Grace Jones, The Palais Theatre, 14th April 2011

Gallery: Grace Jones

Icon? Yep. Diva? Most definitely. Punctual? Definitely not.

This really wasn’t going to be a fun night. Crook as the proverbial canine, I arrived at the Palais around 8:30pm, for a scheduled on stage time of 8:50pm. Scores of people were waiting outside the theatre, with no doors open. “She’s still soundchecking” we were told.

Eventually, the doors opened, which simply led to more waiting around inside the theatre, listening to an inexplicable lone DJ with a MacBook Pro. Why such an iconic artist cannot find a local band to open for them is a mystery.

9pm came and went. Then 9:15.  Then 9:30. Around 9:45 the Jamaican born club icon took to the stage to a mixed crowd of New-Wave throwbacks, middle aged fans of her early 80s work, and at least 3 guys who weren’t going to last until the first costume change. More of that later.

With only 3 songs to nab some shots, it was challenging to get anything decent out of the first song, given it was performed entirely under a silver sack. Eventually emerging, Grace Jones didn’t disappoint in the costume department – a catsuit that showed off every curve of her now 63 year old body. Although it looked like something from the backstage wardrobe of The Lion King, she moved, catlike around the stage of the Palais Theatre.

Taking a seat for the 3rd song of the evening, she lasted most of the song before presumably heading out back for a costume change. The music tonight was unremarkable, the audience subdued early, and as we were ushered out by security after our 3 songs we were closely followed by 3 guys who were headed to the bar. ‘Can’t listen to any more of that shit’ was their 8 word review.

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