Earlier this month I had the privilege of seeing Ms. Janelle Monáe in the flesh at The Institute, Birmingham. It is now ranked in the top 3 gigs I have ever been to. Here's why...
As the room started to fill up after the doors opened I looked back at the crowd and it was by far one of the most diverse crowds I'd ever been in, metal heads, jazz lovers, students, middle aged people - everyone was welcome and everyone was buzzing. The support act Cody ChesnuTT stepped on stage with band in tow and in reality he looked more like a crazy, poor, war veteran with his mismatched clothes, shaggy beard and army helmet but as soon as the beat came in and he started to sing, there was no doubting it - he was an artist. He went through his set with lengthy renditions of his songs including "What Kind Of Cool (Will We Think Of Next)" and "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day" and the crowd really ate him up. His set had everything, charisma, crowd participation a fabulous band (huge shout out to his radass bassist) and passion. I especially liked that he sang about real things, which was a nice change from a lot of what we're hearing in music nowadays. One of the few support acts that didn't have me looking down at my watch wondering when the main event would come on.
Once Cody's set had finished, I had butterflies in my stomach waiting for Janelle. Her latest album The
Electric Lady got me hyped up but I had absolutely no idea what I was in
for. I really tried to contain my excitement but as soon as the lights dimmed I couldn't help myself. As the band (members of the Wondaland Arts Society) stepped on stage and began playing the intro - "Suite IV Electric Overture" I was already mouth and eyes wide open, in awe. Janelle was wheeled on stage wearing a straight-jacket and the bassline to "Givin' 'Em What They Love" (my recent SOTD) came in, I was done. Not one eye in that crowd didn't light up the moment she started singing.
She played hit after hit "Dance Apocalyptic", "Sincerely, Jane", "Q.U.E.E.N" and then the title track "Electric Lady". It was mad, she had the whole building under her spell. I often say that most of the best gigs that I've been to are the ones where I can't actually remember half of the things that I was doing - this is still true. I was 100% locked into her performance, I probably annoyed a few people with my arm flailing but I was having too much fun to even notice. She then switched up the show a little bit with some old school Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back" and "ABC" - moonwalking and jumping, if anyone in that room wasn't impressed before this, they were now. The main thing that astounded me about her performance was her endless supply of energy! She never seemed to run out! Always giving 100% and this definitely made the crowd give their all too - she was a complete show-woman. She spoke about the recent tragedy in Nigeria with the abduction of hundreds of girls before proceeding to sing "Cold War". I really connected with this because it's not often that artists will actively try and bring the world outside, into their live performances, but she did it very gracefully and effectively.
During "Come Alive" she got the crowd to kneel down for the entire song and sing with her as she stood in the midst of the crowd leading the song - if that's not power, I don't know what is. Everyone was mesmerised. When she hopped out of the crowd only to jump back in, crowdsurfing, I was just completely in awe. As we carried her body over the crowds I'm pretty sure I was just speechless - she is so badass! She finished with "What An Experience" and what an experience it was! It was genuinely the best show I've seen in Birmingham and I've seen over 60 artists here now, and I doubt I'll see any more here that can top it.
Nothing short of electric.
Overall Rating - 10/10
Here are some pictures from the night...
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