Members of Yellowknife band Upper Mall Rats say they are feeling excitement, nerves and disbelief about playing the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival this week.
The “immersive, multi-genre” festival runs from November 4-8 in Reykjavík and features up-and-coming artists, established international talent and domestic rising stars, according to its website.
Brian Weadick, who goes by the alias Muskrat, said he hasn’t been to Iceland or the festival before, but heard from other Yellowknifers it’s their dream to go.
“We almost played uptown once, but otherwise it’s the core or the Old Town,” said Weadick of the band’s most exotic gigs to date.
Weadick joked it was Mark Carney’s connection to Fort Smith and the federal government wanting to build trade relations that led to an NWT band getting an invite.
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“I think [Music NWT] sent the Canadian embassy in Iceland and Iceland Airwaves 13 Northwest Territories bands, all of whom the festival wanted to book before us, but they couldn’t go for whatever reason,” said Weadick.
“So eventually, the only other band fit to travel and able to was the Upper Mall Rats.”
Band members Peter Adourian (known as Rat Piss in the band’s rat-related naming system) and Michelle Ning Yan Chui (known as Ratchu) said they’re most excited to eat the local food and meet other bands.
Adourian added swimming to the list of activities he wants to pursue while in Iceland, and Weadick said the band plans to visit Iceland’s famed sulphuric springs.
The band also includes Mike Westwick, who goes by Rat Mike and is the lead singer.
“Hopefully, building on the ‘massive international global sensation’ success we have going to Iceland, we’ll also be dropping some tunes,” said Weadick, “so you can actually hear us and walk around town with your headphones on, listening to the Upper Mall Rats.”
