Erlend Oye & La Comitiva. Koncerts Ventspilī

Concert Hall Latvia will end its season on June 6th, in Ventspils with Norwegian composer and singer Erlend Øye along with his band La Comitiva (Sicily) who will perform live in the Latvian coastal city.

Latvian listeners will predominantly recognise Erlend Øye as a member of the Norwegian duet Kings Of Convenience. Others will recognise Erlend as a founder member and the creative force of  the collective; Whitest Boy Alive. The Norwegian composer has also gained notoriety for his collaboration with artists such as Röyksopp and José González.

In 2012 just after moving to Syracuse, Sicily, Erlend Øye dedicated all of his attention to creating music with the local collective La Comitiva. By mixing traditional sounds with echoes from South America, the quartet still holds that intimate acoustic sound of Kings of Convenience. During  the past few years this musical union has performed in many places around Europe (albeit infrequently) and have toured in South America, performing in Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

It might seem weird, but Erlend Øye lives for today, completely ignoring the so called “rules of pop culture.” Or to be more precise, he makes and lives by his own rules. Nore Øye or his listeners can’t and don’t find it necessary to explain what are the future plans of the most popular Norwegian pop musicians Kings of Convenience? Does this band still exist? Are they on pause? Or have they split…?

Another question! What is currently happening to Erlend’s pop-band The Whitest Boy Alive? Who officially split up in 2014, however the band just released a new song without giving any loud announcement about their comeback or any future plans.

In a contemporary parallel reality called social media, everything surrounding Øye earns pop star like attention. It just seems that the real-world is constantly holding it’s breath waiting on even the slightest of movement from Erlend Øye - and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a musical movement.

The live performance of Erlend Øye and his like minded Sicilians La Comitiva will take place in Ventspils and will be the Norwegian’s second visit to Latvia after nearly 14 years. The last time was when Kings of Convenience were performing in Riga, their only live performance in Latvia to date.