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Live Review
by SashaS
26-6-2004
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| Alicia Keys sounds even better in white |
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Live: Alicia Keys
Hammersmith Apollo, London
Friday, June 25, 2004
Alicia Keys: love, funk, soul and then some
Things have certainly altered within a very short time in the life of Alicia Keys: she can claim that she hasn’t changed [as a person] but her show certainly has. From a vocalist/pianist with a backing band, this has become a big production and it is easy to see that this gorgeous lady has toured with Missy Elliott and Kelis across America. Her show now reflects her illustrious position in the elite league.
Simulation of thunder’n’lightening occurs in front of a curtain displaying the legend ‘The Diary of Alicia Keys’ that is bordered with a keyboard on each side, and one has to think ‘… And God created Soul sista!’ The curtain drops and there she is - dressed in all-white, atop a platform, towering her nine-piece supporting cast [that includes three backing singers who get some decent solo spots] and the show simply explodes!
Ms Keys is with a customary hat over her long corn-rows and looks like a - Goddess. This outfit displays that in the bootylicious stakes she can easily rival Jennifer Lopez! She even does a good derriere-shake that equals belly-dance… or, that should be bum-dance? It simply proves that this woman’s gotta sense of humour and ain’t into cheap tricks because she’s got a talent the size of Texas. [How else to explain a couple of books she’s about to publish and foray into Hollywood?]
Onstage, it is sizzling - hot, funky, sexy beats are expertly mixed with slower, more ballady, emotional, gospel, soulful and intimate moments but this never truly gets personal. Alicia is well aware of a trap that fame brings and is keeping her privacy at arm’s length of the media… She’s also doing it to keep focus on music and artistry - with new confidence, an eternal fervour and fresh emphasis.
She’s playing keyboards less and fronting more: its purpose is not to hog the limelight or massage one’s ego but to deliver the most impressive show. With little details she transforms her costume - there is no change until the encore when she wears a skirt that compliments her figure even more…
She’s got impressive lungs [in many ways? - Unreformed Ed] and there are few reminders of her idol, Prince: she cooks it as well and her love of the 1970s equals his with echoes of Sly Stone and Parliament Funkadelic. There are jocular exchanges with the audience but Ray Charles get a respectful mention; ovations are regular, sing-alongs frequent and claps as often as encouraged by the chanteuse…
It is giving us all ‘Hot Turns’ [or it is ‘Heartburn‘], hormones are rioting, muscles are having a workout and spirits are having a party. There are voice acrobatics she delivers with such ease you wonder who ever dared let Cher/Madonna/Kylie near a studio? ‘New York State Of Mind’ is aired with such fire, it singes the stage’s edge as she works in ‘Livin’ For The City’ by another of her heroes, Mr Stevie Wonder.
This is a big soul review that even had Mos Def appeara for ‘You Don’t Know My Name’ but it is ‘Fallin’’ that gets everyone into the mood for total immersion into tune… Ms Keys ends the show cavorting on the piano lid in a scene reminiscent of Michelle Pfeiffer in ‘The Baker Boys’… [No need guessing - who is hotter.]
Superlative performance that appeared to be marred by some avant-tunes toward the end when sound became tad too much experimental that left most of her audience in a puzzled awe. Majestic show throughout apart using Phil Collins’s ‘In The Air Tonight’ as an intro; it is well known that US stars have always seen something in that man’s music but to us Euro-cats, it is a no-go area due to the song being an electronica-coated prog-bloody-tastic track!
Conversely - the queen of the new soul; period.
SashaS
26-6-2004
Alicia Keys album 'The Diary of ...' is available now on J Records/BMG
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