FAIRFAX, VA: Sigur R?s performs at the Patriot Center. Sunday, March 24, 2013. ? Brandon Wu / for the Washington City Paper.
FAIRFAX, VA: Sigur R?s performs at the Patriot Center. Sunday, March 24, 2013. ? Brandon Wu / for the Washington City Paper.

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At some point in the Von, Ágætis byrjun, ( ) era, I counted Sigur Rós as one of my favorite bands. The group lost me a bit after that, and I hadn’t seen its live show since the very early 2000s. Last night, they played to a sold-out and ecstatic Patriot Center. Compared to 10-plus years ago, the band hasn’t lost its sense of drama, and it’s gained a certain visual flair.

The band, which has expanded to include a bewildering array of instrumentalists, played its first few songs behind a gauzy white curtain. Bright backlights cast larger-than-life shadows onto the curtain—-the silhouette of Jónsi Birgisson bowing his guitar, 15 feet tall, is a memorable image indeed. The band drew multiple songs from its deep back catalog, throwing some meat to the longtime fans as well as the newcomers.

A few more photos in the full slideshow.