The Queen Elizabeth Hall can be a stuffy, restrictive seated environment for live performances but for the Norwegian duo Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe - aka Kings Of Convenience - the surroundings are perfect for their take on softly-evolving, modern day Simon and Garfunkel- inspired sounds.
After a slightly uneasy opening number, Oye is distracted by the clicks from the lone photographer, so they proceed to give a 30-second photoshoot with a collection of cheesy catalogue poses to satisfy the picture press. The witty buggers.
This duly dealt with, they knuckle down to their simple, but winning formula of delicate duets on early material "I Don't Know What I Can Save You From", "Winning A Battle, Losing The War," "Failure" and "Toxic Girl" and a smattering of more recent songs like "Cayman Islands" and "Sorry Or Please" all of which sound enviably powerful and fresh.
Erlend Oye is in a mischievously good mood, interrupting Eirik's story at one point with an "I believe I can fly" verse. Only a disgruntled look from Eirik prevents us from hearing a full rendition. But it's only mock hurt: both are in great humour.
The Kings trace their success down to one person's support at their first UK show at a poetry bar, followed by their word of mouth that spread faster than the cold Eirik struggles with all evening. He even retires and sits in the front row to watch from the sidelines for a one-track breather at one stage. Slightly perturbed, Erlend improvises by asking for requests and then deciding to sing a song from a hometown band, requesting all the house and stage lights be turned off, to sing in Norwegian in the pitch blackness.
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When Eirik returns, they slide into the carefree and floaty "Misread." It's enchanting: currently in the Italian charts at number two, much to the delight of the Kings, who proclaim Italians to "have good taste". Even the the rarely played live "Know-How" works perfectly. Impressive, considering the lack of female background vocal that makes the recorded version.
The boisterous appaluse is stifled by Oye's requests of "Snaps, not claps," with quiet duly becoming the new loud. As soon as "I'd Rather Dance With You" starts up, Oye jumps offstage and summons the crowd to the edge of the stage to dance: a scene familiar with Belle and Sebastian gigs. In fact the fans worship them just as intensely. Ultimately, the front of the stage is invaded, with this well-crafted music teaching the Indie kids how to dance again.
The quirky "Everyone Has A Friend In Stockholm" is the concluder. Kings Of Convenience are quiet noblemen of confidence and masters of simplicy. Erlend and Eirik are everyone's best friends from Norway tonight.
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