I recently attended the Los Angeles concert of Icelandic post-rock legends Sigur Rós, who had embarked on the final North American leg of their groundbreaking orchestral tour. Experiencing their performance with a full orchestra felt like witnessing the culmination of an extraordinary chapter in their live legacy. This November, the band returned to concert halls across the U.S. and Canada, presenting music from their acclaimed 2023 album ÁTTA alongside beloved classics from their catalog. As this run marked the close of their years-long orchestral era, the show offered an unforgettable farewell defined by emotional depth, sonic grandeur, and transcendent musical expression.
The tour announcement had arrived alongside the release of a breathtaking new live rendition of “Andvari”, recorded with the Elja Ensemble at Harpa in Reykjavík in December 2024. This orchestral version—accompanied by a visualizer—set the tone for a major year of celebration around Takk, the band’s iconic 2005 album, which marked its 20th anniversary. Throughout 2025, limited-edition physical releases, digital reissues, and commemorative surprises honored this milestone for the band and their devoted global fanbase.
Watch the tour trailer HERE
Critical Acclaim for ÁTTA and the Orchestral Era
Sigur Rós’ eighth studio album, ÁTTA, ushered in one of the most artistically rich periods in the band’s history, receiving widespread acclaim and cementing their orchestral evolution.
The Wall Street Journal praised its sweeping beauty as “a hypnotic blend of sounds—including a full orchestra—that reaches bold new heights.” NPR described the record as “majestic and intimate at the same time,” spotlighting its dramatic swells of strings, keys, and Jónsi’s unmistakable vocals.
Pitchfork highlighted Jónsi’s commanding presence, noting how his voice “rose triumphantly alongside even the loudest orchestral blares, performing like a first-chair soloist.” Critics from the Dallas Observer and Glide Magazine celebrated the profound emotional force of the live shows, describing them as spiritually rejuvenating experiences that left audiences in awe.
This chapter began in 2022 when the band reunited with longtime member Kjartan Sveinsson and transformed their touring approach by performing entirely with orchestral ensembles. Across Europe and North America—often backed by the Wordless Music Orchestra—the concerts were regarded as rare, near-otherworldly encounters with one of the most evocative bands of the modern era.
Honoring Legacy and Innovation
The final announced dates spanned major cities across the western U.S. and Canada, bringing together ethereal soundscapes, soaring arrangements, and deeply emotional storytelling. Led by conductor Robert Ames, each performance showcased the atmospheric elegance of ÁTTA and the timeless beauty of Sigur Rós’ classics in their most expansive form.
The setlists honored music from across their discography, including selections from Takk…, whose 20th anniversary made this tour especially meaningful. The orchestral version of “Andvari” offered a preview of the emotional richness that defined each performance this fall.
A Continuing Creative Renaissance
This final orchestral tour arrived at the height of a creative renaissance for the band. Recent years saw them revisit archival treasures, including Odin’s Raven Magic (released in 2020) and a 20th-anniversary reissue of a landmark album in 2022.
ÁTTA, their first album of new material in nearly a decade, marked a powerful return, shaped in part by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Its themes of vulnerability, connection, and hope resonated deeply with audiences in an increasingly complex world.
Over their career, Sigur Rós have sold nearly ten million albums worldwide, earning a reputation as one of the most visionary and emotionally stirring bands of their generation. Their unique sonic identity—marked by expansive orchestration, sweeping crescendos, and Jónsi’s ethereal vocals sung in Icelandic and the invented language Hopelandic—has carved out a place in music unlike any other.
Watch “Andvari” Visualizer HERE
A Farewell to a Majestic Touring Era
With the conclusion of their orchestral run, this final North American tour stood as both a celebration and a culmination. It offered a rare opportunity for longtime fans and new listeners to experience Sigur Rós’ music in its most powerful form—performed with full orchestras in breathtaking concert halls, where every note unfolded like a cinematic revelation.
Sigur Rós closed this chapter with grace, beauty, and artistic boldness, leaving audiences with a final wave of orchestral magic before moving toward their next creative era.
Sun – Nov 2 Jacobs Music Center, San Diego, CA, USA
Tue – Nov 4 Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Fri – Nov 7 Mission Ballroom, Denver, CO, USA
Mon – Nov 10 Winspear Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada
(with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra)
Wed – Nov 12 Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Fri – Nov 14 Theater of the Clouds, Portland, OR, USA
Sun – Nov 16 Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA, USA
Mon – Nov 17 Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA, USA
Wed – Nov 19 Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Thu – Nov 20 Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, USA
For more information, updates, and ticket links, fans can visit the band’s official channels on Instagram, Facebook, or their website.