Hackney may be full of beardy people who look like Norwegian fishermen, but here’s a more authentic taste of hip Nordic culture: the second year of a London festival devoted to the music and food of Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and the Faroe Islands.
Ja Ja Ja Festival launched at the Roundhouse last year. For 2014 it’s been expanded to a three-dayer at two new venues. For two club shows on Thursday and Friday night, the organisers have promised to turn Pentonville’s indie boozer The Lexington into a ‘Nordic idyll’. Musical delights include Danish electropopper Asbjørn and Icelandic psych-surf rockers Fufanu, and you can also tuck into cockle-warming Nordic food and booze from Fika, Nøgne and Einstök.
But don’t go too crazy on the akvavit, or you’ll sleep right through Saturday’s Ja Ja Ja all-dayer at Queen Mary University of London. The Nordic countries seem to pump out kooky electro-pop singers at the same rate as pickled herring, and Iceland’s Emilíana Torrini is well worth the trip to Mile End. She shares the bill with When Saints Go Machine (Wild Beasts fans will love ’em) and euphoric Norwegians Highasakite. Just say ‘ja!’.
Click here to get 33% off tickets to the Ja Ja Ja Festival Saturday all-dayer