Sophie Ellis-Bextor is back with a brand new album and a fabulous tour to celebrate its release. Perimenopop, her eighth studio album, was released on 12 September this year and preceded by an incredible six singles: Freedom Of The Night, Relentless Love, Vertigo (my personal favorite on the album), Taste, Dolce Vita and Stay On Me. The album’s title is a wordplay on “perimenopause”, the stage of life in which Sophie finds herself while still thriving as a pop music artist despite doubts about her ability to continue in the world of pop music as she ages: “While for me it’s not necessarily a literal reference to perimenopause, the title works well for a pop album. It was more about the conversation, the algorithm, the expectation of this age and how maybe sometimes it’s gloomy and overwhelming.”
The album is certainly anything but gloomy! It delivers all the signature elements I've come to expect and cherish from Sophie Ellis-Bextor: a heady alchemy of disco, pop and dance - and more! Indeed, Quentin Harrison from The Line of Best Fit points out that while the album “doesn’t disguise that the mirrorball is the muse…reclamation and refinement sit at the heart of Perimenopop with a few other sonic surprises tucked in”. It’s a triumphant return to form that explores themes such as love, aging and living la dolce vita - while sounding and looking amazing!
Fresh on the heels of a US tour in the wake of Murder On The Dancefloor’s viral moment courtesy of Saltburn, Sophie is back in North America with the Perimenopop Tour. She performed a polished set, enhanced by a striking mix of visuals combining clips from some of her iconic music videos and groovy retro images, at NYC’s Webster Hall this week.
She opened the show with Relentless Love, taking to the stage in a black and pink coatdress while basking in rainbow lights and setting the scene for a night of unadulterated disco-fuelled euphoria. She later changed into a sparkling silver fringe body suit with tinsel-adorned shoulder pads. Her usual charisma shone through as she chatted with the audience between songs from the new album as well as her seminal hits from her decades-long career, inviting us to replicate some fun choreography during Hypnotized or belt out the “aye aye aye” refrain on Get Over You.
It was a truly fun evening and, after the audience’s energized response and Sophie’s obvious love for the city, I hope she’ll be back in the near future!
The complete setlist was as follows:
Relentless Love
Take Me Home
Dolce Vita
Hypnotized
Catch You
Time
Hearing In Colour
Ready For Your Love
Glamorous
Get Over You
Lady (Hear Me Tonight) / Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) / Can't Fight This Feeling / Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Freedom Of The Night
I Feel Love (Donna Summer cover)
Not Giving Up On Love
Layers
Crying At The Discoteque
Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)
Murder On The Dancefloor
Encore:
Bittersweet
Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone (on balcony)
Comments
Post a Comment