Kings of Convenience
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
Tuesday 5 Feb 2013
Kings of Convenience were ably supported by fellow Laneway festival act Real Estate for their show at Hamer Hall (Moon Holiday was also on the bill, but played before I arrived). Real Estate’s understated, melodic music at times just washes over you, and at other times has a slacker pop aesthetic. Originating from New Jersey, the 5 piece’s music maintains a mid pace for the most part, and overall, it’s very easy to listen to and enjoyable without really packing an emotional punch.
Norway’s Kings of Convenience however, delivered a show that left me feeling nurtured and somehow lighter. Consisting of Eirik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye, the duo play indie folk with pop (and occasionally jazz) undertones. Imagine the delicate harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel (minus the cheesy 70’s American earnestness), combined with the simple melancholia of Nick Drake, and you’ll start to get a feel for their sound. The first part of the gig they played as a duo, and their softly sung harmonies sounded stunning in Hamer Hall. The blend of their voices coupled with Erlend’s steel string guitar and Eirik’s nylon string was perfect for their introspective, gentle songs. I got the impression that they are both quite reserved and quiet people, however during the second half of the show we saw another side of Erlend (more about that later).
After 45 minutes of playing in duo mode, they were joined by a bass player, drummer, and a great jazz guitarist with a mischievous look in his eye. This came to the fore during “Boat Behind” when, following solos from the bass player and drummer (complete with jazz flourishes), the guitarist proceeded to drop into the riff from “Back in Black” halfway through his solo. Nothing like a bit of AC/DC mixed in with Norwegian indie folk!
By the end of the night Erlend had progressed from dancing the way only a lanky man can, to getting the crowd up dancing (I can’t remember the last time I witnessed that at Hamer Hall), and encouraging the audience in the stalls to move right up the front near the stage. The main set ended with Erlend inviting four women from the audience up on stage to dance (for the song “I’d Rather Dance With You”), hugging each of them at the song’s end.
The encore saw them play a jazz influenced version of “Little Kids” during which they encouraged the crowd to click their fingers in time before they broke into whistling the melody from the Pink Panther.
The two halves of the show felt like two different bands. When they played as a duo, Eirik and Erlend were captivating and the gentle, melodic songs were delivered with such subtlety that you couldn’t help but feel somehow changed and very much a part of this very intimate affair. Joined by the other three musicians, the second half was both heart warming and life-affirming. It was great to hear “I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From”, “Failure”, “Freedom and it’s Owner”, “Cayman Islands”, and the evening’s closer “Parallel Lines”. At the end of the night I left feeling my outlook on life was brighter and my mood was lighter. All in all, a great show, thanks to the warmth of the performers and their stunning music.
Lex Cran
For an insight into Eirik and Erlend’s unique perspective on things, read this 2004 interview by The Guardian.
Norway’s Kings of Convenience however, delivered a show that left me feeling nurtured and somehow lighter. Consisting of Eirik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye, the duo play indie folk with pop (and occasionally jazz) undertones. Imagine the delicate harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel (minus the cheesy 70’s American earnestness), combined with the simple melancholia of Nick Drake, and you’ll start to get a feel for their sound. The first part of the gig they played as a duo, and their softly sung harmonies sounded stunning in Hamer Hall. The blend of their voices coupled with Erlend’s steel string guitar and Eirik’s nylon string was perfect for their introspective, gentle songs. I got the impression that they are both quite reserved and quiet people, however during the second half of the show we saw another side of Erlend (more about that later).
After 45 minutes of playing in duo mode, they were joined by a bass player, drummer, and a great jazz guitarist with a mischievous look in his eye. This came to the fore during “Boat Behind” when, following solos from the bass player and drummer (complete with jazz flourishes), the guitarist proceeded to drop into the riff from “Back in Black” halfway through his solo. Nothing like a bit of AC/DC mixed in with Norwegian indie folk!
By the end of the night Erlend had progressed from dancing the way only a lanky man can, to getting the crowd up dancing (I can’t remember the last time I witnessed that at Hamer Hall), and encouraging the audience in the stalls to move right up the front near the stage. The main set ended with Erlend inviting four women from the audience up on stage to dance (for the song “I’d Rather Dance With You”), hugging each of them at the song’s end.
The encore saw them play a jazz influenced version of “Little Kids” during which they encouraged the crowd to click their fingers in time before they broke into whistling the melody from the Pink Panther.
The two halves of the show felt like two different bands. When they played as a duo, Eirik and Erlend were captivating and the gentle, melodic songs were delivered with such subtlety that you couldn’t help but feel somehow changed and very much a part of this very intimate affair. Joined by the other three musicians, the second half was both heart warming and life-affirming. It was great to hear “I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From”, “Failure”, “Freedom and it’s Owner”, “Cayman Islands”, and the evening’s closer “Parallel Lines”. At the end of the night I left feeling my outlook on life was brighter and my mood was lighter. All in all, a great show, thanks to the warmth of the performers and their stunning music.
Lex Cran
For an insight into Eirik and Erlend’s unique perspective on things, read this 2004 interview by The Guardian.
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Kings of Convenience image courtesy of www.alwaysontherun.net
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