Morcheeba Live at Buenos Aires (March 2011)

The British TripHop+Chill+Soul trio came to the Argentina to play at the legendary Luna Park Stadium.

The band sounded strong, refined, solid and neat. The musicians proved to be very good and make from the union of its virtues, a perfect combo. But what would Morcheeba be without the warmth of Skye?

She is hypnotic. Steals the scene, charismatic, funny, sensual, daring and intimate… all of that. Always smiling, laughing out loud at moments, joking with the rest of the band, has the audience participating on everything, connected at all times with them…
As a sample, only a moment: they are already known for their inclination to white drinks, before, during and after the shows, Argentina wasn’t the exception. As Skye could not find any water to drink, she asked one of her team members what he was drinking and while carrying the Cup to her mouth, consulted on the contents; “tequila” he answered. She made a stop of the path of the glass to her mouth to ask Ros what he was drinking and he also replied “tequila”. Then, he looked at the audience and said “Cheers”, sipped it and then asked how you say cheers in Spanish, to what people cried “salud!” and then Skye while laughing shouted, raising his glass “SALUD!”.

There were high moments (many), classics, not so classics and what’s new at the performance. A tight knit show from all angles, from the staging and the venue, to the obvious (the performance).

Personally I’d highlight two moments recorded on my retina and the emotional memory of the majority of the public: “Crimson” (the song that opens the new album) and the closing of the show with the super hit “Rome wasn’t built in a Day”. Two very different moments, perhaps, opposed but strong, very strong. In the case of “Crimson”, emotional, fragile, intimate, heartbreaking and hopeful, where Skye knew how to convey with her velvety soulful voice and the feeling where the musicians knew how to give depth and the necessary flight to the song, delivering an exquisite moment. On the other hand, in the case of “Rome…”, it was a celebration, a party, the public singing, jumping!

Author: Luis Blanco aka Lewait

The SetList:
The Sea (where Skye Edwards enters the stage wearing a ruby bombé red dress, with feathers, an ethnic style necklace and a super afro “Eryka Badú” hairdo style, platform red shoes which she’d brag about later when jumping at a song).
Friction
Otherwise
Never an Easy Way
Even Though (hypnotic, especially the intro with the voice of Skye)
Mexico (Jefferson Airplane’s Cover)
Part of the Process (Ros with his Slide Guitar!)
Blood Like Lemonade
Slow Down (a Chill and sexy oasis)
Crimson (almost a prayer, magical moment)
Trigger Hippie (fun! with Edwards shooting the public in all directions with her hands as a firearm)
Beat of the Drum (got the public singing, men on one hand, women on the other, and then all together)
Blindfold
They got of stage and then the anticipated encore
Over & Over
Be Yourself (the most festive time of the night)
Rome Wasn’t Build in a Day (with Jimmy Cliff’s intro from “I Can See Clear Now”)

Definitely: a show that I’m glad to have been at!
Luis Blanco a.k.a. Lewait