Bjork - Hammersmith Apollo, London - 14/4/08
5/5
By: Sian Norris
Where can I begin? I have been in love with Bjork since I first heard 'Army of Me' in my friend's flat way back in sixth form, and so it was with lip-biting anticipation that I arrived at this show.
She opened with the first single from her most recent triumph Volta. Live, 'Earth Intruders' is an exciting and incessantly bouncy tune with initially whispering vocals that end up soaring in that precise way that only Bjork can make happen. Wearing a pink shiny tin foil dress and a pom pom wig, she (somehow) looked amazing, her voice too being as beautiful as she was.
One of the joys of the show was how the set pretty much spanned her entire career, playing tracks from Debut to Volta, including 'Anchor Song', 'Army of Me', 'Unravel' and 'Pluto'. Granted, it was a shame there wasn't more on show from Vespertine, in my opinion her best album, but really that isn't a complaint, her career as a solo artist has spanned eight albums and not every one can be included!
I was intrigued to see how she would tackle the songs from Medulla, the album famous for its lack of instruments and near total reliance on the human voice. An elegant solution of including instruments was taken; which allowed for performances of 'The Pleasure is all Mine', 'Who Is It?' - a joyful song of romance and the excitement of a deep love affair - and an incredible a capella performance in Icelandic. The power of her voice filled the Apollo (surely the best large music venue in the capital? Move over, Brixton...), and my eyes certainly weren't dry by the end of this heartfelt and passionate performance in her native tongue.
One of the greatest elements of Bjork as a performer is the incredible range of music she has produced, from tracks almost folk like in their simplicity (such as 'Anchor Song') to others that have flawless production and are propelled by the huge sounds behind them ('Army of Me', 'Wanderlust'). She sparkles with energy and laughter as she performs; stamping her feet, moving all over the stage like a small bird, yet with a voice that stops the audience in its track.
Bjork was joined on the stage both by Antony Hegarty to perform the sensual duet of 'Dull Flame of Desire', and Toumani Diabaté on the Kora, a baeutiful instrument that reflect the subtleties in her voice. An all dancing all singing Icelnadic choir were also present, pushing her voice upwards with theirs, creating a wonderful cacophony that filled the room with a pure joy for the music.
I cried a lot during the gig. It was that powerful. And I don't think I've ever been so sad about the time being 11pm. She was exactly as wonderful as I though she would be.
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