VOR Í VAGLASKÓGI
Schedule for VOR IN VAGLASKÓGUR – Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 11:15 PM
SPECIAL HOSTS OF THE FESTIVAL:
The Hraðfréttir newsflash duo BENEDIKT VALSSON and FANNAR SVEINSSON.
DOCTOR VIKTOR
2:00 PM
The good doctor, DOCTOR VIKTOR — the beloved healer and DJ — is the honorary musical director of the VOR Í VAGLASKÓGI celebration and will set the tone with historical references to the crème de la crème of Icelandic music from the past 99 years.
KALEO
3:00 PM
The beloved hosts and bringers of joy, KALEO from Mosfellssveit, open their long-awaited homecoming concert with a special unplugged set in a campfire style. JÖKULL, DAVÍÐ, DANÍEL, and RUBIN are now at the peak of their wildly successful and adventurous career. Acoustic guitars, bongos, harmonicas, melodicas, and some sing-alongs will ensure an unforgettable opening to VOR Í VAGLASKÓGI!
SIGRÚN STELLA
4:00 PM
The enigmatic singer-songwriter and writer of the classic song SIDEWAYS. SIGRÚN STELLA was born and raised in Akureyri, moved to Winnipeg at a young age with her parents, and now lives in Toronto during the winter and in Akureyri during the summer. She is a unique artist who sounds as if she had been brought up musically by Johnny Cash himself.
SVAVAR KNÚTUR
4:40 PM
"SVAVAR THE WANDERER" would be a fitting title for this exceptional singer, multi-instrumentalist, poet, and composer who has made Akureyri his home for most of this century — even though Australia, America, Europe, and Asia repeatedly invite him to share his talent beyond the capital of North Iceland. SVAVAR KNÚTUR is genuinely one of a kind!
SOFFÍA BJÖRG
5:15 PM
A Borgarfjörður native raised on the banks of the Grímsá River who "Dreams of heading to town to dance all night long," just like her grandmother, SOFFÍA KARLS, once did — and famously reflected in her biggest hit. SOFFIA BJÖRG frequently collaborates with artists like PÉTUR BEN and FRÍÐA DÍS, the latter of whom will join SOFFÍA BJÖRG as bassist at this concert.
BEAR THE ANT
6:00 PM
This most unusual psychedelic band was formed during the COVID pandemic to preserve the nation's mental health, including, and perhaps most importantly, that of the band members themselves, BJÖRN ÓLI HARÐARSON and DAVÍÐ ANTONSSON. A group of brilliant young, creative musicians in Vaglaskógur will join them.
JACK MAGNET
6:50 PM
Yet another Northerner takes the stage. JAKOB FRÍMANN, raised in Akureyri, is a musical chameleon wearing many hats in the Icelandic music scene and beyond. Exceptional musicians EINAR SCHEVING (percussion wizard) and RÓBERT ÞÓRHALLSSON (bass master) are rarely far away when JACK MAGNET appears. Expect some unpredictable musical adventures.
JÚNÍUS MEYVANT
7:30 PM
One of the most beautiful voices in Iceland and often heard alongside KALEO, who have chosen JÚNÍUS MEYVANT as their touring companion across lands and seas in recent years. JÚNÍUS is a proud native of Vestmannaeyjar — soulful, grounded, and delightfully witty — with music that resonates deeply and songs that captivate every listener.
HJÁLMAR
8:10 PM
This exceptional band, a favorite of KALEO, has the honor of thoroughly warming up the crowd in Vaglaskógur before the famous band from Mosfellsbær takes the stage. North Europe's top reggae band is undoubtedly HJÁLMAR, a band with great character, featuring two outstanding vocalists and brilliant instrumentalists, including one of Iceland's most successful producers.
KALEO
9:00 PM
Here comes the highlight of the evening — the internationally acclaimed band that is hosting this year's hottest and most anticipated concert. KALEO's global success is nothing short of extraordinary and well-deserved: Icelanders truly adore these stylish and visionary musicians who tirelessly tour the world and seemingly never need to rest. Guitarist RUBIN POLLOCK, drummer DAVÍÐ ANTONSSON, bassist DANÍEL KRISTJÁNSSON, and last but not least, lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist JÖKULL JÚLÍUSSON have built a loyal following and created some of the most widely played and beloved Icelandic music worldwide.
The song Way Down We Go has been streamed over 2.5 billion times on music platforms, and KALEO's first Icelandic hit is, of course, both the inspiration behind this grand musical celebration and the title of the most played Icelandic-language song ever composed:
Vor í Vaglaskógi!
Enjoy!
On behalf of the organizers and all involved in making this concert happen.
MELODY MAN
POLAR BEAT
