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| "Paws u-oh dear, that isn't my catchphrase, is it?!" |
Fans caught their apparent first glimpse of Jessie J just
half an hour after the doors of the Hordern Pavilion opened – a rare feat for a
star of Jessie’s stature. A figure bearing an uncanny resemblance to the star,
sporting the trademark black bob, a figure-hugging leotard and what appeared to
be a sequin-coated Elizabethan collar walked nonchalantly into the heart of the
Entertainment Quarter; a handful of fans abandoned their places in the
sprawling queue to get a up close and personal with what they thought was their
idol. Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed when it became clear that this was
not the star they had paid to see come to greet her fans on a whim, but rather
an enthusiastic fan-come-impersonator. We’d have to wait for a few more hours yet
to lay eyes on the star herself. Not that this was dead time – far from it, in
fact.
In Australia headlining the 2012 Future Music Festival,
Jessie’s own concert was close enough to a festival in its own right, given the
calibre of the supporting acts. VJ-turned-DJ Ruby Rose entertained the crowd
with chart highlights, while Amy Meredith impressed with their sharp blend of
electropop and rock. Professor Green, who has previously played at the Hordern
in support of Lily Allen, paraded his hits to date, including an emotional
performance of recent Gold-certified single ‘Read All About It’ that increased
the crowd’s anticipation for the quickly-approaching main event.
Jessie seemed in good spirits from the commencement of her
set, sporting a white dress that lead to a series of endearing, if slightly
cheesy, jokes about marriage. At one point the star seemed to accept a proposal
complete with a ring, only to discard the prize moments later, surely leaving
one fan rather disappointed. Perhaps Jessie’s costume, when combined with the
her continual efforts to involve the crowd, and the stream of empowering
anthems concentrated near the show’s opening, lent itself more strongly to the
role of a preacher – not that any of the 8500-strong crowd needed converting.
Although the Hordern inevitably ensured that the concert’s
staging was somewhat restricted, Jessie used this to ensure the focus never
wavered for a second from her. Some of the show’s highlights were the moments
in which Jessie relinquished the trappings of the ‘pop show’ crafted around her
– the huge backing tracks, the flashing lights and the extensive live band –
and let her voice shine through unobscured, with only the light chords of a
guitar for accompaniment. ‘Technology’ was perhaps the best example of the
show’s greatest assets; Jessie began the track improvising lyrics concerning
her imminent ‘marriage’ (continuing the good-natured yet cringe-worthy theme
she’d established earlier), before segueing into a stripped version of the
track that undoubtedly sent chills down the spines of the sold-out audience.
While Jessie J’s vocal techniques may have won her criticism
in the wider arena of public opinion (her third single should probably be
renamed ‘N-N-N-N-N-N-N-Nobody’s Perfect’ in light of her live interpretation of
the melody), the crowd went wild for her quirks, eating up the marmite brand of
stuttering and ad-libbing. The setlist saw many of Jessie’s signature hits
(‘Price Tag’, ‘Do It Like A Dude’, ‘Domino’) consigned to the final minutes,
meaning that casual fans were subjected to long spells of potentially unheard
music. This said, the dynamism displayed by Jessie J – both in the songs
themselves, and her energetic, enthusiastic delivery of them – ensured that the
crowd’s excitement never dipped too low.
The majority of songs performed tick boxes from one of two
categories – 90’s-influenced, upbeat tracks, and 60’s-esque soul (best
exhibited in the passionate ‘Casualty Of Love’ and the sultry, commanding ‘Mama
Knows Best’). Amongst these influences were splashes of reggae and breezy,
early-Noughties pop, as in the shiny catchiness of ‘Abracadabra’ - think S Club
7 with a little more bite, and the entire group’s vocal range consigned to an
individual.
Given Jessie’s penchant for genre-hopping, the audience
spanned generations, genders, and any number of other demographic indicators.
The singer’s charms and appeal, while diverse and engaging on many levels, are
concentrated around the name of her job: her ability to sing. The undeniable
highlight of the night was Jessie’s awe-inspiring delivery of the title track
from her debut album, ‘Who You Are’. Carefully balancing vocal acrobatics,
controlled subtlety and emotional vulnerability, Jessie’s performance of the
song caused tears for a few spectators within this reviewer’s line of sight.
The voice is what made the night memorable – few others could fill a venue with
such effortless power, bringing together a diverse cross-section of music
listeners in appreciation of a voice that will likely continue to wow crowds
for years to come.
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