Jessie J at The o2, Dublin on Wednesday the 16th of October 2013.
Jessie J has a bit of a chequered past when it comes to performing in Ireland. Originally, the Alive Tour was meant to take place in March but was rescheduled due to recording commitments. This was followed by a cancelled support slot for Justin Timberlake in the Phoenix Park meaning gig-goers were subjected to The Coronas instead and to top it off an appearance on 2FM was cancelled at the very last second due to illness leaving three hundred plus fans disappointed. All of this coupled with a somewhat infamous Trinity Ball appearance in 2010 meant all eyes were on the O2 purely to see if she turned up. The quirky songstress decided it was time to show her face and for the fans present it was certainly worth the wait.
The show began with Pink Jessie showing off her undeniably huge vocal range with Big White Room. It’s that big voice which keeps those not entirely convinced by the songwriting or the onstage antics interested. Breathe provides the first instance in an evening of cleverly coördinated staging as smoke cannons move to the beat of the song.
Just when she had began to build momentum it was time for a costume change, the first of four throughout the evening. Each one made unbearable by some words of wisdom from Jessie J on the big screens. For the younger fans, having your hero tell you that you can be whatever you want to be and all of that clichéd stuff may prove a highlight of the night but for parents, boyfriends and anyone of sane body and mind it was pure self-indulgent nonsense.
Laserlight is a highlight of the performance, with The O2 lit up by sparkling green lasers. It’s quite a spectacle, one which surprisingly isn’t tarnished by the all-too-common in modern pop music EDM, courtesy of the devil incarnate David Guetta. The rhyming couplet of Excuse My Rude and Do It Like A Dude provide little but more impressive pyrotechnics. Nobody’s Perfect is preluded by Jessie giving ten-year old Eimear in the front row some more life advice, just incase the on-screen speeches weren’t motivational enough. Cynicism aside, it is endearing to see a star connect with their fans on a personal level. All too often they go ignored.
Latest single Wild gets those in the nosebleeds up out of their seats as The O2 bounces along in its entirety. Who You Are is perhaps her finest song to date both lyrically and vocally. Unfortunately it’s followed up by yet more soppiness as Jessie J bemoans how hard it is to be a celebrity. Price Tag is obviously her most popular song to date, alas she falls into the clichéd trap of doing something slightly different with it and that rarely ever works does it? It’s My Party and Alive round off the night in style with yet more impressive production as cannons shoot golden glitter into the arena which appears to remain suspended in mid-air for eternity.
Much like her costumes on the night, Jessie J’s performance was all glitter but little substance. Her undeniable vocal talent is what sets her apart from so many other female pop stars at the moment. That twinned with her relentless enthusiasm and a creative staging team mean that despite some grating moments, she managed to keep the attention of all those present. Some may have even enjoyed it, just a little bit.
Banner Photo: Sean Smyth