Flight of the Conchords: Who are they and why are they so great?

'I'm not crying, it's just been raining on my face'

It's business time.

Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are back, touring the UK and Ireland in March 2018 for the first time in more than seven years. The 'Flight of the Conchords sing Flight of Conchords Tour' will feature all the classics, plus some new material.

The tour will feature stops in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and more, kicking off with two nights at London's Eventim Apollo on 19 March.

Tickets will be on sale Friday 27 October 27 at 10am GMT - more information about which you can find on the FOTC website.

Here's everything you need to know about the duo.

Who are they?

Flight of the Conchords are a comedy-folk duo consisting of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie.

The two New Zealanders were university flatmates before they created Flight of the Conchords in 1998, first performing as part of a five-man sketch troupe called So You're a Man, which also included Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, performing across New Zealand and Australia.

After the group broke up, the Flight of the Conchords found individual success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002 and 2003, where they were nominated for the Perrier Award; US success was boosted by performances on the Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Where have I seen them before?

Most likely, their HBO television series of the same name. A first season premiered in 2007, swiftly followed by a second season in 2009. Anyone hoping for more, however, may be disappointed: the duo and co-creator James Bobin have previously stated there would not be a third season.

However, their TV transition was importantly preceded by two things: first off, their Grammy-winning album The Distant Future, which premiered many of the songs now so well-known from the show, including "Business Time" and "Not Crying".

Secondly, the duo also created a radio series for BBC Radio 2 in 2005; largely improvised, the series was based on the band's search for commercial success in London, with Rhys Darby as their manager and Jimmy Carr as a devoted fan called Kipper.

All elements, of course, that became integral to the HBO show, which sees the duo now seeking fame in New York City. Darby returned as manager Murray, with Kristen Schaal filling in as their obsessive fan Mel.

What makes them so great?

McKenzie and Clement are a perfect encapsulation of an ever-burgeoning movement of quirky, lo-fi comedy. They're outsiders of the most loveable sort, a perfect product of New Zealand's unique sense of humour - a dry self-deprecation that plays on that perpetual perception as the harmless underdogs.

Also, Flight of the Conchords are, quite simply, one of the few musical comedy acts that actually manage to produce songs that are catchy and fun even without the jokes, whether they're drawing influence from David Bowie or Serge Gainsbourg.

Those dreams of a season 3 may be dead, but the tour is proof there's still a future for Flight of the Conchords. There's even been discussion of a possible film. Meanwhile, McKenzie and Clement have found plenty of individual success.

McKenzie most notably won an Academy Award for his song "Man or Muppet", penned for 2011's The Muppets; a silent role in The Fellowship of the Ring also, bizarrely, became an internet sensation - he then returned for The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Clement has flourished in voice work, with roles in Despicable Me, Rio, Moana, and The LEGO Batman Movie. He also co-directed What We Do in the Shadows alongside Taika Waititi, the vampire mockumentary that's already become something of a cult hit.

When are they touring?

Here's the full list of their UK and Ireland tour dates:

Mar. 19 -  London, UK - Eventim Apollo
Mar. 20 -  London, UK - Eventim Apollo
Mar. 22 - Birmingham, UK - Birmingham Genting Arena
Mar. 23 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Arena
Mar. 25 - Dublin, UK - 3Arena
Mar. 26 - Glasgow, UK - The SSE Hydro
Mar. 27 - Leeds, UK - Leeds First Direct Arena
Mar. 29 - London, UK - The O2 Arena
Apr. 01 - Liverpool, UK - Echo Arena Liverpool

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