelming nature of it all. Speaking with a friendly, yet timid, accented tone, the musician comments on the rapidly growing capacity of his live shows at that time and contrasts it with the set up he's currently been taking worldwide.
"It was our first time there and we had these two big headline shows," he remembers. "Two of the biggest shows we’d ever done anywhere in the world. It was ridiculous. We flew all across the world, from Iceland to Australia, to do our biggest headline shows! It’s become one of my favourite trips. I’m pretty nervous about it as well and everyone is, because I don’t think we have any experience with that much heat that is going to be there in December! I think 35 [degrees] is the most I’ve had, but I’ve heard it could go up to possibly 40 to 45 at some point? It’s going to be deadly!"
"The tours we’ve been doing have been one month on the road and then we go back home for a week or two. In between we always try to practice in the studio. We’re always trying to go somewhere with it and do something more. I always think I can be doing something more than I am doing and I guess, this is my only experience. Although we’ve done 300 shows, this is my only experience. I was in bands when I was growing up, but I was never playing regularly in venues and I was never playing my music in front of people and I was never singing when I was growing up. I still find it new and I always want to better myself as I can."
Having all this success and attention turned on him over a relatively short period of time, Ásgeir note that it had been hard to retain a full grasp on the environment he had found himself in as a performer and songwriter. With over 300 live shows now under his belt, he notes the construction and development of his live shows in recent times and how it's changed him as a creative.
"I thought I was the opposite of being a perfectionist in every way," he admits. "But after going through and playing like, 300 concerts and the same songs every night, after every show I’m always having a good chat with the people in my band and the manager about what could be better. What was good and how we could perfect it. I’m always thinking of ways we could make the show better and I always am thinking of ways we can change some things in the live show to make it better. I also try to keep it enjoyable; you don’t want to just be going onstage just to finish. You want to be bringing something new and something special, you know? I think it does happen with every musician at some point and it has happened to me over the past couple of hundred shows we’ve been doing. It’s not a good feeling, so it’s about trying to find new ways always!"
"Sometimes I get tired of it,"Ásgeir admits. "Not in the sense of getting tired of playing the songs, but it’s more that I really want to be able to focus on the next album and start making new songs. I want to get into that mindset. I find it hard both together and I’ve been trying to put them together, I’ve been touring and trying to write on the road and it doesn’t really work for me. When I go home, I don’t really have much time to do what I want, because I have family there and I have a girlfriend. We try to make up time when I’m there! It has been difficult, but right now, I’m much more looking forward to the future than I was a few months back. Sometimes I just didn’t really feel like I was in the right space, I didn’t really feel like this was my place. It all happened so fast. I mean, it was my decision, but it all went out of my hands at some point. Now, I’m really looking forward to the future and I know that I want to do this for as long as I can."
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ASGEIR AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
December 30th - Falls Festival LORNE
December 31st - Falls Festival MARION BAY
January 1st - Falls Festival BYRON BAY
January 3rd - Southbound Festival PERTH
January 7th - Sydney Opera House, Sydney
January 9th - The Forum, Melbourne
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