Oh, the mighty Goldfrapp? What better place to watch them than the Palais Theatre. The opportunity to actually get up and dacne would ahve been nice, as it turned out. I arrived at the beautiful venue just as the support act Pikelet was beginning. I was already a little familiar with them, but had never had the chance to sit and watch them properly. Pikelet is an act that plays on all things fun and pretty, their songs little stories with sweet arrangements. Singer Evelyn seemed comfortable on the big stage, extremely relaxed and humbled by the experience of supporting an act as big as Goldfrapp. They put on a good performance, using instruments like keyboards, clarinet, bass and laptop beats. For me I would have liked them to engage a little more with the audience, but as a support band they probably felt it was right to hold back.
After Pikelet finished, the theatre started to fill up more, and the buzz in the air grew.
The audience was obviously diehard Goldfrapp fans, you knew as you could see them waiting impatiently for the main event. For those of you out there who’re not familiar with the band, Goldfrapp are a duo from the UK comprised of members Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory who are best known for their 80s synths, electro-clash beats and swung shuffle rhythms. The group formed in 1999 and since then have released four album, the latest being Seventh Tree. As the curtain rose the stage decor was what first appeared, the setting almost like a circus with flags draped all over the space they were performing in, and it was a great way to set the mood for what was to come.
When they finally appeared on stage, the audience started to scream. The members of the Goldfrapp entourage were all dressed in white flowing clothes that gave them almost a pixie look, and there were six instrumentalists that played a combination of drums, synths, bass, keyboards and harp. Will Gregory, half of the official Goldfrapp lineup, played guitars and violin, dressed in beige to set him apart from the rest of the group. Frontwoman Alison Goldfrapp wore a mandarin-orange cape dress and was barefoot – she looked amazing. The costumes are ones the band have worn right throughout their current tour, and they’re extremely effective.
They opened with Brown Paper Bag, a track that showcases the mystical sounds of Alison’s voice, and after it finished the audience started to shout, “We love you Alison.” It’d been a long time coming since Goldfrapp has been in Melbourne, six years in fact, so the audience were deeply excited by her presence. “Hey fuckers,” she replied. She went onto say that the band were “spaced out” as they’d only just arrived in Australia, and this was reflected when they opened the second song to a false start. When they did go onto finish the track though, Alison showcased her almost operatic voice which soared above the instruments.
Alison Goldfrapp most definitely has an undeniable talent and stage presence, and I’d argue she can be placed alongside the greats like Kate Bush among others. It was just incredible to listen to. The third track was when the energy really started shifting, moving into more of an electro sound, and she started to really relax and get into the performance. The visuals were definitely a highlight of the night with kaleidoscope images of colour that really went with their music. The fourth track Satin Chick also got the crowd going, with its dirty synths and sing along chorus, “He’s my man, you don’t understand, na na na na.” They played on how versatile they can be as an act, moving from electro pop to dirty electro clash, then to cinematic and percussive with songs that almost sounded like a film score, which makes sense considering Will was originally a film composer. It’s a style that really showcases Alison’s voice.
When they played crowd pleasers Ooh La La and Black Cherry, Alison gave the disclaimer the she hadn’t sung these tracks for a while, but the crowd went wild as she asked everyone to stand up. The security started to shuffle into the theatre as audience members started to break free from their chairs and dance! “More!” Alison yelled, and you could see she was really feeding off the energy of the audience. It made me wonder why they’d decided to play at the Palais, as while it’s undoubtedly a beautiful theatre, the crowd wanted the choice of being able to move as most of Goldfrapp’s tracks make you want to shake it. But alas, it’s a seated theatre.
During the heavier points in the set, Will Gregory jumped on his keytar and went up to front to get the audience to clap, seeming like he was really enjoying the moment. They ended the set with new single Caravan Girl, before then coming on for an encore as the audience screamed for their return. Strict Machine was one of their encore tracks, and then it was over.
After they finished we were left with the feeling of wanting more, which I think proper evidence of how amazing they are as a live act. It would have been great to see them at a venue where you were allowed to dance to their beats, as this was the one thing missing from the performance. Although they seemed tired, their false start at the beginning was made up for by the energy of the other tracks, where they got to showcase the full Goldfrapp show. Alison is awe-inspiring to watch, a true frontwoman. It was a performance that made me realize they deserve all the success they’ve received.
Plankton says...
I went to the Sydney show and it was incredible!!! Although the setlist was rather different. Such an Amazing Live Act. P.S Will Gregory wasn't on tour, he doesn't tour with Alison, rather leaves that side of it to her. The keytar/violinist was David Rossi. P.P.S Its Satin Chic.