Like what my friend said, it was puzzling that the concert started at 9pm, seeing how she could have started earlier. But what was even more puzzling was how she came on stage the moment the lights dimmed, wearing (gasp) only a top and jeans! What happened to all her eccentricity and interesting headgear (not over the top like Lady Gaga, she takes the cake man.)? Only for her to introduce Ryan Breen aka Back Ted N-Ted. He did a couple of electro-acoustic songs like 999 Buttons, The War Is Over and 2 others on the electric guitar and up next was Tim Shaw aka Tim Exile, also part of her supporting cast of merry men for this leg (and the previous) of her Ellipse tour. He was pretty interesting with his red blazer, jeans and running shoes, engaging the crowd right from the get-go with his merriment. He got the crowd to do 3 different pitched ahhs, for him to record via his joystick like device which is pretty damn amazing and can do bad-ass stuff. He mixed those into his own song which just shouted wow. Loved his DJ set, seeing him work the console from above was something new and intriguing - a flurry of hand movements and tiny body spasms. With a song like Don't Think We Are One, we can be sure them DJs have a romantic side to them. And so this marked the end of the opening acts, and he gave way to Imogen Heap.
Walking on stage with a glass of water, she started "scratching" the rim, giving off different pitches and sang her introduction. Oh, and she changed into a dress! Got all twirly with it right after her first song First Train Home. She commented on how the concert hall was like a big cave, and how her props seems so small in comparison. A teeny childlike innocence and the soft gentle way she spoke belied the impressive vocals packed within her. Without fail, there would be anecdotes about how she was inspired by certain stuff to write some songs, like how she was lying beside a man, in that moment kind of thing, to which she wrote Between Sheets - loved that song by the way. Full of emotion and pensieveness, she sang it with elan and poise. Wait It Out was inspired by a trip to Hawaii. She was pretty hyper, and seems like she was having fun, even managing to her dance with a curtsy after Bad Body Double. Speaking of that, Ryan even made a cameo on stage as her doppelganger! It was a pretty comical sight, him with the wig and the shirt that screamed Bad Body Double. Little Bird was introspective, and the heartfelt lyrics were brought out by an extremely graceful woman named Imogen Heap - even a tinge of loss could be felt as she sang the last verse.
She introduced the next song as something from Frou Frou, and everyone prolly knew what song it was gonna be, but whatever it is, when she started the lovely Let Go, everyone whooped in utter joy. Aha! marked the introduction of a 'local' cellist (she was actually born in England, but based here I think), which she said was a friend of a friend of a friend (cue hand actions depicting them), to laughter for the umpteenth time that night. She said the video link by which she would audition the local cellists broke down, and couldn't do any auditions, and only at the very last minute managed to get the english lady. She does this local (of the place where she's performing) cellist everywhere she goes since some songs need a cellist live. Aha! felt like a mad caper, I wouldn't be surprised had they started chasing each other around on stage. Chirpy and fast paced, a sense of urgency and a little mystery like those you see in musicals. Hell, this song actually feels right out of a musical thriller. Love it! Subsequently, Canvas was played over a sample of a fire started out in her garden. The song evoked a zen feeling, and at that very instant, I thought she actually transcends musical boundaries. Finishing her songs, she actually did a bow (very formal I thought) with her 3 backups and the cellist, which included a Chris Vatalaro who actually did a lot of the various instrumentation, including playing on a saw for Tim to record as a sample. At this point, she obviously hadn't done Hide and Seek so the encore was very staged. Haha. She left the stage only for 15 seconds or so before she came back on.
Sorry for the really blue hue. The lights were that blue, and I don't know how to correct it in-camera and post processing as well.
Regaling us the story of how she actually thought of opening her set with this song, her manager told her if she did that, everyone would have left after that song. Well, obviously she wasn't about to try that out and enthralled everyone with the brilliant song that almost outshines her. Not before starting off on a bad note, and telling the audience it wasn't good, and that she needed a sip of water first. I really like her. I think it was pretty much the consensus of everyone present. Next song for her encore was Just For Now which she needed our help since her looper wasn't working. So we as audience would be her loopers, and thus we were split into 3, singing different pitches of "just for now". Pretty fun I must say, and everyone was really game. She rounded off the night with The Moment I Said It which had a mystical quality to it, almost like a fragile veneer that can be easily broken, yet it remains unscathed, as if protected by an aura.
My friend commented that it was the best performance he's been too this year, and I certainly concur. Singularly brilliant and well supported by a wonderful cast, who played a vast array of instruments and how they do it so well is simply beyond me. The entire coordination and orchestration is just wow. Replete with 2 props, a white oak tree made out of cardboard from which certain instruments hung, and a huge banner/cloth hung as a backdrop on which visualisations were played. The whole hall was transformed into Imogen's own little fantasy world, or her cave in her own words, where her words danced amongst us as beautiful melodies wafted from the gang. It really felt like The Little Prince's world too, just that the centre piece of the tiny planet wasn't a house but the big cardboard oak tree. Twinkly lights lent the wondrous and warm feeling, certainly helped by her endless chatting and little anecdotes. Time seemed to crawl and yet when we exited the hall totally enamoured with her, it was already slightly past 12. Every minute was well spent in that little world ensconced with beauty and unfettered brilliance, I definitely went home a happy man.
First Train Home
Wait It Out
Between Sheets
Headlock
Bad Body Double
Speeding Cars
Little Bird
Let Go (Frou Frou Song)
Aha!
Canvas
The Walk
Swoon
2-1
Tidal (Ellipse)
Encore:
Hide and Seek
Just For Now
The Moment I Said It
