3B (Bitter Blues Band)

Founded in the autumn of 2008 by guitarist Atli Viðar Jónsson, 3B — short for Bitter Blues Band — brought together a quintet of seasoned Icelandic musicians drawn from various corners of the country's rock and blues underground. The line-up — Atli Viðar Jónsson on guitar, Eiður Örn Eiðsson on vocals and harmonica, Sævar Árnason on guitar, Pétur Hjálmarsson on bass and Ingólfur Sigurðsson on drums — represented decades of collective stage experience.

Playing a straightforward brand of blues and blues-rock, 3B quickly became a fixture on the Reykjavík live circuit, appearing at venues large and small and earning a spot at the 2015 Menningarnótt (Culture Night) festival. The band's approach is unpretentious and rooted: tight arrangements driven by twin guitars, wailing harmonica and a rhythm section that swings hard.

Though their recorded output remains limited and their online presence modest, 3B have earned their reputation the old-fashioned way — on stage, night after night, keeping the Icelandic blues flame burning in a scene that often tilts toward folk and post-rock.

Performed at Menningarnótt (Culture Night) 2015