Live Review

Janelle Monae – Koko, London

• 14th Sep 2010

Not every artist starts their live shows by being introduced by a compere in full top and tails before nostalgic film style credits are projected against the back of the stage.

But then Janelle Monae isn’t just any other artist.

Anyone that has paid attention to the buzz building up around her and put in the time to listen to her new album ‘The ArchAndroid’ will be well aware that Monae has a taste for the theatrical within her music and it only seems logical that a highly stylised and thoughtful approach to a live show should follow.

Janelle Monae’s strong vocals make for a great focal point and seem to have the sold out audience rapt as she works through a selection of tracks from the latest album, but for an artist who’s music is a unique fusion of funk, neo-classical and Outkast influenced schizo-pop, large sections of the audience remained virtually static throughout, practising great English reserve until the time was right to fanatically applaud following each song despite the strength of performance and abundant energy onstage.

Things slow down with a cover of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’ that was drawn out and overly melodramatic but perfectly showcased her amazing vocal gymnastics, only backed by a solo guitarist, before delving back into more upbeat material.

It took a back-to-back run through of singles ‘Cold War’ and ‘Tightrope’ to finally loosen up the crowd and get more people moving to the music the way they should, returning to the stage with her band after a short breather, the momentum was maintained as the audience revelled in a brief balloon drop as she pulled out a few more up-tempo numbers and then, without warning, the show was over, just as it seemed to be getting started, leaving everyone wanting more.