Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, who rocketed to fame after the release of their second studio album, Ágætis byrjun in 1999, will tour Australia in 2025 for a series of special orchestral performances.
The band, whose music often features ethereal vocals sung in Icelandic and Volenska (aka Hopelandish, a made-up language created by Sigur Rós vocalist, countertenor Jón Þór ‘Jónsi’ Birgisson) blended with bowed guitar chords, evocative strings and tinkling electronics, will perform with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) at a series of concerts throughout May.
Sigur Rós will also play in Sydney, with an as-yet unnamed concert partner.
For their 2025 Australian orchestral tour, Sigur Rós will perform tracks from ÁTTA, released in June last year and their first new album in a decade.
Described as the band’s most intimate and minimal release to date, ÁTTA provides ‘Hopelandic for hopeless times,’ according to a review by the music website Pitchfork.
Founded in 1994, Sigur Rós (meaning ‘Victory Rose’ and named after lead singer and co-founder Jónsiʼs baby sister) are renowned for their dramatic live performances, which in the past have included a string section made up of the members of fellow Icelandic band amiina, and a full marching band.
They have released eight studio albums to date, including their third album ( ) in 2002, 2008’s more accessible Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust and the darker, more assertive Kveikur in 2013.
Sigur Rós have also released a film, 2007’s Heima, which is part documentary and part concert film, and played numerous festivals around the world, including Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza.
Read: ArtsHub’s 2025 season guide to the performing arts
The band’s sometimes icy, fragile yet all-enveloping music has been utilised in live performances by the likes of Merce Cunningham Dance Company and composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, and utilised in a range of feature film soundtracks, such as Vanilla Sky (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) and Aquaman (2018).
Sigur Rós’ two concerts at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall will feature a 41-piece ensemble drawn from the members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. A conductor is yet to be confirmed.
Tickets for the 2025 Sigur Rós Australian tour go on sale at 10am AEST Friday 4 October. Presale tickets are on sale now.
Saturday 17 May: AEC Theatre, Adelaide with the ASO
Monday 19 May: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne with the MSO
Tuesday 20 May: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne with the MSO
Friday 23 May: Venue To Be Announced, Sydney*
Saturday 24 May: Venue To Be Announced, Sydney*
Sunday 25 May: Venue To Be Announced, Sydney*
Tuesday 27 May: QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra
Wednesday 28 May: QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra
*Not promoted by Secret Sounds & Double J.
