Three straight nights of shows has really screwed my sleeping pattern. I woke up at about 3PM today. Then again, a guy said "g'morning" to me as I was walking home at 7PM. So I'm not alone.
Janelle Monáe
Really, really great performance, though the audience was a bit reluctant to dance (except for two old ladies next to me, who probably discovered her through Prince). Even the string quartet was dancing and twirling their instruments around! I think everything I liked was performed, even the seemingly less popular songs like "BaBopBye Ya". My favourite song, "Come Alive" was the 10+ minute encore jam, so I'm happy. She didn't talk much, but she did kind of crowdsurf through the front few rows at the end.
My Brightest Diamond
As expected, the show was mostly songs from the new album, but everybody expects a show to finish with the "old favourites", right? Oddly, she finished with a cover of "Tainted Love", and the encore was "I Have Never Loved Someone". Nothing from her 5 most played songs on Last.fm. Really, very strange. Also, her general stage behaviour reminded me of Regina Spektor, and quirky just does not fly well with me. Worden's voice really is as perfect as it is on record though, which is very impressive.
Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly, Sufjan Stevens
Here's the reason I moved to Sydney. First half was the Orava String Quartet playing some compositions by those three. Year of the Boar is pretty amazing live, with all that crazy reflex bowing and things I didn't know what to call. Horse hair flying everywhere. Deserved more love from the audience, really. After an interval was Planetarium. Highlights were Jupiter, Saturn and Earth. There was also some amusing banter between Muhly and Stevens. I don't really care to find out the people behind the music I listen to, because most of it seems to be made by annoying people (Arcade Fire, I'm looking at you), but these guys were likeable. Good show, hope they release a recording soon.
I would have gone to Imogen Heap if I didn't have a stupid biology lab tonight. Oh well.
Vivid Live
