FM Belfast started out as a duo on Christmas 2005 when Árni R Hlöðversson and Lóa H Hjálmtýsdóttir made a song as a present for their friends. What was initially thought of as a studio concept became a live band in the summer of 2006 when Árni and Lóa performed at an art opening in a cave in the Faeroe Islands. Later that year Árni Vilhjálmsson and Örvar Þ. Smárason joined the band. In October 2006 they played their first full concert at the Iceland Airwaves festival in Reykjavik.
2007 saw the band establish themselves as a solid live act, playing the closing set at that year’s Iceland Airwaves festival. Onstage, FM Belfast’s membership varies from 3 to 45 players (including multible cowbells) depending on who can make it.
In 2008, the group hit the road playing festivals in Norway (By:Larm), Portugal (Casa Da Musika), and the U.S. (SxSW). The Austin Chronicle listed them as one of the bands to watch at SxSW and the Denver Post named them one of the top 10 new finds at SxSW. Spin Magazine caught on and made them Artist Of The Day on the first day of Spring.
2009 has been very eventfull for the band, they finally played in their namesake city Belfast to a very pleased crowd. They’ve played a few festivals around the world and are booked for this years Iceland Airwaves festival. FM Belfast have been active remixing tracks for other artists including mum, Retro Stefson, Skatar, Nix Noltes, Gus Gus, and Kasper Bjorke.
The band released their debut album how to make friends in Iceland and have sold over 5000 albums locally.
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