live music

Venue: Royal Festival Hall, London
Gig played: 11 April 2009

It's a shock to see Röyksopp rocking the Royal Festival Hall with an assurance and power more often seen at a Chemical Brothers gig.
After all, Norweigian pair Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge are best known for their refined coffee-table anthems.

Tonight, collaboration is key. When Swedish ice-pop queen Robyn appears to sing on trancey single 'The Girl And The Robot', most of the previously seated crowd are up in seconds and cutting shapes like experimental tailors.

It's Röyksopp's fellow Norwegian Anneli Drecker who has the biggest supporting role. The gutsy singing and freaky dancing during 'You Don't Have A Clue', 'What Else Is There?' and 'This Must Be It' suggests pure star quality, and her cowbell smacking during the unexpectedly Aphex Twin-like reworking of 'Poor Leno' shows a great attitude.

The Knife iconoclast Karin Dreijer Andersson - who also performed a support slot in her Fever Ray guise - hits the stage in a medieval owl mask for a spirited rendition of 'Tricky Tricky'.

'Royksopp's Night Out' is the only moment where things really fall flat. Waves of Pet Shop Boys synths may be inoffensive and fashionable, but feel ultimately pointless here.

Otherwise the show proves to be great promotion for the duo's excellent third album Junior - and a slap in the face for doubters. By the time the otherworldly downtempo of 'Tremor Morning' rounds off proceedings, it's not just the chill-out cats that are purring.

Lou Thomas