Robyn Live Review

Robyn needs no introduction to many of you readers I’m sure but just in case, I’ll set the scene… She’s a crazy hip-pop Swedish popstar who breaks rules, defies conventions and is, quite simply, probably one of the most original, genuinely talented musicians of the 21^st Century.

Got it? Good! So it comes as no surprise that when she performed at Club YoYo in Notting Hill, her first show in the UK for a long long while I was there super early (and entry was free before 8). I was not alone though, I had an accomplice in Poptastic Jessica of countless ace blogs that really make me feel stupid.

Robyn was amazing, as expected, blasting out ‘Be Mine’ and ‘Handle Me’ with ease, captivating the (albeit small) audience. She had everyone dancing on the palm of her hand.

Then we were treated to a cover of Prince’s ‘Jack U Off’. When the ‘band’ consisted of just Robyn and Kleerup, one of which was singing, the other one playing guitar, drums might, under normal circumstances, prove difficult. No such problems for these super Swedes as Kleerup banged the snare drum and Robyn took a drumstick in one hand and convulsed over the track, hitting the skins and cymbals brilliantly. It left quite a lot of the audience gasping in awe.

‘Konichiwa Bitches’ came on, and Robyn’s scarf came off, and with it came all the pleasantness and twee smiles she’d shot us so far. Now Robyn was an animalistic monster hell bent on kicking everyone’s ass and making them dance. If we were in Colonial Salem then Robyn’s mystifying stage presence might result in a ducking. Fortunately, we were Notting Hill, so her efforts got her some polite moshing from people wearing co-ordinated shirts and jumpers.

Finally, we got a treat in the form of ‘With Every Heartbeat’, her latest collaboration, with Kleerup, and 'Girliestyle'. 'With Every Heartbeat' is, even by Robyn’s standards, one of her best. One of THE best in fact. Hopefully, it’ll be the song to give Robyn the success in the UK she so thoroughly deserves. Robyn’s presence and talent are to big to be confined to Scandinavia. Infact, I think ‘With Every Heartbeat’ is almost guaranteed to be Jupiter’s biggest hit of 2007. You heard it here first and all that.

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On a related note, one of the support acts, Cock n Bull Kid, was sensational. Obviously influenced by Neneh Cherry and M.I.A. she threw out four songs with such wit and insight I couldn’t help but be enamoured. In truth, I hate this speculating over what will be huge next year, though having said this; if Cock N Bull Kid’s best song ‘Velvet Glove, Iron Fist’ isn’t gobbled up and doesn’t redefine Brit-hop then I’ll eat my hat.

And you can ask Jessica, it’s a very nice hat.