Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe has to be the greatest entertainer on planet earth right now. This show was the perfect combination of music, dance, political rabble rousing, comedy, audience participation and downright sheer fun. Let’s start with the music. Her new album has taken her in a slightly more hip hop direction but the blend of the new music with the older stuff was perfectly judged and delivered by crack musicians with an unbelievable energy and intensity. The 4 dancers, the costume changes and fantastic lighting effects augmented the visual experience without distracting from the music. A highlight was Janelle busting out her best Michael Jackson moves at the start of Make Me Feel. Her overtly political stance on minority rights especially for the LBGT community were given a good airing to joyfully enthusiastic encouragement from the audience but again this never got over bearing or distracting. There were moments of comedy most notably at the start of another new song where Janelle retook the stage swigging a bottle of wine and then uttered the song title Don’t Judge Me. Audience participation was prevalent throughout as the crowd seemed to be singing every word to every song but reached its peak when Janelle got 4 people from the audience on to the stage to get them to dance and prove they did indeed have the juice during the performance of I’ve Got The Juice. And then Janelle was not able to resist getting in to the crowd herself for the show’s encore Come Alive by doing an almost reckless crowd surf. The most telling sign that this girl had the crowd in the palm of her hand was the moment when she returned to the stage after her crowd surf without her hat. She stood in the pit with her hand outstretched and a mock reproachful expression on her face. Moments later the hat was dutifully returned by her adoring public. Faultless, joyful, peerless entertainment. 6 stars out of 5.

It's beginning to cool off as the shade begins to cover Grant Park. The skyline casts a long shadow over the lawn in front of the Petrillo Music Shell. Fans await who they have journeyed here for, Janelle Monae.
At times, living in Chicago is a segregated experience. But at the Tatse of Chicago, the city is united as one. North, South, and West all gather to celebrate summer and to take advantage of the incredible talent Chicago can attract for a free lakefront concert. This is why we live here, and we're all soaking it in. Finally, the band takes the stage. They're all dressed in white. It's clear we are in for more than just a concert, this will be a performance. Janelle comes out and the crowd erupts. She and the band rock through her set, dancing along the whole time. She throws in a few covers by James Brown and the Jackson 5. "I Feel Good" and "ABC" respectively. By any other artist, this would seem like pandering to a large crowd, but in this case, they integrate perfectly into the performance.
At one point she leaves the stage to grab a leather jacket. She's cool and she knows it. And during her show, she's hanging out with all of us, and we feel cool too.

Janelle Monáe has such a stage presence about her. She is energetic and gets the audience excited with the sultry sound of her lovely voice.

With her signature hair, tie and classic good looks she captivates the audience from the moment she steps on the stage. She could sing anything and it would sound so good. Not only is her voice amazing but she is the kind of performer that you feel a connection with on a personal level.

She seems so down to earth and grounded that you can't help but be transfixed on her through out her songs. The audience always seems to enjoy themselves, going wild after every song she sings. No one can seem to help but get lost in her music. It's always awesome to see a strong, independent woman take the stage and just take over the whole audience. When she says she is going to perform, she sets you up with a whole experience to remember. I doubt anyone who sees her in concert could say they had a bad time. It just wouldn't be possible with how good she is on stage. Janelle Monáe is one of the most interesting individuals I have ever heard or seen.

One of the smoothest, most self assured artists currently working the circuit is neo-soul starlet Janelle Monáe. With a considerable amount of cool and a vocal range to match, she has been delighting fans on both sides of the Atlantic with her classic live performance which really puts emphasis back onto the instrumental.

Known for being an incredibly strong female figure, Monáe has become accustomed with performing in a tuxedo as some statement of intent to prove she is just as worthy as her male counterparts. One thing she surpasses them on however is the amazing jazz vocal found on the likes of 'Givin Em What They Love' and 'Dance Apocalyptic'. She is a singer of surpassable sophistication and conducts herself in a manner befitting this reputation. Her abilities shine during a cover of 'ABC' by The Jacksons and demonstrates her influences of disco and funk. By the finale of 'Tightrope' the whole audience are intrigued and infatuated with Janelle in equal measure and from the satisfied look on her face this appears to be the exact outcome she was hoping for.

Janelle Monae on a rooftop in Manhattan next to the river on a beautiful evening.

That's how we START the show.

If you know anything about Janelle Monae you know that she's more than a singer, songwriter, or fashion icon - she's everything.

Her set has steps she glides up and down, her dancers come and go with songs and costume changes, all while the band keep the hits coming and thumping.

There were at least 5 different moments where I thought "seriously, how's she going to top this?" and she did...everytime.

Pier 17 is an awesome venue and Janelle is the kind of act you see ANYWHERE, a beautiful venue is a bonus.

She leans heavily on her most recent (and most impactful?) album Dirty Computer, but there are splashes of Electric Lady and Archandroid splatter for the longer-lasting fans.

Don't miss Janelle if you have the chance to see her, she's a tour du force of entertainment with the chops, vocals, and badass attitude to back it up.

Thank you Janelle, you are a fucking hero

Janelle Monae's "Dirty Computer" Concert was beyond incredible. Her singing was fantastic, and she didn't sing all of her songs the exact way they were on the album (which was great because it added variety). She didn't lip-sync. Her dancing was awe-inspiring, of course, as were her back up dancers'.

Her outfits were completely in sync with her personality, and with the songs themselves. At points in the concert, she spoke a message or interacted with the audience; she made an effort to make sure that everyone "felt heard, felt seen, and felt loved" by her songs/concert.

The crowd environment was also very positive, which made the event feel safe and welcoming.

Side-note, St. Beauty (the opener) did a wonderful job, and made an effort to get the crowd pumped/involved. Their singing was also excellent.

The only downside to this concert was that it couldn't last forever.

Janelle Monáe was fabulous tonight, playing to a less than full venue with a crowd that took a little while to warm up. The band, the dancers, the visuals, her voice and THOSE COSTUME CHANGES — all great! The show was too much of her latest (poptastic) album and not enough of the crazy jazz-funk-hip-hop-rock-opera that characterised her early work but that’s just my tastes and can’t take away from what an amazing talent she is. My one real complaint is her ham-fisted speechifying, part of her being yet another musical talent to submit to today’s culture of ideology over aesthetic. My favourite bit: when she got four audience members to dance (very well) to prove that they’ve “got the juice”. Magic.

I never cry at concerts no matter how dear the artist is to me. BUT Janelle really got me teary eyed. Such a fantastic show with beautiful aesthetics. Janelle really cares about her fans and made it known that we were loved. You could literally feel the love radiating throughout the stadium. She is such a fantastic performer (she literally changed outfits 6 times in a blink of an eye and performed all of Dirty Computer/parts of Electric Lady/The ArchAndroid) and seems like such a genuinely cool person. Do not miss out on a Janelle Monae concert or else you will surely regret it forever!!

It's Janelle Monae, so you already know it was absolutely magnificent! From the band, to the dancers, to the openers! She even told me she liked my earrings! Everyone is welcome, amazing and powerful messages. Performance level made Beyonce shake! Everlasting talent & energy from everyone. Everything, every vocal, and every object was on point. Night to never forget.

The Pageant didn't do an excellent job on keeping the pit and walkways from overcrowding, but in front row, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.

BISHHHHHHH!!! This was one of the BEST CONCERTS IVE EVER BEEN TOO!!! Janelle SANG AND DANCED HER ASS OFF you hear me!!! The vibe and energy made me feel LOVED AND WELCOMED!!! I love her to the moon and back!!! She is truly an AMAZING entertainer!!! She was worth every penny! The dancers, the band, her wardrobe... I could go on and on! Dirty Computer is a concert I will never forget!!! So glad I got to witness her GENIUS in this life time!

Love, Peace, & Shea Butter,
Jasmine (JXL Make Your Ears POP!)