Review: BØRNS
Photo and Review by Nicole White
January 17, 2018
Mikky Ekko and Charlotte Cardin opened for BØRNS at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Wednesday night for the first show of his 2018 tour.
Mikky Ekko, who co-wrote and was featured on Rihanna’s hit song “Stay,” was an energetic opening act and announced that he will be releasing a new album this year. Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin, a Top 4 finalist on La Voix (the Montreal-based French Canadian version of The Voice), entranced the audience with her powerful vocals. The 23-year-old sung mostly while playing keys and was backed by two other touring musicians. Cardin told the audience that some of the band’s equipment had been broken on the plane, so they had to improvise some stylistic choices on “Kids.”
As the theater was preparing for BØRNS to take the stage for the sold out show, people were taking pictures of the venue’s magnificent architecture and girls waited in the front row holding bouquets of flowers for the Michigan singer-songwriter. Anticipation grew around what the setlist would contain for this tour. Three out of the four touring musicians BØRNS had brought along with him on tour were women (girl power!). They stepped out in front of a tropical backdrop of palm fronds before the backlit singer himself appeared on stage.
BØRNS opened with “God Save Our Young Blood,” the first track of his new record Blue Madonna that came out only five days prior, before announcing he would be performing the whole album front to back. This was super exciting and a fun thing for him to do; however, a bit risky since fans would not know the newly released material as well to sing along to. Cool colored blue and purple lights were used heavily throughout the night, perhaps evocative of the new album’s title. Bright white spotlights and heavenly beams followed BØRNS around on stage and complemented his angelic voice.
The stage was set up so part of it was elevated and there was a short staircase for BØRNS to move up and down, or even sit on for dramatic effect. The stairs acted like a pedestal, which gave fans on the floor a better view of the performance; however, it also seemed to distance BØRNS more from the audience, pushing him back and confining him to the rear of the stage. A man of little words, BØRNS focused on singing his songs and delivering a pure sound to his fans. Dancing all night, he put on a dynamic show.
The girls in the front row threw the bouquets on stage and the crowd screamed as BØRNS picked them up and even smelled some. With a keyboard that emitted ghostly sounds, BØRNS played the keys on “Supernatural.” BØRNS finally addressed the audience more directly and said, “Thank you very much Oakland, it's been way too long. Here you are, you guys came! Thanks for coming, I wouldn't want to start the tour anywhere else.” After “Bye-bye Darling,” the band went backstage until called back out for an encore.
Saving all the fan favorites for the end, the encore consisted of six of his biggest hits, starting with “Seeing Stars” to which everyone sang along. For “10,000 Emerald Pools” the lights were blue and projected a water-like texture on the backdrop and green lights glowed for “American Money” which featured a guitar solo. An electric guitar in hand, BØRNS put on an electrifying performance of his closing song “Electric Love.” With a stage engulfed in pink lights, the crowd danced their hearts out and everyone’s hands were up, clapping in the air. BØRNS put on a wonderful performance that kept the audience wanting more.
Mikky Ekko and Charlotte Cardin opened for BØRNS at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Wednesday night for the first show of his 2018 tour.
Mikky Ekko, who co-wrote and was featured on Rihanna’s hit song “Stay,” was an energetic opening act and announced that he will be releasing a new album this year. Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin, a Top 4 finalist on La Voix (the Montreal-based French Canadian version of The Voice), entranced the audience with her powerful vocals. The 23-year-old sung mostly while playing keys and was backed by two other touring musicians. Cardin told the audience that some of the band’s equipment had been broken on the plane, so they had to improvise some stylistic choices on “Kids.”
As the theater was preparing for BØRNS to take the stage for the sold out show, people were taking pictures of the venue’s magnificent architecture and girls waited in the front row holding bouquets of flowers for the Michigan singer-songwriter. Anticipation grew around what the setlist would contain for this tour. Three out of the four touring musicians BØRNS had brought along with him on tour were women (girl power!). They stepped out in front of a tropical backdrop of palm fronds before the backlit singer himself appeared on stage.
BØRNS opened with “God Save Our Young Blood,” the first track of his new record Blue Madonna that came out only five days prior, before announcing he would be performing the whole album front to back. This was super exciting and a fun thing for him to do; however, a bit risky since fans would not know the newly released material as well to sing along to. Cool colored blue and purple lights were used heavily throughout the night, perhaps evocative of the new album’s title. Bright white spotlights and heavenly beams followed BØRNS around on stage and complemented his angelic voice.
The stage was set up so part of it was elevated and there was a short staircase for BØRNS to move up and down, or even sit on for dramatic effect. The stairs acted like a pedestal, which gave fans on the floor a better view of the performance; however, it also seemed to distance BØRNS more from the audience, pushing him back and confining him to the rear of the stage. A man of little words, BØRNS focused on singing his songs and delivering a pure sound to his fans. Dancing all night, he put on a dynamic show.
The girls in the front row threw the bouquets on stage and the crowd screamed as BØRNS picked them up and even smelled some. With a keyboard that emitted ghostly sounds, BØRNS played the keys on “Supernatural.” BØRNS finally addressed the audience more directly and said, “Thank you very much Oakland, it's been way too long. Here you are, you guys came! Thanks for coming, I wouldn't want to start the tour anywhere else.” After “Bye-bye Darling,” the band went backstage until called back out for an encore.
Saving all the fan favorites for the end, the encore consisted of six of his biggest hits, starting with “Seeing Stars” to which everyone sang along. For “10,000 Emerald Pools” the lights were blue and projected a water-like texture on the backdrop and green lights glowed for “American Money” which featured a guitar solo. An electric guitar in hand, BØRNS put on an electrifying performance of his closing song “Electric Love.” With a stage engulfed in pink lights, the crowd danced their hearts out and everyone’s hands were up, clapping in the air. BØRNS put on a wonderful performance that kept the audience wanting more.