With a harlequin-themed stage sprinkled with owls, crows, and deer heads, Goldfrapp once again set the standard for artists to follow. As a huge fan of Goldfrapp, it is always interesting to me how they draw inspiration for each song, video, or look. They are chameleons in the way that, with every album, not only the look changes but also the music. That is when you know they have talent — when they have the ability to make any genre of music enjoyable and catchy, especially with a honky tonk piano. With the lovely light show against a harlequin graphic, circus lights and an overall circus theme, Allison Goldfrapp gave “The Greastest Show on Earth.”   With her sweet doe eyes and wild blonde hair, Allison charmed the audience with her soothing, sweet voice. 

Effortlessly combining electro-synth pop, psychedelia, and folksy tales for lyrics, Goldfrapp has the ability to capture an audience with her stage presence that may, at times, come across as shy, but that is part of the appeal. The humble quality she displays goes well with the profound lyrics of the new album, Seventh Tree. Goldfrapp are artists, while some bands are just performers. I think the fans know this difference, and that is why Goldfrapp fans are so loyal. Goldfrapp has done a wide range of music over the years, from dance (”Black Cherry,” “Supernature”) to the more ethereal, earthy sound of their newest album, Seventh Tree.

Goldfrapp gave a wonderfully diverse performance this past Sunday night at the beautifully ornate Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The eclectic, hip crowd danced to hits like “Number 1,” “Train,” and “Ooh La La,” and listened admiringly to softer songs like “A&E” and “Little Bird.”  There were fans of many ages, which shows that their music is for people who love music that is uplifting, melodic, and inspiring. Certainly a stylish duo, a barefoot Allison Goldfrapp donned a black and white harlequin-patterned mini dress, while her band members dressed in white. Like Goldfrapp’s new melodic album, the mix of earth and electronic was a strong theme during the show, most apparent in the nighttime creatures like owls and crows perched on the keyboards and sound equipment on stage. As the show winded down, it seemed liked the one-and-a-half-hour concert went by super fast, which means we were wanting more Goldfrapp. Very rarely does a band have so many great songs to fill an entire hour and a half, but Goldfrapp did and could have easily had us sit another hour.  The direction Goldfrapp has taken from trip-hop to dance, to almost folksy seems like a natural one.  It doesn’t matter what Goldfrapp does next, because the fans will surely follow this talented dynamic duo. Leaving The Orpheum, my heart was warm, my ears were purring, and my eyes were as wide as the world.

Photos courtesy of Babak Bina

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