Right at the back of the new "Most Contagious 2007" report from the guys at Contagious Magazine (it’s worth a read if you haven’t seen it and you can download it here), in the "Ones to Watch" section, is a great example of a band (brand) looking after it’s core audience whilst reaching out to new potential advocates.
Icelandic band Sigur Ros toured the world for more than a year to promote their iconic ‘Takk‘ album. When they returned to Iceland, they undertook a series of concerts around their homeland. The concerts combined some of the biggest and smallest of their career. They played the biggest gig in the country’s history at the band’s Reykjavik homecoming, but they also played in far-flung community halls, a deserted fish factory, outsider art follies and darkened caves. They were all entirely free. So they had audiences comprised young and old, and ranging from ardent fans to the vaguely curious. They were also largely unannounced, relying purely on word of mouth.
Heima (or ‘homeland’ in Icelandic) is the film of that tour, filmed by an icelandic crew and featuring material from all four of the band’s albums. I just love the way in which they’ve done this. Sending a strong message about the importance of their homeland in influencing their music. Rewarding their loyal fans whilst reaching out to a whole new audience. Contagious describe it as "one of the most beautiful and heartwarming stories of the last year."
Links:
Heima website
Film trailer
Photoblog
The Heima DVD
Sigur Ros website
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