DJ Shadow Summer Tour 2024 Tour Blog #1

June 20th, Reykjavík, Iceland

When one initially starts touring, practically every city and country is a "first," in terms of "this is my first time playing here."  Throughout the '90s and '00s, I prided myself on ensuring that there were always a few first-timers mixed in with the tried and true familiar locations.  By the mid '10s, these became harder and harder to find, simply because of the amount of touring I had done over the years.  Plus, it was never about just going to random places for the sake of it...the markets had to be viable, with enough potential fans to fill the room.  Reykjavík has always been at the top of my list, and tonight it's finally happening.  

Beginning in the early '90s, I became fascinated with Iceland.  I'd see it on the map, and knew that on most trips to Europe from the States, our flight path would take us tantalizingly close.  The first person I asked about Reykjavík was James Lavelle, who was extremely enthusiastic: "Oh man, you gotta go, it's amazing!"  So, when I began tours of my own, I would inquire with my agent, who invariably provided a variety of reasons why it wasn't going to work this time around.  Year after year I'd ask, and year after year it fell through.  So, it's extremely gratifying not only that I'm finally here, but that tonight's show is sold out.  

I don't always have the opportunity to sight-see and catch a vibe in every new city I visit, but I've had two days off here, and it's been wonderful.  I can only hope that my performance adequately approximates my appreciation for one more "first time" in a city as lovely as this.   

-DJ Shadow