One of the benefits of music streaming for me is the “try before you buy” aspect. It doesn’t necessarily always relate to physical product but also to gigs too.
Roisin Murphy falls into the category of artists that I’ve always been aware of but because of competing budget and time constraints have never gotten into. I think I’ve got the first CD by her breakthrough band Moloko somewhere but since then nothing. I’ve seen her on Later and Glastonbury clips but never quite been tempted to part with my hard-earned cash.
Ally Pally is just around the corner from where we live and when a friend of mine whose taste I respect recommended seeing Roisin, it seemed like a suitable confluence of circumstances.
We’d been to see Mongolian singer Enji a few weeks earlier and remarked upon her tribe of support and followers. Roisin Murphy seemed to have a similar diverse pull. A soggy Saturday evening didn’t dampen the opportunity to raid the dress up box creating a real sense of occasion. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a gig where so many people were clearly up for a night out and whilst I love Cafe Oto, it is a much more sartorially functional night out.
The fashion forward aspect was led from the front by Roisin. A constant rotation of hats, cloaks and what look like giant aprons were handed to her by an attentive roadie barely off stage. It was quite the feast for the eyes when coupled with really imaginative use of video and screen technology. The pinnacle of this was Can’t Replicate when a wide angle camera centre stage captured Murphy performing in front of the audience. Normally turning your back on the crowd is one of the most alienating moves a performer can make but dressed in Child Catcher-esque top hat, the technology worked to bring the whole audience together.
The show was brilliantly paced, feeling as much like a DJ set as a gig, with excursions through ambient, disco and pop. Playing tracks from her most recent album Hit Parade didn’t create the lull that new material quite often does. A personal favourite was Coocool, which feels like an update on the sweet early 70s soul sound of Syreeta and Minnie Riperton.
Whilst the visual aspect is clearly part of what made the show, without Murphy’s personality and expressive vocals, it would have been an exercise in smoke and mirrors. The strength of her personality could lead to overkill but she knows when to ease things back, such as the glide of Dear Miami or the throb of Overpowered.
It was a really uplifting and enjoyable evening for someone not overly familiar with her back catalogue. The nearest recent touchpoint that I can bring to mind for the sense of fun whilst producing danceable intelligent music as a visual spectacle is Hot Chip. They share a sense of embracing a night out whilst not dumbing down to a low common denominator. I’ve seen Hot Chip at both Ally Pally and Glastonbury in recent years, and I could well imagine Roisin Murphy going down a storm at the Park or West Holts festival stages.
Looking back a few weeks after attending though, its the singular focus that Murphy holds that remains uppermost in my memory. Murphy’s energy and originality provides a focus for her audience, in a manner reminiscent of Grace Jones. In my book, that’s quite the comparison.
BlackCountryRock 