Ásgeir’s personal and intimate performance in Glasgow’s Room 2: A subtle yet alive listening experience

Room 2, Glasgow, 17 April 2026

With his new album, Julia, Ásgeir takes the lyricism into his own hands, covering themes of growing up and the loss of youth. Each song takes the listener through a different aspect of life, sometimes with notes of optimism and other times with melancholy. This very personal thematic focus is served with a mellow folk-pop sound, carrying the emotive themes forward with a nostalgic feel.

The opening act of the gig is Bríet, another Icelandic pop singer who comes on stage alone, yet carries a very welcoming presence. She sings with great vocals on songs about her personal experiences and relationships. Throughout her act, she cracks jokes, making the crowd laugh and making them feel comfortable with the concert atmosphere. Here, the relationship between Bríet and the crowd feels friendly, and the intimate feeling of the gig begins.

You can’t help but sway side to side to the beautiful melodies of Ásgeir’s music

As Ásgeir comes on stage, he has a very casual presence; he doesn’t introduce himself, nor the songs he is about to play. Nonetheless, he starts off by playing some of his earlier songs and slowly transitions into tracks from Julia. In the first half of the set, he performs songs like ‘Sugar Clouds’, backed up by blue lighting throughout. The colours and the melody blend beautifully, creating a hazy atmosphere for the audience. While listening live, you can’t help but sway side to side to the beautiful melodies of Ásgeir’s music.

In between tracks, there are many instrument changes, often shifting from a pedal steel guitar with a folk sound, to a bass line and electric guitar, with a pop sound. These binaries blend very well, encapsulating the emotional complexities of Ásgeir’s discography.

As he moves between tracks, shifting back and forth between ones in Icelandic and English, there is a multilingual presence. Although it is surprising to the artist at first, there is a strong Icelandic presence in the crowd. Throughout the gig, conversations in Icelandic between the crowd and the musicians on stage create a homey feel – almost like a cultural reunion in the heart of Glasgow. The gig is not only a music experience but also a cultural one. Ásgeir, being one of the most popular Icelandic artists worldwide, has created a community which has travelled worldwide. Even if you aren’t from Iceland, these small moments still feel welcoming, you don’t feel excluded.

The smaller venue of Glasgow Room 2 contributes to this intimate feeling. The sense of distance that exists in bigger venues is not seen here, the audience members feel included, further fostering the raw feeling of the album.

Acting like a narrative arc that you participate in

His set ends with classics such as ‘Going Home’, which are performed in a much more drum-heavy fashion in comparison to the studio recordings. This increase in tempo is followed by a change from blue to white lights. The subtle shift in lighting and sound builds a journey that the gig takes you through. A soft and relaxed start moves onto a heavier instrumental finish acting like a narrative arc that you participate in.

Although during certain parts of the set the smoke machine amplifies, creating a slight blinding feel for those standing in the front of the crowd, the clear sound quality with Ásgeir’s eloquent vocals still makes for a great listening experience.

Ultimately, Ásgeir delivers a deeply personal and skilful performance. It is one of those gigs where even if you don’t understand the lyrics, or are listening to songs you don’t know, you still feel moved.

★★★★☆