O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
Leaning into the disco sound of her last album and her older, understated R&B, Ware performs with fun and finesse
Whether it was Dua Lipa, Róisín Murphy or Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s kitchen, disco would unexpectedly prove to be one of the defining sounds of lockdown – its opulent escapism helping us to put on a brave, perhaps glitter-strewn face before another Saturday night indoors. Jessie Ware’s 2020 album What’s Your Pleasure? leaned heavily into the genre, seeming to renew her creativity – it became her best-performing album to date.
Entering the stage to a sample from Deee-Lite’s rave pop anthem What Is Love?, the show’s tone is one of neon and luxury. Ware stalks the stage in a turquoise feathered gown; two giant disco balls reveal themselves. Opener Spotlight has the welcome fizz of a surprise bottle of prosecco, while the terrific Ooh La La toys with Tom Tom Club’s Wordy Rappinghood, complete with choppy Chic-style guitars.