Shows like Aloe Blacc‘s on Monday make you wonder whether Toronto’s reputation as a restrained crowd should only apply to that of indie music genre.
Featuring a tight six piece band, Aloe Blacc brought the thunder to the Hoxton on Sunday night for a show that approached the two hour mark.
Many are familiar with Blacc through the song “I need a dollar” which gained a lot of traction due to its appearance as the opening track for the tv show How to Make It in America. Despite having only two albums to his name, Blacc unleashed a full arsenal of music that easily treaded the waters of hip hop, doo wop, hip hop and rap. This wholly encompassing experience made me feel like I was on a history musical tour through time. Through it all, Blacc was there – smiling, dancing and egging the crowd on. The packed house at the Hoxton ate it up and even obliged to Blaccs request to split in half leaving the middle open for people to dance ala Soul Train. As expected, there was a lot of dancing.
The encore featured a lovely re-interpretation of Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean and a healthy dose of material new and old. At one point I was wondering if it was an intermission rather then an encore.
The last night of a long weekend isn’t the best time to have a show, but those who managed to make their way to the Hoxton were treated to a wonderful time.
Thanks to Chris from NAO Media for the invite.