On February 20th, Blood Orange, the current stage name of musician Devonte Hynes, performed at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX. The performance was part of a tour promoting Blood Orange’s new album, Negro Swan, an album that featured a deep blend of R&B, funk, soul, and psychedelic sounds.
Brooklyn singer Ian Isiah kicked off the show. His performance was both smooth and spirited, singing almost ballad-like songs about sex, love and spirituality. The vibe was relaxed, Isiah guiding the audience into a deep, musical space.
Hynes performed nearly all of Negro Swan that night, plus a few tracks from his older albums. In a denim jacket, t-shirt, and jeans, Hynes gave off a confident, comfortable swagger. Joining him onstage was a full backing band, including drums, saxophone, piano, and sometimes flute, as well as two backup singers, one of whom was Isiah. The backing band did a fantastic job: the live flute on “Take Your Time” was beautiful, and both singers added lovely depth and body to the performance. The first part of the set was more heavily produced, and sounded the most similar to the album. His performance of “Saint” and “Charcoal Baby” were fan and audience favorites.
I especially enjoyed the second half of the set — after some time onstage, the performers really seemed to click, and the energy that Hynes and his crew brought was magical, not to mention the music. This is when Hynes’ jacket came off, when his dance moves really kicked in, and when he gave one of the most impressive guitar performances I’ve seen this year. Hynes played both guitar and piano live, and did both excellently. The piano was a welcome addition to the more intimate, soulful songs, while Hynes’ guitar work added electricity and excitement to the entire performance.
Negro Swan is, at times, a difficult album — it’s one that chronicles pain, alienation, and the remembrance of a difficult past. Hynes’ performance carried that weight, but instead of holding the night down, it created a sense of purpose. I knew I was listening to music that meant something, and that meaning — sometimes subdued and somber, sometimes vivid and exciting — added to the overall intensity of the experience.
The apex of the night was its ending. Hynes closed the night with two songs: “Smoke,” from Negro Swan, and “E.V.P.,” from Freetown Sound. “Smoke” was an homage to the soft, soulful, almost melancholy parts of the evening. The song itself was simple, but no less evocative. “E.V.P.” was for that electric, almost frenzied energy of Hynes’ big band and shredding guitar. The crowd went wild during “E.V.P.,” with many, if not all audience members dancing and singing along, celebrating the joy, the fun, and the redemptive power of music.
