Sigur Rós Launch Intimate Theater Tour of the US This Fall

Ethereal Icelandic melodists Sigur Rós will head out on an intimate theater tour of the U.S. this fall.

The band of post-rock tastemakers plan to enlighten fans with new material on the junket, testing out fresh compositions sans their usual touring brass and string accompaniment.

As reported by Rolling Stone, the tour will be unique in its presentation -- the trek will feature the band's performances without opening acts, allowing time for two sets of music:

"Sigur Rós will hit theaters for the first time in a decade on their upcoming North American tour, which kicks off September 19th in Vancouver and concludes October 14th in Phoenix. The month-long jaunt will find the band performing two sets (separated by an intermission) and without a support act."

Sigur Rós first came to the attention of American music fans in 2001 with their sophomore effort, Ágætis Byrjun. The album's ambient opus, "Svefn-g-englar," was featured in a dozen films and television programs, including a pivotal placement in that year's Tom Cruise vehicle, Vanilla Sky.

The band's success in the States seemed unlikely for an ensemble performing celestial, downtempo canticles with non-English lyrics. Reflecting on the period to Spin's Marc Hogan, bowed guitar player and lead singer Jón Þór Birgisson spoke of the band's early seclusion:

"When you're in Iceland, you're just so isolated. At that time, we didn't have Internet or anything like that. We didn't travel that much outside of Iceland. So there were never any dreams of becoming famous. That kind of stuff just happens. But it was a really good time to grow up and play in a band."

The group's follow-up album, 2002's nameless ( ), offered no song titles and included lyrics exclusively in the band's own invented language, "Hopelandic." Though such features initially polarized critics and some listeners, it is retrospectively viewed as a crucial work in the band's now expansive catalogue.

Don't miss Sigur Rós when they come to a theater near you later this year. The anticipated concerts promise to offer distinct performances for fans of the band's graceful compositions.