Sky Ferreira at the Metro Theatre 25/7/14 - Live Review

Impressions of Sky Ferreira: a tarantula circumnavigates her abdomen as she

smothers her face with lipstick in the name of music television, a slight pout in her not-so-infamous mugshot (Sky, arrested for possessing heroin). She is that pastel haired model, romanticised, the poster girl for mass-indie teen culture; infiltrating the blogosphere since and until forever. A sense of this same beautiful ‘forever’ was endearingly presented as Ferreira cantered onto stage mildly bemused – although barely reaching its capacity, the apparent fullness of the Metro Theatre seemed almost overwhelming.

24 Hours was somewhat strangely magical. A twinkling, fleeting synth pattern relayed the context and influence of Sky’s overall sound; here was heard all the freeing elation that transpires from a nineteen-eighties John Hughes film, enhanced only by the ephemeral refrains of Ferreira’s timbre. She sings with a delectable voice – not entirely strong per se, although in any case its clarity and emotionality render it so sincere. Sky’s initial nerves and surprise upon seeing the extent of the audience soon faded into a spiel of interaction and near-confidence. Her hands brushed with her crowd as she fell into them, saintlike; venerably coming to terms with the popularity of her music – indeed, the popularity of her own self – in a rush of mutual adoration. Ferreira’s disposition is at times perhaps clumsy, awkward; but in no way does

this actually detract from her stage presence. The very nature of her music animates her audience –these are pop ballads flitted with sweet and fetching lyrics, lustrous melodies, ambiguous nostalgia – no doubt impelling them to sing along. Maybe it is personal: an obvious concentrated demographic of teenage girls, in unison, piping up, ‘Boys they just make me mad / All the little things that you do / Ain’t gonna make me sad’ – a collectively inherent feeling that Sky has “been there, felt that” is understood. It is celebratory, it is comforting, it is fun. An encore with 2012’s brilliant Everything Is Embarrassing is wearied in part, yet nonetheless wishful. Sky’s vocals may have wanted for strength, yet they remained ardent, feverish, singed with longing. A criminal, a model – it is not important. Ferreira is facile and modern; absorbingly uniting mirth and misery, delivering a conventional breed of chimerical pop with honesty and genuineness.

Review by Jessica Syed

Photos by Teresa Pham view more here

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