Sigur Ros: Icelandic legends bring their unique sound to the UK this September

Over the course of two decades in music Icelandic icons Sigur Ros have gone from being underground heroes to one of the world's most famous bands. Known for frontman Jónsi's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar the trio will be bringing their classical and minimalist sound back to the UK this September. 

Widely regarded as one of the most entertaining live bands in the world, the trio have promised to treat crowds to a set of classics and new material during the UK leg of their An Evening with Sigur Ros world tour. What's more, having opted to play without a support band for the first time in their careers, the band have confirmed that they will play two sets (either side of an interval) – meaning fans will get even more Sigur Ros for their buck this autumn. 

The lads will play eight UK shows in September: three at the O2 Apollo in Manchester; three at London's Eventim Apollo; and two at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. Don't miss out on your chance to see this ethereal threesome perform live – buy Sigur Ros tickets at StubHub today.

Sigur Ros: the story behind Volenska

Coming together in 1994, these mad scientists of experimental rock and dream pop named themselves after frontman Jonsi's younger sister; who was born on the same day as their formation. After scoring a record deal, the band's debut album quickly gained popularity throughout Iceland before 1999's Ágætis byrjun brought critical acclaim. Their new-found fame saw them drafted in to support experimental music icons Radiohead on tour and soon the group were staple film soundtrack material, being used on Vanilla Sky and Emmy-winning The Girl in the Café.

Along with their uplifting and orchestral melodies, Sigur Ros are perhaps even more famous for "Vonlenska": a constructed language of melodic and rhythmic sounds used as lyrics in many of their songs. The name was first coined by the band to refer to the vocalizations that Jónsi sings throughout 2002 album ( ) instead of lyrics in Icelandic or English. It takes its name from "Von", a song on Sigur Ros’s debut album of the same name where it was first used.

There is no grammatical relation between or among syllables, nor are they accompanied by clearly defined word boundaries, with the band's website describing it as "a form of gibberish vocals that fits to the music". However, not all Sigur Ros songs are in Vonlenska; many are sung in Icelandic (not that many British fans could tell the difference!)

Similar artists to Sigur Ros

Indulge your experimental side with a little help from StubHub. After buying Sigur Ros tickets, check out some of the other boundary-bending acts on the circuit including The National and Elbow.