Blood Orange at Webster Hall (2/06)
On February 6th, Dev Hynes, AKA Blood Orange, uploaded an Instagram photo outside Webster Hall. The shot told the story of what was to come later that evening: “Bowery Presents Blood Orange, Sold Out.” This dreamy reality impressed even Hynes, as he captioned the photo with just three words: “Oh my god.”
Hynes is surprised but he shouldn’t be. He’s opened for Florence + The Machine on a national tour, he’s penned hits for Solange and Sky Ferreira (the latter, “Everything is Embarrassing,” was named best song of 2012 by New York magazine) and the ongoing critical acclaim for Blood Orange’s debut album Coastal Grooves and 2013’s Cupid Deluxe is cosmic. In the past, Hynes has said that seeing his songs performed by other people on big stages was all he ever wanted. But this ecstatic full house made it clear that Hynes got his wish and more. People don’t want to hear his songs performed by other singers; they want him.
Onstage, Hynes sports a captivating charisma cloaked in casual nonchalance. It’s this, and a wondrous flashback of a wardrobe, that solidifies his coolness. The set was pretty much dedicated to Cupid Deluxe, so, fittingly, the show opened with the LP’s first track “Chamakay.” Here, Hynes shared the stage with Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek.
The vocal inflections found on Cupid Deluxe are even more compelling in person. Hynes’ timbre comes off as sweet, almost shy, while still displaying depths of masculinity. Standout song “You’re Not Good Enough” brought out Hynes’ girlfriend Samantha Urbani (who remained onstage for most of the night). Urbani and Hynes both donned statement hats but Urbani’s multi-colored leather jacket, circa ’89, won the style round (Hynes actually stole it for himself at one point, too). Aside from her far out fashion sense, Urbani’s voice soothes, demonstrating low-key yet powerful R&B vibes. In short, she pairs well with the Blood Orange mystique.
The set soared and the crowd’s electricity sparked each time Hynes sashayed across the stage to pick up his Stratocaster. His guitar solos ping-ponged between clean funk rhythms and searing Prince-inspired leads — both styles proved equally entertaining. Two songs later, Queens-based rapper Despot joined the crew for his verse on “Clipped On.”
Blood Orange’s back-up band impressed, but Hynes and Urbani were the true stars of the night. In fact, she was the reason for Hynes’ first spoken words to the audience: “Samantha Urbani, everyone,” he said with a sort of bow. The couple appeared relaxed and, for a moment, even put their arms around each other playfully. The sweetest part: Hynes wasn’t focused on stealing the spotlight. For “Always Let U Down” he stepped into the sidelines, allowing Urbani to shine as she sang. At this point, he appeared as a swaying, dancing silhouette under a myriad of smoky maroon lights.
All in all, Hynes and crew bring eclectic to new levels and this show was no different. For almost two hours, silky smooth grooves and tribal island drums collided with snarky synth marimbas — basically, it was a sonic smorgasbord and it was delicious. Hynes closed out with “Time Will Tell,” a fan favorite since it features the best line from the best song off Coastal Grooves, “Champagne Coast.” Over and over, the crowd sang in unison “come into my bedroom, come into my bedroom, come into my bedroom,” inspiring Hynes to jump off the stage. He then danced and cooed the rest of the song right in the middle of 2,000 people. It was the moment of the night.
After a few “thanks” and waves, the entire Blood Orange ensemble disappeared off stage. The hopeful sea of fans cheered for an encore they never got, but their faces remained glowing. On his records and onstage, Dev Hynes creates interesting music that blurs the lines between stars and guest stars — even the live crowd becomes part of the act — and that’s what makes Blood Orange different and definitely oh-my-god-worthy.
Review by Melissa D’Agnese. Follow her on Twitter @emdeee. Photos edited by Mike Gutkin. Find him on Instagram @mc_gutty.