***** (5 stars out of 6); April 15 at Store Vega
Bergen-based Kings of Convenience gave the crowd at Store Vega on Sunday night a concert to remember with a virtuoso performance that saw them play some of their more well-known tunes off their three studio albums. The first of two sold-out concerts in Vega saw the cheery Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe (also of indie band The Whitest Boy Alive) set the stage alight with their flamboyant intermeshing of intricate acoustic guitar melodies and soothing, ethereal vocals, set off by light-hearted, comical moments between songs.It was evident from the onset that the indie-pop duo were performing with the rather specific purpose of enjoying themselves and spreading this enjoyment to those present. Tunes such as ‘Toxic Girl’, ‘Homesick’ and the contemplative ‘Cayman Islands’ were hammered home to one of the most responsive audiences this reviewer has had the pleasure of being a part of at Vega.
The direct result of this were several uplifting sing-along sequences, the most poignant of which was the free-spirited ‘Boat Behind’ tune off their Declaration of Independence album from 2009. Such responsiveness was no doubt stoked somewhat by the long, cheery bits of banter between songs, during which both musicians managed to get themselves and the crowd into lively bouts of laughter, a testament to just how comfortable they were on stage.
Teetering on the brink of ethereal genius at times and sheer elation at others, the duo added a rather surprising element to their show by jamming with Danish indie-electro boys WhoMadeWho for a couple of songs, joking about how the Danes had left their drum kit on stage after their performance the previous night before inviting them onto the stage. Both bands complemented each other well and gave the show a welcome twist of fate. Despite the unexpected guest appearance, however, Kings of Convenience were the unquestioned stars of the evening.
A spontaneous remake of of their ‘Rule The World’ after the curtain call added a disco element to the night, as the lights dimmed and the stage was cast in flashes of lavender and blunt red. Kings of Convenience left the show all smiles to rapturous applause, a job well done on what they themselves wittily described as one of their homecoming shows.
Kortbæk_Travels 