La Roux played Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics/setlist/video)
photos by Amanda Hatfield; words by Bill Pearis
La Roux @ MHOW 6/11/2014
Although Jackson is proud of her debut album’s success, she finds it impossible to listen to it. “It sounds tinny, anaemic.” For Trouble in Paradise she wanted a record that sounded less cheap and gnarly, and tackled subjects beyond heartbreak. She came up with a loose theme – “the feeling of emptiness in a place where there was once joy” – and began writing stories around it. The standout track “Sexoteque” is about a man ignoring his girlfriend for seedier pleasures. But it would be wrong to assume the record isn’t personal at all. “Cruel Sexuality”, for instance, is about “10 different subjects linked together” but with its lyric, “You make me happy in my everyday life/Why do you keep me in a prison at night?”, it’s fairly obvious how some people will read it.
“Of course, because people see the word ‘sexuality’ and think: ‘Oh my God you’re gay!’ But sexuality just means you are a sexual person, and that song’s not about me being: ‘Oh no, I’m a lesbian!’ or anything like that.” – [The Guardian]
In the five years since La Roux made her acclaimed debut, Elly Jackson split from her songwriting partner, lost her voice — both creatively and literally — and spent the time since getting it back. Those issues, hinted at with the title of her forthcoming Trouble in Paradise, seem to have been worked out as new singles “Uptight Downtown” and “Tropical Chancer” have a bouyant quality to them that recalls the charming pop of Bananarama. Following her appearance at last weekend’s Governors Ball, La Roux stuck around NYC for a cozier show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday (6/11), part of a short run of North American dates. She play seven of Trouble in Paradise‘s nine tracks, plus favorites from her debut, saving “Bulletproof” for the encore. Setlist and video of her performing new song “Silent Partner” at MHOW are in this post.
Warming up the MHOW crowd was Brooklyn’s Midnight Magic who recreate the disco days of 1977 (and features a few DFA session players in the band). Pics from their set and more of La Roux’s, below…
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Midnight Magic
La Roux
La Roux – Silent Partner (live @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg 06/11/14)
SETLIST: La Roux @ MHOW 6/11/2014
Let Me Down Gently
Fascination
Kiss and Not Tell
Quicksand
Growing Pains
Cruel Sexuality
Sexotheque
I’m Not Your Toy
Tropical Chancer
Uptight Downtown
In For The Kill
Colourless Colour
Silent Partner
Tigerlily
Encore:
Bulletproof
