Up­prásin | j. bear & the cubs, V.V.I.A. and Jelena Ciric

This concert will feature j.bear & the cubs, V.V.I. A. and Jelena Ciric.

Harpa, in collaboration with the Reykjavík Music City, Rás 2 and Landsbankinn, is hosting Upprásin, a concert series dedicated to grassroots Icelandic music, across musical genres. Upprásin is now taking place for the third year in a row and a total of 27 bands will perform, three on each concert night.

Ticket prices are only 2000 kr. but it is possible to contribute a higher amount during the ticket sales process, which will go directly to the artists.

j.bear & the cubs

The band j. bear & the cubs was formed at the end of February 2025 and only to play at Músíktilraunir, but once the ball got going it didn't stop rolling. Now the band's leader is busy finishing all the songs that were forgotten over the years and the band plans to play anywhere and anytime to spread good energy and the message of love that goes: "You don't have to suffer in private."

Band members are  Jasper Matthew Bunch, Óðinn Ýmisson, Sigurður Már Gestsson and Sindri Þór Atlason.

V.V.I.A.

V.V.I.A. is a Greek-Danish electronic music duo featuring artists Venus Volcanism and In Atlas. Combining crystalline vocals with arpeggiators, distortion and theremin playing, V.V.I.A. builds searing, expansive sonic journeys — with a punk and industrial approach driven by a feminine, witchy take on aggressive techno.

Their new album 'I Knew You Before We Met' was released by Inner Ear Records on 28th of March.

Venus Volcanism is born and raised on the island of Crete.? Her music projects have touched upon different genres while she is manoeuvring between dark-wave, post punk, techno to ambient, traditional, polyphonic music and field recordings.

Copenhagen born 'In Atlas' spent her formative years in Athens, becoming immersed in the underground music scenes of the Greek capital. In her solo guise In Atlas makes emotionally charged art pop, draped in a deep formative love of punk and its derivatives. It is seething beauty and blasts of longing, it is wildfire and its brittle remains

Jelena Ciric

Musician Jelena Ciric has captivated audiences around the world with her amazing singing voice, warm and deep songwriting, and unique storytelling skills. Her music draws influences from diverse backgrounds, including Serbia, where Jelena was born, and Canada, where she grew up.

In 2021, Jelena's debut album "Shelters One" won the Icelandic Music Awards for Folk Album of the Year, and Jelena was also nominated for Female Artist of the Year that same year. She has received a total of five nominations for the awards. Jelena's second album "Shelters Two" (2023) was longlisted for the Icelandic Music Awards, and one song from the album, "Inside Weather," was nominated for Song of the Year.

"Shelters Two" was also nominated for the Kraumur Prize in 2023 and was chosen as the Songwriter Album of the Year in Morgunblaðið by Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen and Árni Matthíasson, who called the music "magical" and "multilayered". Jelena is accompanied by Karl Pestka on violin and Margrét Arnardóttir on accordion.