Blood Orange Delivers Immersive and Captivating Experience at Brooklyn Steel Residency
Dev Hynes has contributed and been apart of many projects throughout his career, however none have endured quite like Blood Orange. His R&B influenced project has spanned five albums and just recently launched a five show residency at Brooklyn Steel in honor of his most recent release Essex Honey.
Having last released a full length project in 2018 and embarking on its first tour in six years, Blood Orange made a captivating return with an intimate and immersive live experience that beautifully showcased both his recent and older catalog. Performing on a 360-degree stage with a backing band of instrumentalists and vocalists, Hynes’ set brought the new album to life in a dynamic and musically rich fashion. Both older and newer songs fit together seamlessly. There were many highlights throughout such as an unexpected cover of “How Soon is Now” by The Smiths and classic tracks “Charcoal Baby”, “Best To You”, and “Champagne Coast” sounded just as good if not better than they ever have live. Credit also to Hynes’ backing band who were graciously given the spotlight throughout the set and truly enhanced the material with their contributions.
What truly made these shows feel immersive is the level of intimacy instilled—the in-the-round stage setup allowed for the set to feel more personable. Hynes as an artist wasn’t just content to simply rehash older material but rearrange it in a unique fashion while also offering a throughly compelling showcase for his artistry in the process. The emotions expressed throughout the show made for a truly well rounded live experience as songs full of joy and passion were also contrasted with songs of reflection and insight.
Some artists arrive back to us when they have something meaningful to say, in the case of Blood Orange, Hynes’ return is especially engaging as he brings his heartfelt new record to the live stage in a captivating and artful manner. If you ever get the chance to experience Blood Orange it’s highly recommended you do so, and be sure to give Essex Honey a listen!
