ADE festival report: Kelis at Paradiso

The almighty Paradiso was packed and the public (mostly thirty-somethings, gay-minded, happy people) was waiting for the magic to start. Around 9 PM  the room went dark and a blue light hit the stage. Big white pop-up flowers enlightened the floor.

Then the super sleek and sexy Kelis appeared, wearing sky high heels and a sparkling cat suit. A drummer, a big blonde female DJ, and a hot keyboardist accompanied her. The crowd went insane and the mood was set. Kelis started off with a sample of ‘Shout’ from eighties heartthrobs Tears for Fears, and soon got into the tracks of her latest album ‘Flesh Tone’.

Halfway the concert I really studied the people around me and I knew something was weird about this concert. I went to quite a few concerts in Amsterdam, but the public can be a little bit difficult here sometimes. Not with this ADE concert: it struck me that nobody, and I really mean NOBODY was not participating. I could not find a single soul standing still in the whole Paradiso during the whole concert.

There was one time when Kelis silenced the room though. It was with the beautiful ‘I just want to get along with you’. Other highlight for me was the upbeat ‘Spaceship’ (original with Benny Benassi).  Kelis also ‘borrowed’ some classics from her colleagues to hype the public. She sang ‘Sign your name across my heart’ from Terence Trent D’Arby and mixed Milkshake with Madonna’s ‘Holiday’. Of course she also performed her hit ‘Acapella’ and as an encore she did ‘Song for the Baby’ and topped it off with some uplifting dancehall tunes and the infamous ‘Trick me’.

I liked Kelis from the moment she got out in Holland with ‘Caught out There’. She got something sassy about her and I really love her deep, hoarse voice. On her latest album Kelis made the switch from R&B-ish sounds to house vocals and beats.  At this sold-out ADE concert, I must say Kelis pulled it off. Together with the public, she put on a great show. Although some vocals were dubbed, I must say Kelis gave a strong and fierce performance where there was no time to stand still. I think we will hear much more from this new, credible and different performer in the dance scene.

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