Review: Kelis @ The Warehouse Project

When: 2nd October 2010

Reviewed by: Kelly Murray

Amidst a swarm of cooler-than-thou hipsters with a smile in tow and enough charm in hand, Kelis appears a little later than planned but looking as bling as ever. 

As the entourage flee to their stage positions, we get a full-on glimpse of the lady of the moment. Strutting her swagger in a lilac, sequined jumpsuit, bleached mini afro and a pair of take-no-prisoners killer heels, the 31 year old New York diva is about to break loose on a northern English warehouse full of expectant fans and anticipating critics. Having first caught our attention with some rock-infused, grimy hip-hop, our lady K has since moved away from angry feminist chanting into graceful electro domination with pure ease and constant accessibility. 

Tonight, the room is wild; we're caught in a force field of hyperactivity that just can't look away from the stage. If we phase out the sirens of drunken appreciation and roaming sweat drips, we can just about zone in on the more appealing sounds of 'Good Stuff' from breakthrough album Kaleidoscope. Though Kelis is keeping the small talk to a minimal, her ability to capture the crowd's attention is still immense; the sheer impact of her movement injects a real sense of occasion to this rave -  it's not any old stage you know! 

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Off 2003's Tasty, we hear the brick-shaking bass of 'Millionaire' (and nope, we can't count the number of glow sticks on view) and a delightful version of 'Milkshake'. Not sure how said song can get more delightful? Just try hearing it live as a mash up with Madonna's feel-good anthem 'Holiday' and allow your mind to pretty much get blown by a bullet of pop genius. Brand new record 'Flesh Tone' ensures the deliverance of soft floor filler '4th of July' and the electro pop heaven of 'Scream' filters through every spectrum of the building. 

It's an appropriate set list for an event like this, but one thing everyone sure is craving, is the dance mega hit 'Acapella'. Being one of the most talked-about tunes of the summer, this husky, candy-filled anthem doesn't steal away from a blinding gig, but it does finish it off rather nicely.  

We might be knocking off points due to the fact that there isn't enough space around us to bust any worthy dance moves (oh and we're sorry to the guy stood next to us who had a stiletto on his big toe for an hour...) but thousands of hands in the air confirms the presence of one superstar icon; Kelis' vocals, fashion get-up and stage manner combined create the energy of of true inspiration all wrapped up in a sparkly goodie bag. 

Drink up, drink up; this yummy mummy can't stop bringing her milkshake to the yard.

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