Royksopp @ The Palace,Melbourne (02/02/12)

Thu 9th Feb, 2012 in Gig Reviews

Touring a country without new material to promote can oftentimes be a brave act. Risks of falling off the radar or slow ticket sales can befall a band without a release to endorse on a country-wide, festival-inclusive tour. Royksopp’s last release was 2010’s Senior, so they fall into this category. However, this being their very first visit to Australian shores, and the fact they have been around since 1998, fans on this side of the world have eagerly awaited the chance to see the Norwegian duo since their first record, Melody A.M.

Opening the show was Strange Talk DJs. Perhaps it could be the pressures of opening for such a revered and long-awaited act, or the sheer size of the venue, but Strange Talk failed to warm up the crowd and ignite the mood for the show ahead. The DJs appeared uncomfortable and swamped by the stage space surrounding them and would most likely be better suited as background music in an inner city bar, rather than a packed, multi-level rock venue.

Live electronic music can either rely heavily on a visual show, or truly harness a raw performance and deliver a sonic treat. Royksopp effortlessly achieve the latter. Arriving on a stage washed in blue light, they began with a slow, atmospheric jam that eventually burst into Alpha Male and the instantly recognisable crowd favourite, Happy Up Here.

The duo were framed by instrumentalists clad in heavy cloaks and warped, disguising headgear, occasionally draping themselves in flashy accessories that pierced through the stage lights to create an almost other-worldly, if not a little creepy, illusion. Original member Torbjørn Brundtland displayed complete dedication and concentration behind the decks, reminding me somewhat of a Scandinavian, electronic version of Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood. Svein Berge is the more outgoing of the pair, regularly abandoning his position to approach front of stage and hype the audience with genuine gratitude and unrelenting vigour.

Songs from 2009’s Junior are obviously the most popular with the crowd and translate beautifully from record to stage. The sounds inside The Palace are huge and clear, supporting the flow between dense beats to the more measured hum of songs such as The Alcoholic. Tunes such as This Must Be It and The Girl and the Robot feature the recognizable voices of Robyn and Fever Ray on record, but were represented by a touring singer who flawlessly adapted to each respective voice yet made the songs her own. Oozing obvious confidence and natural stage presence, she lapped up each moment of stage with assured swagger and belief.

After hearing rumours of an explosive set at the Melbourne Big Day Out, I entered the venue full of hopes and high expectations yet didn’t leave dissatisfied. Royksopp delivered a set easy to connect to without drowning new recruits in a techno haze or submitting to what could have been an opportunity to over-indulge in experimentation. Well worth the wait for the dedicated amongst us.