CityLife

Goldfrapp

Alison Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp
Manchester Academy 1
November 17, 2010

Today's female stars love to put on a show, but one enigmatic artiste could show them less is more. Alison Goldfrapp barely spoke throughout her 16-song Academy set, commanding fans’ attention with her poise and remarkable voice.

The fortysomething singer elevated pop to performance art when GaGa and Florence were swanning around the sixth-form common room. Honing her act in Antwerp’s smoky cabaret clubs, she went on to release debut Felt Mountain in 2000 with musical partner Will Gregory. Together they conjured up a dystopian aural landscape of Alpine mountains and oompah bands – the musical equivalent of The Sound Of Music meets Metropolis.

They went on to embrace genres from folk to disco, turning to the Eighties for most recent album Head First - and, as they took to the Academy stage in shoulder pads and top-to-toe glitter, it seemed obvious which sound would dominate the set.

Listening at home, some of Head First’s tracks veer into Van Halen territory, but on stage the mix of synths and soaring vocals sounded unlike anything else. After opening with Crystalline Green, from 2004’s Black Cherry, they launched into Hunt, followed by Dreaming, Head First’s stand-out track.

There followed a smattering of songs from Supernature, arguably their most mainstream album, with Number 1 and Ride A White Horse proving particularly popular. Then they left the stage, returning with a change of costumes and tone for to play earlier tracks Black Cherry, Lovely Head and Strict Machine.

Alison had donned a sort-of harlequin-pattern jumpsuit, her top half hidden by what could be described as a mini marquee or, perhaps, a portable mosquito net. It was an offbeat moment, but the bizarre get-up was only a trifle distracting. Unlike GaGa and co, Goldfrapp always deliver substance over style.