FAITH IN THIS THING WE CALL ART: Blood Orange smashing it live at The Alibi

When your squashed in to a sweaty dark room with Devonte Hyndes you know you are in for a whale of a time. Or at least you do now because I am telling you!

Tuesday night saw me hopping on the tube to the delectable Dalston Junction and heading to The Alibi for a unmissable (free) Blood Orange gig. When I arrived, ready for the 9.30 set, the underground gathering seemed relatively empty and the only sign of a show was a single microphone and one amp placed in a minuscule dark room which can be only described a dungeon. Greeted by friends we joked about how we hoped it was going to happen... the stage seemed unset but we grabbed some drinks and placed ourselves (in-conspicuously) by the minimal equipment in the empty room. We waited.. we waited... the place was getting quite busy.. we waited. The dungeon filled up.. we got hot.. we waited. Then came the voice “Let the man through! Let the man through!” … The lights went up and there pushing through the crowd towards us was the man himself, guitar and laptop in hand, Light speed Champion/Blood Orange/ Dev Hyndes.. he had arrived. We had got ourselves a prime location and could not complain (despite the sweat already streaming down our bodies. He tuned his guitar (seeming rather shy) and then shouted for the lights. Then the magic began. I felt odd with my almost back stage (not that there was a stage view) and even more odd that I couldn't help but stare at his bottom but his music was electrifying. I started staying seated but this lasted about five seconds and about one song through the man picked up his microphone stand and his pushed his was to the centre of the room.

“Hard-core” some one screamed! The were right, this was a jam packed room of sardines, and we were in the middle. The set up almost resembled some sort of dance off but the experience was unbeatable. The feel intimate, the performance flawless, the vibe energetic. We danced ourselves to (almost) death for a good hour. Dishevelment at large the area was perspiring from the ceiling but god this was good. Cameras flashed the whole time resembling some sort of discontented strobe but this just made the experience more surreal more dreamlike and more wonderful. I felt privileged. We all seemed like freinds just having a bloody good time. Eventually after song after song Dev finally exclaimed that he was exhausted and that the next would be his last. I think we all agreed. What a show.

As far as balls he has them, as far as friendliness he has it, as far as talent... seems top notch. Ten out of ten for this good feeling guy and the sweat just made it better!