Röyksopp and their theatre

Positivus festival, July 16th, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

To see a video of Royksopp at Positivus, click here.

Positivus festival in Salacgrīva was one of the rare opportunities this summer to see the amazing live performance of Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp. The band which has received numerous awards and gained well deserved world’s attention for the first time honored Latvia and music lovers of Positivus festival.

The band’s gigs have been famous for their outfits and visual images they create on a stage. Positivus wasn’t an exception. The band comes on the main stage (Tele 2 stage) as the final headliner of the second and the last day of Positivus and are warmly welcomed by cheering audience. They start their show with a long instrumental intro with sounds from the newest album Senior while this is the time for the audience to prepare for the show, as well as admire the visual creativity of Röyksopp. Besides Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland whose faces are covered with sort of masks, there is also a guitarist on a stage with a sack on his head and bright yellow costume.

Mysterious and unique the duo officially opens the show with the song „Happy up there” from their third album Junior. It’s well received and appreciated by the audience. Moreover, as the song says, „I am ready for it”...and the band is enthusiastic to start! They take off their masks as they continue with one of the duo’s biggest hits „Remind Me” from their first album. The audience keeps supporting the band, though this doesn’t sound like their maximum. It seems this is a music rather for watching and dancing, not that much yelling and screaming and singing along.

They continue the show with instrumental melodies from the newest album Senior and especially guitarist’s talent is highlighted. Then we get back to the disco rhythms to keep on dancing and then the next song comes with new masks as it’s time for „The Girl and The Robot” (from the third album Junior). The Girl is being performed by a female singer who comes on a stage and one of the Röyksopp guys becomes a Robot putting on a robot mask. The performance of this song turns out to be even theatrical as the main characters maintain a role-play, for example, there’s a moment when the girl tries to touch the scary robot.

The masks are being changed constantly and when necessary for songs new singers come on a stage. It seems each song is well prepared and designed not only musically, but also visually thus giving an image to every song. The audience cheers and dances when such well known hits as „What Else is There?” and „Only This Moment” from the second album The Understanding are played. It’s impossible to resist the alluring electronic musical rhythms and also the warm attitude that comes from the band each time they thank the crowd for being so nice. „Do you want to hear more?” they ask and the continues with one more song.

They go to the backstage, but only for a few minutes. Röyksopp guys are back for the second time with new masks and new instrumental pieces. It’s amazing to listen and watch them as the fireworks are sparkling up in the sky above the stage celebrating the end of the festival. The crowd would have wanted more songs, however the show is over. It was really impressive and it definitely fit in the farewell feelings of this years Positivus festival. Even the rain had stopped exactly for the show, not interfering the band’s performance as it happened in the case of James and Beach House. Röyksopp did a great job!