James Blake on Instagram Live review: This is far from karaoke

Stream on: James Blake performs to his Instagram followers from home
Instagram/jamesblake
Gemma Samways24 March 2020

“This might be the biggest gig I’ve ever done,” remarked James Blake, midway through his first ever Instagram Live performance.

Before the Covid-19 crisis, the London-born singer-songwriter/producer was scheduled to play Lollapalooza Argentina this week and a European tour two weeks later.

Now observing quarantine guidelines instead, last night he played a piano set to a virtual audience of more than 25,000 — plus his long-term girlfriend Jameela Jamil — from the comfort of his home.

The set-up was endearingly basic: just a phone propped up against the piano, capturing Blake’s singing at close quarters. In between songs he swigged tea from a mug amusingly emblazoned with the label “Wifey” or engaged with comments from viewers including Tell Them collaborator Moses Sumney.

Blake delivered a gorgeous rendition of Billie Eilish’s hit When The Party’s Over, making light work of what is an extremely testing song. His vocals were astonishing throughout, supple and expressive with a flexibility that extended from a chorister-worthy coo (I’ll Come Too) to the lissom melisma of a seasoned soul singer (Retrograde).

That the likes of Life Round Here didn’t suffer when shorn of its electronics-heavy arrangement is testament to Blake’s skill as a performer. Instead, he recreated the song’s irresistible groove with foot taps and powerful piano arpeggios.

Equally, he managed to dispatch a series of perfectly pitched cover versions, without veering into karaoke territory. The stripped-back rendition of Radiohead’s No Surprises was particularly well-conceived, emphasising the post-apocalyptic serenity of the original to startling effect. Concluding with Joni Mitchell’s A Case Of You, Blake said he would return soon for a second livestream. It promises to be another must-watch.

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