Live Review

Goldfrapp – Hammersmith Apollo

• 12th Nov 2010

Alison Goldfrapp does like to dress up. And by the looks of things she likes to dress her supporting musicians up too. There is a mix of silver and blacks and whites on display here. All glittering like clowns have gone disco.

It is quite the sight to see when the band takes the stage (late!) to perform their set – largely consisting of material from the latest album. Anyone who was at the Roundhouse iTunes festival show earlier in the summer will know exactly what was to be seen and to be heard as it is essentially the same set-list from that show.

The new album divided fans a bit with its call back to 70’s disco and 80’s pop. It divided this reviewer’s opinion, but there is no denying how well the songs transform to stage and how catchy they remain. There is some strong Abba qualities some of the numbers, and I hate to say it again – but fans of Flashdance and exercise videos might pull a bit of a crooked grin when listening.

Yes the Cheese element is still there, but as stated – the songs transfer extremely well to stage, and they have quite the enthusiastic band to pull of the music whilst the leading lady herself continues to prove she has one of the best voices of there – and oh man can she project it!

With the odd diversion to the Black Cherry album and a very sombre encore that also revisits Felt Mountain – a very satisfied crowd cheer the band off. The only sad thing about tours like this is that you now have to wait for the band to create a new album before you may get a chance to see them again. What is great about Goldfrapp though is that you know only too well that they are going to deliver something very different from what they had delivered before. And I personally can’t wait to see how they are all dressed for that show! She may have trouble topping the Encore “Cupcake” look she had tonight!