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Preview Wed Jan 26 2011
Escape with Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds is a 24-year old multi-instrumentalist whose piano-based compositions weld electronic and classical music. The Icelandic performer had previously been in little-known hardcore bands, but it's his solo output that has garnered the most attention. His most recent album, ... and they have escaped the weight of darkness, adds strings and more influence from pop music than he's let in before, but where his music really excels is in its crescendos. Many songs begin with simple piano and slowly work in strings, percussion, guitars and effects/programming to the point where it's eventually a melodic cacophony.
2011 is shaping up to be a big year for Arnalds, most notably because of three film scores, including for the much-discussed Another Happy Day that premiered at Sundance this past Sunday. On this tour, Arnalds' performances will be assisted by a light and visual show as he grinds out music from all phases of his solo career. (Sorry to anyone expecting hardcore.)
Ólafur Arnalds has two shows in Chicago on Sunday. At 3pm, he'll play at the Chicago Cultural Center as part of their Sunday Salon series. Admission is free. At 7:30pm, he'll play at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Admission is $10 for students, $13 for members and $15 for everyone else. Chicagoan Paul Giallorenzo opens at the MCA. Both shows are open to all ages. The Chicago Cultural Center is at 78 E. Washington. The MCA is at 220 E. Chicago.
