Things get funky at the village underground with Blood Orange live
Published
Dev Hynes' Blood Orange plays to a sell out East London crowd
Blood Orange @ The Village Underground 9/10
Cupid Deluxe was one of the highlights of 2013, sexy, funky and seductive, fans in the UK had the opportunity to hear it live with this sold out village underground date. Backed by a five piece band and singer Samantha Urbani (also his girlfriend) the Blood Orange live experience is spectacular. Very few artists possess it, whatever it is, Hynes has it, whether its snake hipping across the stage or playing guitar like a rock god, he is a genuine star, oozing charisma and sexiness.
The devastatingly short hour set included the majority of Cupid Deluxe, opening with the slinky Chamakay and launching straight into You’re Not Good Enough, songs so funky even Prince would take notice. It Is What It Is, Chosen and Always Let You Down sounded amazing as Hynes moved between singing, dancing and playing guitar. For No Right Thing, male saxophonist provided the falsetto usually female backing vocals and there was a special guest appearance by Skepta who provided vocals (for the first time live) for the track High Street. The highlight was easily Uncle Ace, bringing a huge trunk of funk, with a riff that even Nile Rogers would have been proud of it descended into a massive jam with everyone in the crowd grooving in time. The night ended, like Cupid Deluxe, with the beautiful Time Will Tell and there was no encore. There's a certain nostalgic retro charm to Blood Orange, from the synth and sax heavy R&B tinged tunes, to Dev & Samantha’s perfect outfits and the 80s footage of New York that scrolls on the projection. Yet it's not done with any irony or sneer, it's all done out if genuine love. The atmosphere in the Underground is totally loved-up and into the Blood Orange groove. Let’s hope Hynes will return in the summer and bring Blood Orange to some festivals.
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