Royksopp Forever!

After a long weekend full of food, booze, football, and most of all friends for the Harvard-Yale game, on Monday night I went into New York City. Fortuitously I was flying out on Tuesday morning, Royksopp was playing at Webster Hall on Monday and Tuesday nights, and two separate groups of friends were going to the show. I've loved Royksopp ever since I first started listening to them four and a half years ago, but had never had the chance to see them live before, so I was beyond excited for the show. I'd asked a bouncer beforehand what he thought the timeline was going to be, and he said the opener would go on at 9 and Royksopp at 10. Having been to plenty of shows at Webster that started well late, I doubted him, but the man knew his stuff and Royksopp went on right at 10. (The openers, Nite Jewel, by the way, were inoffensive, but unimpressive.)

Royksopp came on to huge applause and immediately began killing it. They were playing with a live bassist, which was a nice touch, and had Anneli Drecker along to give guest vocals filling in for Karin Dreijer, Lykke Li, and Robyn. The set ranged widely from newer, more danceable tracks like 'Happy Up Here' to slower pieces like 'Triumphant' and orchestral jams like 'Royksopp Forever.' For me the highlight by far was 'What Else Is There,' which has always been my favorite track. Drecker did a good approximation of Dreijer's vocals and had a suitably crazy, creepy costume. The group also played not one, but two encores, and still had the crowd begging for more. Definitely one of the best shows I've ever seen, and anyone who has the chance to catch them absolutely should, and I also highly recommend buying any or all of their albums, Melody A.M., The Understanding, and the most recent, Junior.

Royksopp - What Else Is There [divshare]
Royksopp - Royksopp Forever [divshare]
Royksopp - Only This Moment (Alan Braxe and Fred Falke remix) [divshare]
Coldplay - Clocks (Royksopp's Trembling Heart remix) [divshare]