Image by Camille Ikalina-Robles
Goldfrapp plays short but sweet set in San Francisco
April 26, 2008, in San Francisco
By Camille Ikalina-Robles
Published: April 28th, 2008 | 12:35am
Goldfrapp made an appearance at the Warfield on April 26, 2008, in support of its new release, Seventh Tree (Mute), treating San Francisco fans to a night full of visual theatrics and electronic folk majesty. From ambient, ethereal folk to hard-hitting glam rock, british duo Alison Goldfrapp (vocals) and Will Gregory (synths) explored many facets of their wide musical influences that have made each of their four releases unique. Joined by numerous performers dressed in flowing white sheaths and tunics, the duo was flagged by harps, violins, keyboards, and guitars. But just as fans began to warm up and get into the gig, the show ended so fast that even a four-song encore only clocked the performance in at just a little more than an hour.
But after Goldfrapp took the stage, we gained a little insight into what might have cut the performance short. "Everyone has a cold," Goldfrapp explained to the crowd, to which audience members replied with a sympathetic "Awwwww." Dressed in a short, flowing, neon pink dress, Goldfrapp launched into "A&E," her billowing long sleeves making her emotive arm gestures come alive against the flashing neon lights.
The most impressive part of the show was the incredible arrangement that hung behind the band. Large squares wrapped in what looked like a basket weave of ropes hung up to the rafters of the auditorium, serving as a display to the images that were thrown upon them. The texture of the squares, along with the often-unrecognizable images, brought life and a mood to each of the songs, expressing visually the meanings and emotions of the music. The psychedelic kaleidoscope of colors that moved across the background fit magically with the rocking intensity of "Little Bird."
When Goldfrapp left the stage only a few songs later, many of the audience members were taken by surprise by the short set. But even as the band members returned, it was clear that the overall sickness they were suffering was taking a toll. Goldfrapp apologized repeatedly for the state of her voice, although her performance still seemed flawless. To open the encore, the band played the self-proclaimed "hillbilly version" of "Oh La La," a song that made an appearance earlier in the set in its original form. The track was followed by a intense "Caravan Woman" and soon enough the show was over.
It was unfortunate that the band didn't perform a longer set, but considering the circumstances, Goldfrapp still put in a worthy performance. The show was short but sweet, but the energy level was high and the intensity never wavered. Goldfrapp's dancing and stage antics were in good form, and she looked like she was enjoying herself. In the end, it was an unforgettable performance packed into 70 minutes of pure musical magic.
Issue #29
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