Live Report: Caroline Polachek – eventim Apollo, London

The perfect Valentine's date...

Love – and confetti – was in the air at Caroline Polachek’s London show at the Hammersmith Apollo. 

February 14th wasn’t just Valentine’s Day this year: more importantly, it was the release date for Caroline Polachek’s second solo album, ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’. That was no coincidence, either – ‘Desire…’ narrates the mascara-stained spirals of love and lust with Polachekian yowls and grand choruses. 

Couples and singletons alike congregated to witness the power of Caroline Polachek tonight at the Eventim Apollo. On a stage adorned with mountains and a volcano, Polachek welcomed Londoners to the tour with camp opener ‘Welcome To My Island’. Moved from Brixton Academy to the Apollo, the ornamented art deco ceiling mirrored the gothic swirls of Polachek’s aesthetic. 

London is an especially close place to her heart. An extra cheer went up for the lyric “magic carpet over London” – clearly, the feeling is mutual. It’s where most of ‘Desire…’ was produced with Danny L Harle, and where she resides half the year. Playing in London on release day, according to Polachek: “It feels correct”. 

Subtlety is Caroline Polachek’s suite tonight, as she found small ways to make performing interesting. Her signature dance style ranged from sharp and angular to fluid and free. She flicked her hand outwards and held the microphone above her head, craning her neck to sing. Prancing about in an ash-black top, barely-there fringe skirt and thigh-high black boots, Polachek has understated, minimalist beauty in spades. 

Part of what makes Polachek’s artistry so amazing is her ability to weave multiple disparate motifs into a single concept. She resisted the urge to do volcanic cliches of red and sunset tones by tying the set colours into themes in the album. The stage wasn’t just an island – it became a verdant swamp on ‘Blood and Butter’, and a purple psychedelic sperm sky in ‘Billions’. 

Polachek’s vocals are so insane it makes you want to immediately reincarnate into someone more worthy of her talent. Her runs on ‘Parachute’ were immaculate, careening into the upper reaches of her operatic register, and the knotty melodic lines on songs like ‘Fly To Me’ were pulled off as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Polachek’s band were also on fine form tonight, in particular bagpipe player Brìghde Chaimbeul and the live breakbeat drumming from Russell Holzman

The set ended on a slight bum note, ‘Smoke’ – though it’s a catchy, carefree song about falling in love, it doesn’t quite have the star power to close the show. Despite ending on a dull note, Polachek’s live show was the perfect Valentine’s Date – sensual, intimate, but full of surprises. 

Words: Alex Rigotti

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