Preemptive Gig Excitement

Tomorrow I am going to see Vampire Weekend supported by the amazing and insatiable Janelle Monae. I am very excited. Especially about Janelle Monae, who is just about my favorite lady in pop right now. I have been holding out ever since the mid-Missy-Elliot-years and post-Neptune-production-albums for some interesting R'n'B, and here she is, dressed like Andre 3000, with the moves of James Brown and the cyber concepts of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. She even has her own Haus Of Gaga style art collective behind her, the Wondaland Arts Society.



And Vampire Weekend are obviously very cute.




Her collaborations are more interesting than most r'n'b artists, having worked with Outkast's Big Boy on their pop opera Idlewild and her track Tightrope, as well as working with Panic! At The Disco and Cee Lo Green on the collaborative track Open Happiness in 2009 (cheesy and part of a Coca-cola promotion, but very cute none the less.) It is so refreshing to hear and see a female r'n'b artist who is not afraid of being more creative than showing a bit of Adidas nipple and a jelly booty rubbing up against 50 Cent's Candy shop. It's also nice that she clearly doesn't take herself too seriously, in a good way, while maintaining her individuality as an artist. Basically, I'm really glad she came along.

Here she is performing with Kooky Canadian pop act Of Montreal. I'm just going to say it one more time - I. Am. Excited.



They are at Alexandra Palace Friday 3rd December. Tickets might still be available over at TICKETMASTER. Come along, we can all do the preppy cyborg jive together.