Jamiroquai, Glasgow review: 'Jay Kay still has the moves'
This hit-stuffed show was a reminder of the relaxed confidence with which Jamiroquai have always conducted themselves, writes Fiona Shepherd
Jamiroquai, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★★
Jay Kay may be “five years to the bus pass” but he still has the moves and the grooves. The years fell away at this first UK date on the Heels of Steel tour as he skatted through Too Young to Die, a classy way to introduce himself back in 1993, and a reminder of the relaxed confidence with which his band Jamiroquai have conducted themselves from the outset.
In this hit-stuffed set, the likes of Little L and Alright were typical of their airy funk soul, the latter also embellished with some playfully squelchy synths. While Kay is the focus, he would be a showman in search of a show without the assured enthusiasm and superb musicianship of his band who were given the latitude to jam freely whenever Kay slipped offstage, seemingly on a whim, to change his headgear.
Seven Days in Sunny June offered summer vibes with a bittersweet edge, while Space Cowboy was fitted with a 70s psych funk intro, lashings of shimmering percussion, blaxploitation wah-wah guitar and yeah-yeah backing vocals from three divas in sparkly velour tracksuits, encapsulating the deluxe-casual vibe of the whole enterprise.
The opulent visual backdrop encompassed palm trees and pyramids, mountains and starry skies, neon cityscapes and retro futuristic references reminiscent of Earth, Wind & Fire, George Clinton and other far-out funk soul acts who led the way. Kay unapologetically taps into the legacy with the cheesy but fun Cosmic Girl and Canned Heat, the best of his disco pastiches.
Sporting an illuminated headdress for the prophetically titled new song Disco Stays the Same, he started his own “no Scotland no party” chant but the fleet and funky Travelling Without Moving, its terse choppy guitar alternating with the smooth chorus, and the airborne funk of Love Foolosophy ensured that this party was in safe hands wherever it travels.
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