Celebrating its 9th year, Iceland Airwaves is Mecca for enthusiast devotees of new music from around the world. Mark down these dates October 17-21.

Born in 1999 in an empty airline hanger of the windswept domestic airport, in less than a decade Iceland Airwaves has emerged as a powerhouse of showcasing global new talent to the world.

Happening in venues across Reykjavik, Iceland's capital city, some joke it is not unusual to find concertgoers crowding into phone booths and elevators just to hear a band. Actually the venues are bigger and more varied. Mosty are nightclubs and cultural places like the city’s art museum.

Iceland Airwaves’ attendees relish in the fact that instead of the hills being alive with the sound of music Reykjavik, itself, reverberates with it.

The residents in Europe’s most northernmost capital are always up for a good party, and the arrival of hundreds of music fans cranks the frenetic atmosphere up to new decimals of excitement.

While venues and bands can change at a moment’s notice, at present 170 bands/artists are lined up for the 2007 event.

A sampling includes:

ICELANDIC BANDS

AMPOP

Atom Station

Benni Hemm Hemm

Benny Crespo's Gang

Brain Police

Cocktail Vomit

Dikta

Esja

Foreign Monkeys

GusGus

Lights on the Highway

Motion Boys

Shogun

Singapore Sling

INTERNATIONAL BANDS

Best Fwends (US)

Bloc Party (UK)

Bondo do Role (Brazil)

Chromeo (Canada)

Deerhoof (US)

Lali Puna (Germany)

Ra Ra Riot (US)

The Teenagers (France/UK)

Tied and Ticked Trio (Germany)

ICELANDIC SOLO ARTISTS

B Sig

Eberg

Kalli

Kira Kira

My Summer as a Salvation Soldier

VilHelm

INTERNATIONAL SOLO ARTISTS

Buck 65 (Canada)

Jenny Wilson (Sweden)

Khonnor (US)

Loney.Dear (Sweden)

Trentemoller (Denmark)

DJ’s are like the Viking gods of lore. Among those appearing this year will be Ewok, Captain Bongo and Kasper Bjorke.

For those living in Iceland tickets can be purchased at a variety of locations like Skifan Record Stores, and BT outlets. If you happen to be traveling through Iceland, Icelandair is selling the festival passes at $105USD.

For the best rates when traveling from North America – check out Icelandair Holidays at : www.icelandair.com/airwaves

Starting for as little as $645USD per person, based on double occupancy the package includes RT transatlantic airfare from Baltimore (BWI), New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS) (Minneapolis and Orlando start at $685), two nights accommodations, the Festival pass and Scandinavian buffet breakfasts

Returning veterans of past Airwaves concerts still regale each other about catching such hot bands like Suede, The Flaming Lips, The Hives, Fatboy Slim, Suede, Sigur Rós, Gus Gus, WhoMadeWho,Jagúar, Quarashi, Leaves, and Trabant in concert or just jamming at a local coffeeshop after hours. Iceland's quiet laid back style makes it easy for musicians to kick back.

C'mon - throw off your boring life and make plans for Iceland Airwaves.

Just remember to get plenty of sleep prior to attending and ingest plenty of vitamins when you get there.

Viking stamina is required to enjoy Airwaves to the fullest!

For all the details:www.icelandairwaves.com/

Unable to get to Airwaves - but still interested in finding the hottest in new music?

Check out: Denmark's Captain Mirage: indie-musicians.suite101.com/article.cfm/captain_mirages_claes_cem

Scotland's Injuns: indie-musicians.suite101.com/article.cfm/injuns