Emilíana Torrini @ A38

In an autumn of raucous sold out gigs, there was something positively soothing in the subdued atmoshpere of Emilíana Torrini’s concert. The crowd was a bit slow to gather and only really filled out the ship’s hold during the first song, but even so, there was always plenty of space to move and breathe, both physically, but mentally as well. Come to think of it, Iceland has quite an impressive number of internationally acclaimed acts and they all sound very similar- not necessary the same, but there is a general feeling of space in their music, from the giant endless space with possible erupting volcanoes of Sigur Rós to the quiet space in your backyard of Emilíana- though she probably does have a far vaster backyard than any of us in and around Budapest.

The only drawback of music that gives you space is that, if your mind is just a bit hyperactive, even when it slows down it will still find so many little useless items to cling on to. In no particular order: Emilíana always sings with her eyes closed. Or almost always so let me try and get a shot when...nope, not this time either. But her shoes, oh her shoes are amazing, best shoes to grace the A38 stage in a long while. Or maybe ever. Such lovely shoes. And the girl from the opening act (Naked Woods it was), her tattoo is not bad either. Emilíana’s band, they seem to be English speakers, but the guy at the keyboards looks like a Viking, is he a Viking?!

I can only hope and presume that wandering through an Icelandic landscape of dried lava fields stretching to the horizon, there won’t be much to invade your mind and that’s where music that gives you space functions best. Unless Emilíana comes with those shoes.