La Roux revs up a nonstop dance party

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      At the Commodore Ballroom on Thursday, September 18

      As far as wardrobe changes go, it wasn’t going to make anyone forget the live spectacles of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, or Rihanna. Still, it drove home an important point, namely that Elly Jackson was not only working, but working hard enough that she needed to change things up just a few songs in.

      The fabulously pompadoured artist known to fans as La Roux hit the Commodore Stage ready to sweat on Thursday, giving her something in common with her fans, most of whom seemed to know every word of every song. How hot was it on a rainy September night? All you had to do was take a look at La Roux’s keyboard player, whose first action between songs was reaching for the geisha-issue fan sitting at her feet, after which she’d start furiously cooling herself down.

      Even though Jackson made good use of a white towel on-stage, reaching for it every second or third number, overheating didn’t seem to be her main concern. Instead, it was making sure nothing put a damper on her nonstop dance party. About 12 minutes into the set, she quickly bolted to the wings, trading in the shoes she’d arrived in for another pair, noting, “These are more comfortable.”

      That was important because Jackson was certainly busy on-stage. Right from the slow-building set opener, “Let Me Down Gently”, she was a constantly moving dynamo, busting moves that suggested she was raised on a steady diet of early ’80s new romantic videos and repeated viewings of Pretty in Pink. It made for an awesome sight, partly because Jackson seemed so into it, even if she rarely cracked a midsong smile.

      Coming on like some weird classy conflux of David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, and Nick Cave, Jackson bounced from foot to foot, lost in a world of her own making. That weirdly detached enthusiasm would prove magical. The audience officially jumped on board three songs in, right around the time the diminutive singer rolled up the sleeves of her Picasso-via-Ed Fotheringham print shirt, and then ripped into the bubblegum-pop jam “Kiss and Not Tell”.

      With Jackson playing air keys, the fans in the front row sang along like they were auditioning for American Idol. That would be the case for the rest of an hourlong set that rolled out a steady stream of crowdpleasers. From the robotic retro-monster “In for the Kill” to the sun-splashed sing-along “Sexotheque”, the vibe was nothing but positive, the party picking up steam with each number.

      For her part, when Jackson wasn’t putting on a one-woman dance explosion, she was proving a gracious host. The singer signed autographs mid-song, held hands with the faithful in the front row, and generally made a great case that she was having a blast. When one overly enthusiastic female disciple bolted on-stage to hug and kiss her after an impressively tribal “Colourless Colour”, Jackson remarked, “Someone loves me—not enough people do that to me in my life.”

      The night ended with two more fans trying to get on-stage for “Bulletproof”, presumably determined to start the party anew for the encore. They weren’t needed. Jackson finished the evening the way she started it, putting on a dance clinic that suggested she wasn’t the only one in the room having an epic night. Consider it the payoff for her not only working, but working hard.

       

       

      Comments

      1 Comments

      lilipunk

      Sep 23, 2014 at 9:29pm

      It was the best concert I have witnessed. I adore her and her music it was absolutely worthy.