Robyn Reminds Me How Amazing My Job Is At The Palace

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On my calendar there are shows, and then there are SHOWS!!!!! Seeing Swedish singer Robyn live had a spot on my concert bucket list since I started. Being in the photo pit last night was one of those “I can’t believe I’m doing this” moments for me. Coming from a press event at the MOA for Candytopia I was at the Palace at a very unfashionable 6 PM and watched the crowd stream into the sold out show. The wide variety of fans proves her appeal across age, lifestyle, and fashion choices. The Palace’s coat check did booming business and once the reasonable MN winter clothing was shed outfits ranging from “Dang it’s cold outside” to “You wore THAT in zero degree weather” were revealed.

 

Opening the show were Kindness and Channel Tres. Kindness’ DJ set started with Kate Bush and featured a number of my favorite women performers. After getting some photos I settled in out of sight from the stage armed with the set times. The sound changed and vocals took over and I made a note on my book that the set changed vibes dramatically. A few minutes before the announced set time for Channel Tres I returned to the main floor only to find that the change in vibes, was actually the next performer having taken over the stage and almost being done. Oooooops :). So my “acoustic and out of sight” impression of Channel Tres: I liked the sound and the crowd was nicely energized.

As 9 O’Clock rolled around the fans were more than ready. The lights dimmed and smoke settled on the pure white stage. Shouts of “Konichiwa Robyn” erupted from the crowd. Robyn started the first song out of sight and became visible about half way through it to loud cheers. “Send to Robin Immediately” ended in dramatic fashion as she only used body language to express herself.

From there the party started by the third song pretty much everyone at the Palace was singing along. As much as I love Robyn’s music, her live performance leaves just listening to her in the dust. The stage setup is deceivingly simple, the lights mostly white (every photographer was ready to hug whoever designed her show), but everything works very well to support Robyn’s personality, give her room for her dance moves. Her setlist wove a lot of songs from her new album “Honey” in with the songs that made her a household name. “Love is free” brought out dancers and blended into “Don’t f***ing tell me what to do” (my dog’s unofficial theme song – BULLDOGS!!!)

I should not have loved the show as much as I did. Not a single one of my personal favorites made the set list, Photographers were restricted to one side of the pit (not complaining, I got to photograph Robyn!!!!), and the merch………..Orange? I’d look like a 6’2” Oompa Loompa and would scare children. Yet there I was with a grin on my face for the entire show, it was perfect. How perfect? When one of our writers asked how amazing it was, I responded “Leave my family and follow her as a full time groupie amazing”. Every once I awhile a show comes along to remind us why we love what we do, and Robyn definitely reminded me of that last night.

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