“The wild Faroe Islands party that you can’t afford to miss.”
– WIRED magazine had no doubt that G! Festival is extraordinary 


Urging readers to make the journey to the North Atlantic’s Faroe Islands, half-way between Norway and Iceland, WIRED concluded “if you’re bored with the same old bands playing the same old places, and you’re in the mood to try something dramatically different, G! Festival will be returning in 2013.” Pin-pointing the appeal, WIRED found G! “authentic and weird. Almost secret. Yet welcoming, friendly and open. Like the Faroes.”

The annual three-day celebration of music is unique. Sure, music festivals are held on islands and beaches around the world. But G! is something else. Taking over the village of Syðrugöta – population 400 – on the island of Eysturoy, the festival’s stages are built on the beach and the football pitch, right under the windows of houses. Locals welcome the visitors, a refreshing contrast to the grudging reception which can greet festival goers elsewhere.

G! is also held against the backdrop of the Faroes’ breath-taking landscape, a terrain dominated by grass-carpeted mountains. Caught between the peaks and the ocean, in a break between the cliffs skirting the coastline, Syðrugøta is set in an unrivalled natural amphitheatre. This is where Tróndur í Götu confronted the Norwegians who brought Christianity in the 11th century. He was threatened with beheading. Thankfully, times have changed.

If the drama of the setting and the hot tubs on the beach weren’t enough, there’s the world-class music. Since 2002’s first G!, the festival has drawn the UK’s Metronomy and Travis. The Blind Boys Of Alabama too. Major Scandinavian acts who have chosen to travel to the Faroes include Denmark’s Veto, Iceland’s FM Belfast, Norway’s Serena Maneesh and Sweden’s Veronica Maggio. All welcomed by over a tenth of the Faroes’ 48,000 population and visitors from around the world.

But the musical visitors have tough competition at G! Tróndur í Götu’s spirit lives. The Faroes are saturated in music – great music, from metal to folk, from electronica to stirring pop. British music business bulletin CMU was stunned by the home-grown talent, saying “at a festival of a similar size in England, I’d expect to be disappointed by at least a few bands each day. But that was never the case here.” Internationally known Faroese names like Týr, Teitur and Eivör are the tip of an iceberg.

G! sounds as though it could be a dream. But it isn’t. However you arrive in the Faroes – by sea, by air. Wherever you stay – the festival’s campsite, bed and breakfast, maybe even a hotel in capital Tórshavn. Whether you’re a local or not. Whoever you see – from Faroese talent to the overseas’ visitors, one thing is certain. By bringing music and this magical place together, G! Festival is unforgettable.

- Beinta á Torkilsheyggi

Award winning festival

In 2005, Jón Tyril, co-founder of G! Festival, received the M.A. Jacobsen Distinguished Prize for Cultural Achievement for his work with G! Festival.

The M.A. Jacobsen jury justified their selection with the following statement:

“G! Festival brings leading international and local musicians together for a musical extravaganza against the splendid scenery of the ancient, seaside village of Göta.

As a result, Tyril has created an innovative cultural event that is well received by all.

G! Festival provides a totally new setting for the advancement of Faroese culture and the sense of fellowship and community that is our country’s heritage.”

What the press has to say about G! Festival

“Faroe Islands, maybe the most curious place left on earth.”
–THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Probably the wildest event on the festival calendar.”
–THE GUARDIAN

“A truly exeptional festival experience in a location unlike any other (…)”
–KERRANG

“G! is simply fantastic and comes highly recommended.”
–THE CLASH

“Uniquely glorious festival experience.”
–DROWNED IN SOUND

“I cannot see how a festival could be anymore delightfully odd.”
–VIRTUALFESTIVALS.COM

“G! Festival an incredible experience.”
–REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE

“It’s a landscape in which you’d expect to see Godzilla (…)”
–KERRANG

“If you’re bored with the same old bands playing in the same old places in Britain, and you’re in the mood to try something dramatically different, G! Festival will be returning in 2013.”
–WIRED MAGAZINE

“This regular discovery of new music to enjoy, the people I met in the few days I spent in the Faroe Islands, and the incredible landscape that I regularly had to stop and remind myself really was there all around me, went together to make one of my favorite festival experiences. I’ll certainly remember it for a long time.”
–THE CMU WEBSITE

- Kristfríð Tyril / MOMO

Bands and artists who have played G!

International artists who have played G! include:

Adjagas (NO) * Afenginn (DK-FIN) * DJ Alimo (FIN) * Alpha Steppa (UK) * Amsterdam Klezmer Band (NL) * Animal Alpha (NO) * Arch Enemy (SE) * As In Rebekka Maria (DK) * Baby in Vain * Beats and Styles (FIN) * Natasha Bedingfield (UK) * Mr. Blackbeard (PT) * Blind Boys of Alabama (US) * Petur Ben (IS) * Bill Bourne (CAN) * Bloodgroup (IS) * Blue Foundation (DK) * Bomfunk MC´s (FIN) * Marie Breatnach (IE) * Dallas Superstars (FIN) * Darude (FIN) * Valeri Dimchevi (BUL) * The Dixie Hummingbirds (US) * DJ Buda (DK) * Dr. Spock (IS) * Lisa Ekdahl (SE) * Elektrosatan (DK) * Ensimi (IS) * Europe (SE) * Fallulah (DK) * Familjen (SE) Fantastic Mr. Fox (DE) * The Fjords (NO) * Mr. Flash (FR) * Fredo (UK) *  Fujiyama Mama (DK) * Færd (DK-SE) * Gåte (NO) * Glorybox (DK/US/FO) * Goodiepal (DK) * Guillemots (UK) * Hafdís (IS) * Beth Hart (USA) * Hat & Briller (DK) * Hatcham Social (UK) * Hatesphere (DK) * The Haunted (SE) * Hellzapoppin – a side show review (US) * Lucy Hill (UK) * Hjálmar (IS) * Hoffmann (IS) * Holmes Brothers (USA) * DJ Hyper (UK) * Infernal (DK) * Jackman (NO) * Nathan James (USA) * K-System (FIN) * Kaizers Orchestra (NO) *  Kaleo (IS) * Kapten Röd (SE) * Kashmir (DK) * Katzenjammer (NO) * Glenn Kaiser Band (USA) * Maggi Lego (IS) * Malk de Koijn (DK) * Movits (SE) *Locust Assembling Kit (DK) * Loney Dear (SE) * Lydmor (DK) * Thomas Loefke (DE) * Mendoza (DK) * Meshuggah (SE) * Metronomy (UK) * Moddi (NO) * MonkeyRat (CA/FO) * Mugison (IS) * Nabiha (DK) * Nadin (IRQ-SE) * Nettie (UK) * Nephew (DK) * Neuph! (DK) Northern Girls (DK) * Outlandish (DK) * Palov (GRE) * Polka Björn & Kleine Heine (NO) * Pravda (FR) * Polkaholix (DE) * Racetrack Babies (DK) * Reel De Québeck (DK-UK) * Johnny Reimar & His Party Band (DK) * Amanda Rheaume (CAN) * Rúnar (IS) * Ræfven (SE) *  Serena Maneesh (NO) * Sister Sledge (US) * Sign (IS) * DJ Slow (FIN) * Skrå (ÅL) Snowgoons (DE/DK) * Spleen United (DK) * Pär Sörman (SE) * Stillbirth (IS) * Russ Taff (USA) * The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band (US) * Temple of Sound (UK) * Travis (UK) * Úlpa (IS) * Ultra Mega Technobandið Stefan (IS) * Young Dubliners (US) * Valravn (FO/DK) * Valseværket (DK) * Veto (DK) * Xploding PlastiX (NO) *

Faroese artists include:

200 * The Absent Silver King * Anytime v/Brandi Enni * Lena Andersen * AVE * Greta Svabo Bech *  Black Sheep * Boys In A Band * Kristian Blak * Braquet * Brosep Stalin *Brynjolfur * Budam * Byrta * Alex Bærendsen * Clickhaze * Dánjal * Uni Debes * Deja Vu * Direct Level * The Dreams * Enekk * Knút Háberg Eysturstein * Fnubri Tarzan*  Gestir * The Ghost * Gissur & Sonne* GoGo Blues * Herr Gott  *  Guðrun & Bartal * Gunnar Guttessen * Hamferð * Guðrið Hansdóttir * Harmonikuvinir * Headache Blues Treo * Hjördis og Genturnar * Holgar og Villmenn * Annika Hoydal * Hús * I AM * JamesJames * Jákup Eli Joensen *Jógvan Joensen * Martin Joensen * Hanus G. Johansen * Jollyklub *  Hilmar & Conny Kass * Knýtil * Finnur Koba * Konfekt * Símun Konoy og Gras * Kaj Klein * Lama Sea * Högni Lisberg * Lyon and the Colourstorm * LoverLover * Makrel * Marius * Marius Ziska * MC Hár * Helgi Midjord * Niels Midjord * Niels Midjord og Ólavur Højgaard * Niclas Heri & Shaky * Døgg Nóngjógv  *Orka * Páll Finnur Páll * Eivör Pálsdóttir * Flemming Petersen * Playmo * Poppkorn * Petur Pólson * Ranchus * Högni Reistrup * Petur Roach * Róp * Sakaris * Stanley Samuelsen * SALT * Sic * Side Effect  Spælimenninir * Sugardaddy & Honeypie * The Story Ends * Kári Sverrisson * Kári Sverrisson & Hans Jacob Kollslíð * Swangah * Allan Tausen * Teitur * Tey av Kamarinum * Tuxedo Rebels * Tónabond yvir hav * Týr * übernörd * Vágaverk * Xperiment * Ævintýraferðin * Kristleif Zachariassen o.o.