Singer/Songwriter Elle King finally made it to Detroit this past Wednesday
night and MCB was there to catch the show. Elle had to postpone a
scheduled performance back in November which seemed to have built the
anticipation for many within the walls of the sold out Majestic Theatre.
Elle opened her set with the song 'Jackson' off her critically
acclaimed debut full length album 'Love Stuff'. By the end of
her second song she was proclaiming her love for Detroit and offered her
apologies for the postponed show. She promised a special treat near the end of
her set for those who stick around. She also stated the fact that she was "drunk
already". A beer strategically located in a cup holder on her mic stand would
help keep her in that condition throughout the set.
She would proclaime "I only go dumped once in my life and it won't happen
again" before her third song of the set entitled 'Good To Be A
Man' which ended up being the song that got her signed back in 2012. Elle
put down the guitar and picked up a banjo for this song. Her alcohol consumption
was most likely a factor in Elle forgetting some of the lyrics to the song,
but she was quick to draw attention to the fact that she did and had fun with
it. She stated that she "didn't feel bad about getting drunk in Detroit because
Detroit is wild." The statement was proven true as the crowd kept their own
beers flowing.
Elle King would ask the crowd "Who knows the words to my album? Who's going to
help me fuckin' sing this shit?" before breaking into the 'Where the Devil
Don’t Go' . This was to be the first song into her set where she
didn't have a guitar or banjo in her hands. With this freedom she proceeded
strut around the stage and got right at the edge of the stage and on her knees
as she sang to the crowd. At one point she laid down at the front of the stage
and belted out the song that sounded much like her albums recorded
version. Elle was truly having a good time performing and made a connection with
the audience with her humor and openness. She asked the crowd "who saw up my
skirt?" after the song.
At one point in the set Elle told her band to skip the "slow ass song"
choosing to play a more upbeat song to continue the party as she told the crowd.
She choose to perform a mashup of Nick Jonas’s 'Jealous' and 'Can’t
Feel My Face' by The Weeknd. This would not be her only cover of the
evening. Elle also belted out a version of The Beatles classic 'Oh! Darling'
which she proclaimed as one of her favorite songs. She held her own with
the song and did not disappoint.
Elle lived up to her tattooed statement to "have a good time all the
time" as she continued to interact with the crowd between songs. She laughed
with the crowd and asked them to raise their glasses because "She doesn't like
to drink alone". Her genuine personality shined during the show and a good time
was being had by all. She kept telling the how appreciative she was of everyone
in attendance and the fact that she was having a great time. Her statement that
she's from Ohio did get a fair amount of "boo's" from the audience which I
assume is a result of Michigan and Ohio being big rivals in sports.
Elle's band held their own during the set and were tight. They were there
to provide musical accompaniment to the shining star that is Elle King. They
adapted quickly to on the spot changes to the set list and lyrics that were
dropped during the songs.
Elle stated “Detroit! Y’all know how to party.” as she continued a set
filled with more tracks off 'Love Stuff' including 'Song of
Sorrow', 'Under the Influence', and 'Kocaine
Karolina'.
Elle King is not only the vocalist, but is also the songwriter for songs
that reflect her experiences with love and heartbreak. Tracks such as 'I
Told You I Was Mean' may display love gone wrong, but Elle isn't
apologizing on her end. She stated during the set that when she get's pissed off
at someone it's better that she writes a song about them instead of
stabbing them. Make's sense.
Before the song 'Last Damn Night' Elle shared with the audience
that "I wrote a song about sleeping with a bunch of fucking dudes and I got
nominated for two fucking Grammys." She recommended that the audience "Find ways
to stand out" and for her it was being a "Big Slut". King is not above laughing
about her wild ways and stated that she is glad she is a musician and doesn't
have a "real" job.
As Elle performed her chart hit 'Ex’s and Oh’s' (which happens to
be nominated for two Grammy's this year) the crowd was infused with a wave of
energy as they sang every lyric to the best of their ability and waved their
drinks and cell phones in the air. It's a well deserved hit song and the
performance of it was stellar.
Elle and band left the stage after 13 songs and would return shortly
after to perform a few encores. The band returned to perform the special treat
Elle promised to the Detroit crowd for the previously postponed show. The band
started the music and was instantly recognized by most in the crowd as 'The
Real Slim Shady' by Eminem. Elle would soon join the band to deliver the
lyrics to the song. It's not a easy song to rap to and is often like aerobics of the alphabet, but Elle nailed it and sang
every verse with ease and used her body language to reflect the lyrics in the
song.
Her second encore of the evening was another cover song. This time it
was 'My Neck, My Back' which was first presented as a live track on
'The Elle King EP'. Elle modifies Khia's rap version into a smooth rock
sing along and stayed true to the sexually explicit lyrics.
Elle King concluded her show with 'America’s Sweetheart' which has
a great chorus that could easily rival that of 'Ex's and Oh's'.
At one point during her set Elle proclaimed "Tonights a shit show. Don't
hold it against me. I just like to party" and the audience was just fine with
it. If you were a Elle King fan based on her albums then the live show is not to
be missed. She was able to pull off a vocal delivery of the songs that proved
that she is indeed a fantastic singer in as well as out of the studio. The live
show was a unique experience and it felt like we here in Detroit were being
treated to something special. The lengthy, alcohol-induced tales between songs
were highly entertaining and gave a glimpse into Elle's personality even so at
times it was filled with many expletives. Performances that are as raw as the
one Elle was bestowing upon the crowd that evening are usually the one's you
tend to remember long after the night ends.
Setlist:
Jackson
Can’t Be Loved
Good to Be a Man
I Told You I Was Mean
Good For Nothin’ Woman
Where the Devil Don’t Go
Song Of Sorrow
Kocaine Karolina
Oh! Darling (The Beatles cover)
Under the Influence
Jealous/Can’t Feel My Face (Nick Jonas/The Weeknd mashup)
Ex’s & Oh’s
Last Damn Night
Jackson
Can’t Be Loved
Good to Be a Man
I Told You I Was Mean
Good For Nothin’ Woman
Where the Devil Don’t Go
Song Of Sorrow
Kocaine Karolina
Oh! Darling (The Beatles cover)
Under the Influence
Jealous/Can’t Feel My Face (Nick Jonas/The Weeknd mashup)
Ex’s & Oh’s
Last Damn Night
Encores:
The Real Slim Shady (Eminem cover)
My Neck, My Back (Khia cover)
America’s Sweetheart
The Real Slim Shady (Eminem cover)
My Neck, My Back (Khia cover)
America’s Sweetheart