SHOW REVIEW: Ásgeir @ the Teragram Ballroom

In my experience, no concert in Los Angeles has ever begun on time, but Ásgeir showed up on stage (early, even) and promptly started his set at 9pm on Tuesday, March 10th at the Teragram Ballroom. As my friend Dani and I stuffed the remaining fries into our mouths in the cafe next door, the booming chords of “Lazy Giants” echoed into the halls. 

I opened the double doors to find Ásgeir seated in the center of the stage at his synth and keyboard, wearing a denim button-down with cuffed sleeves and looking very much like a craftsman at his workbench. Flanked by the rest of his band, Ásgeir never drew his eyes far from the keys for the rest of the concert, only making the necessary eye contact when he thanked the audience in his soft, but surprisingly thick Icelandic accent (hardly noticeable when he sings). In the far left corner, the drummer was decked out in a fedora and Hawaiian shirt, simultaneously looking very out of place and also the most animated figure on the stage.

Several of Ásgeir’s songs are reminiscent of Bon Iver and even James Blake, but it is his lilting, Nordic folk vocals that distinguish Ásgeir from any other English-speaking folk pop singers. Despite his mild manner and only a brief crease in the eyes upon applause, Ásgeir sings with a power and control over his voice that is rare among artists who also play instruments and mix their music live. The only song he performed acoustically, “Myndir” (Icelandic for “Pictures”) was a breath of fresh air for the audience from the otherwise heavy layering of the setlist. 

Among the crowd, I spotted a wide range of age groups, from senior citizens up close bathing in the blue lights with the band, to young couples barely out of high school swaying in the back. It certainly was an odd room of spectators, but perhaps it spoke to the intergenerational and international appeal of Ásgeir. After all, most artists have a fairly predictable target audience and turnout at their concerts. Maybe it was merely my sense of impending doom due to USC’s “quarantine” through April, or maybe it was how small one can feel in a room filled up with sound; I spent the majority of the concert vibing upright in a mindset that is usually spent flat on one’s back. 

After the last hurrah, “Bury the Moon,” Ásgeir sent us off with a clasp of his hands and small, hurried bows of thanks with his band. For whatever reason, he saved his most chaotic and interesting songs for last, and I stepped out with a minor headache from the Teragram sound production that is always much too loud for its small space. Feeling troubled but also a bit enlightened, I wondered how the rest of his North American tour would be affected by COVID-19, and returned to USC, not regretting having spent what was left of my free time in public areas in appreciation of music.

- Claire Bai, Program Director