CHICAGO | Jana Simovic
In September of this year the traveling event “Taste of Iceland” found itself in Chicago on the weekend of the 7th, with innovative bands GROA and JFDR playing a free show at Martyrs’ in the North Center neighborhood.
Inside what seems like a normal dive bar — string lights decorating open spaces and banisters, characteristic images of those who have frequented the space line the walls — the words “Icelandic post-punk girl group” are ringing among the audience in anticipation of hearing girl group GROA take the stage, imagining a show that will be loud and hard… it’s exactly what they get, and more.
A two-foot stage stands at the head of an open floor, giving audiences a great and intimate setting for experiencing live music, while its peripheries are lined with tables dispersed throughout the bar. As a live DJ spins Icelandic in between set changes, the audience itself is composed — from my “expert” guess — of attendees over the age of 30, most of whose outfits are decorated with the likes of leather jewelry and micro-bangs, giving the impression that if asked, they could talk about a similar venue they frequented in their youth.
As GROA — whose name is synonymous with a witch from old Norse mythology — is setting up, Fríða Björg Pétursdóttir, the band’s bass player, makes sure that her cords are long enough for her to stand in the pit, immediately signaling that the band’s stage presence is going to be key in their show.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Pétursdóttir starts strumming in the pit as the band’s saxophonist joins in tandem while standing on a chair. The band’s lead singer, Karólína Einarsdóttir, comes in from the left side of the stage just as quickly taking her place in front of a synth, dressed in an outfit made up of eye-catching makeup, a fluffy tulle dress and sneakers.
GROA’s lyrics find that perfect cutting catch within a rhythm that can make anyone bump their head, whether or not they speak Icelandic or even like punk adjacent music. Although the quartet is young, they play incredibly hard, and fast and don’t stand in one place during their set; interacting with the audience and stage in a way that can often get lost in loud music acts.
Additionally, the “typical” four-chords that punk fans are all too familiar with aren’t central in GROA’s discography; songs that don’t have a saxophone have two drummers, and when one drummer is enough, the saxophonist sings with the bassist, creating a perfectly fun and palpable energy in the room.
The band’s drummer, Hrafnhildur Einarsdóttir, leads many of the songs, hitting beats so hard and fast it gives you that head spin that can only be cured by slamming into the people next to you in the pit. Speaking of the pit, the audience’s unmatched energy is a little disappointing, with most of the set consisting of people bobbing their heads, only finally letting loose and fully skanking during the band’s final two songs.
All three members (except Pétursdóttir, the bassist) play on drums for the beginning of one song which suddenly changes from an incredibly melodic beat to one splattered with perfectly sounding blast beats; going into a few chords that seem like something one might hear from in a classic Saccharine Trust tune. The presence of their unique sound is quickly remedied with the use of a shaker and Einarsdóttir’s voice that elongates syllables at the perfect moment, which at one point becomes one of those songs where every person in the band is screaming into the mic to form an eerily beautiful melody.
Not all of their songs are heavy hitters though, with complex melodies and catchy riffs indicating that they aren’t just a punk band, as they masterfully incorporate post-punk and dance elements into their songs, like suddenly including a funky rhythmic bass line that nicely pairs with Einarsdóttir’s soft yet firm voice.
As their last song of the night is announced, GROA thanks the crowd stating that they will be going to give their all for their last song; an energy that is finally matched throughout the whole room, with the band bringing memorable guitar and bass licks that serve as perfect co-pilots to fast drum grooves, giving the audience an authentic “taste” of Iceland.
