JADAR

★★★★★

Jessie Ware is one of the hottest British artists right now. Following her breathtaking disco record, What’s Your Pleasure? – which is one of the most notable albums of the 2020 disco revival – Ware released That! Feels Good! earlier this year. Whilst both records are terrific, and WYP is one of my favourite albums, TFG is arguably more accessible and immediate.

Ware’s previous tour is one of the best concerts I have ever been to. The production value was incredible. She put the “Ware” in Victoria Warehouse, transforming the warehouse into a discotheque, with camp costumes and gorgeous choreography. The new tour retains some of the previous tour’s glamour but, like the album it is in support of, the vibe is gentler.

The backing singers, who also toured with her last time, are the fabulous NILE and Adenikè Zen, who exuberate energy and charisma. The dancers are Ben Joseph-Hukin, who was on the last tour (and who you might recognise from ASOS!) and new edition Guillaume Queau. Ben has baby diva energy; he is simultaneously adorable and sexy. Gullaume, with his Greek God physique, embodies camp masculinity, a perfect paradox.

I love how the singers also dance and the dancers also sing. The group numbers are sensational. However, the last tour did have some more funky choreography – in particular, ‘Kiss of Life’, which involved some pretty tantalising transitions.

The musicians, Samson Jatto and Ed Seed, bring the sensational album to life. They, too, are a joy to watch; they clearly love what they do.

Emma Davis’ lighting is to die for. The troupe radiated under her lights. The lighting was particularly striking during the final number: this album’s lead single, ‘Free Yourself’.

The costumes are obviously divine but the staging could be improved. The current tour has a curtain cloaking the back of the stage with a neon sign reading “The Pearl” (the concept is that we are at a saucy cabaret club). Meanwhile, the previous tour had two levels which heightened the drama (literally).

Also, Victoria Warehouse is a huge standing venue with a stage that is far too low. I struggled to see the stage much of the time so another level would have been much appreciated.

I can’t help but think Jessie’s live shows are better suited to theatre-like venues – think Manchester Apollo – venues with atmosphere and charm, unlike the cold, soulless Victoria Warehouse. (A venue with seats would be great too – for old souls like me).

Jessie certainly mixed things up for this tour. She is all about reinvention. Even her opening act was a different type of performer: whilst last time she had a DJ, Jodie Harsh, this time we had METTE, a professional dancer and singer.

METTE has previously toured as a dancer for other musicians and is now getting to perform as a singer. Her set saw her both sing and dance. She sang a few covers – including ‘Rhythm Nation’ by Janet Jackson, an artist known for her remarkable dancing – as well as some of her own material.

Jessie’s setlist includes a nice mix of songs from the new album and the previous one. Jessie played two nights in Manchester this year. Clearly, her fan base has grown, so I’m sure people who did not see the last tour were delighted that some WYP tracks were performed.

The consequence of this was the elimination of Jessie’s older material, which featured prominently in the last tour. She of course still sang her signature song and biggest hit, ‘Say You Love Me’, but other golden oldies, such as ‘Wildest Moments’, were not sang this time around.

There were a few lesser-known songs performed, presumably because Jessie is fond of them and wanted to celebrate and share them. These included ‘Kind of…Sometimes…Maybe’, which nobody seemed to know.

However, it was great to see her sing a segment of ‘Selfish Love’ because the Spanish version, Egoísta, is the first Jessie Ware song I ever got into: it was on the Next playlist when I worked at Costa Coffee in Next in Manchester Arndale as a student. Throwback!

Early on, she told us that she was not going to talk too much because she talks so much that we could do a podcast (a reference to her hit podcast with her mother, Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware). She then addressed a lesbian couple who had just gotten married.

“Congratulations. Mazel tov. You got married to my song Champagne Kisses. That is not on the setlist tonight, sorry, but you can have this one instead!” she said, referring to her latest single, ‘Hello Love’. (Champagne Kisses is another song that got the boot this time around).

She then got the crowd to say “mazel tov”, unashamedly addressing her Jewishness at a time where antisemitism has risen drastically, with innocent Jews blamed for the actions of the State of Israel. (Jessie has been using her platform to raise awareness for the situation in Gaza).

The main set was ended with ‘Beautiful People’, a celebration of individuality – and, no doubt, a love letter to the queer community, who make up the bulk of Jessie’s fan base.

Things only got gayer in the encore, which was opened with a cover of Cher’s ‘Believe’, with Jessie performing the slowed-down first verse and chorus in the balcony before making her way downstairs, through the crowd, and to the stage. She was dressed like a golden Goddess.

“Manchester, this is the last song,” she told us. Some in the crowd booed. “Don’t f*cking boo me; I just ran through the crowd!” she snapped sassily, before singing the new album’s lead single, ‘Free Yourself’.

That! Feels Good! Live is a camptastic celebration of life and all that makes it beautiful. It does not have the same dramatic flare as the previous tour but, like the album it brings to life, it is more welcoming and immediate.

Jessie ware tours the UK until November 18.