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| Grace Jones |
Brooklyn
continues to lead Manhattan as the center of gravity for left-of-center
alternative arts. For example, the Blue Note Jazz Festival presented Grace
Jones and Janelle Monáe as the opening production of the BRIC Celebrate
Brooklyn! summer 2025 concert season at the Lena Horne Bandshell in
Prospect Park on June 9. These old-school cutting-edge artists continue to be
the beacon for the next generation of Afropunk.
Monáe
is the 21st century vanguard, launching her career in the early
aughts with her potent funk rock amalgam. Monáe performed an engaging,
high-energy set, highlighting fan favorites "Electric Lady,"
"Tightrope," and "Make Me Feel." She proved to be more
than an ordinary singer and dancer, however. The production at Prospect Park
was downsized compared to earlier tours, yet her imaginative choreography,
wardrobe changes and staging still drew the spectacle. She even engaged her
audience by inviting volunteers to participate in an impromptu on-stage dance
demonstration. More than the stimulating visuals, however, her magnetic
charisma, exuberant flair and masterful command of stage dynamics made her a
little larger than life. Even so, the 39-year-old avant soul artist from Kansas
City concluded her set by acknowledging her forbearer in the iconic 77-year-old
from Jamaica.
“Do
y’all realize what’s about to happen,” Monáe asked the audience near the end of
her set. “Y’all gonna party with Grace Jones! She is the icon of all time!”
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| Janelle Monáe |
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| Janelle Monáe |
Jones
started her set about a half hour later than scheduled and opened with her on a
raised scaffolding recessed into the center of the stage. Opening with a cover
of Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing,” Jones writhed against the scaffold’s horizontal metal
barrier, largely obscured from the audience under dim lights and an odd,
elongated helmet that covered most of her face. The band, which included her
son, percussionist Paulo Goude, played an extended jam underneath her, waiting
for a signal to end the first song and start the next. The signal may have been
simply the removal of her helmet, because she remained on the raised stage for
the second song, a cover of the Pretenders’ “Private Life.”
Jones
descended the stairs and sashayed more prominently before the audience. As she
sang the Police’s “Demolition Man,” she crashed drumsticks into two cymbals
placed on either side of her. Her presentation was fierce, almost menacing,
until she ultimately tossed the cymbal stands to the ground. "Nobody's
hurt, right?" Jones asked her musicians and backup singers after sending a
cymbal sailing across the stage.
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| Grace Jones |
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| Grace Jones |
Jones
remained a striking presence throughout the rest of her performance. She
chugged a glass of wine before, during and after singing an a capella “Amazing
Grace.” Her outfits grew increasingly wilder, until she danced while wearing a
giant mock seashell on her head. She often wagged her tongue at the audience.
Jones
made the most of her limited vocal range, sometimes purring or crooning and
sometimes the opposite, barking or belting her contralto, always clearly and forcefully.
Jones’ music career started in 1997 and, as such, the set consisted mostly of
her signature catalog from the early 1980s. This included “My Jamaican Guy”,
“I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)” and her cover of Roxy Music’s “Love
Is the Drug.” Jones also introduced a new song, “The Key,” warning the audience
that she might not remember all the lyrics. Perhaps the only song missing from
her retrospective time capsule was “Warm Leatherette.”
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| Grace Jones |
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| Grace Jones |
At
the end of Jones’ main set, Janelle Monáe reappeared, and the duo sang, danced,
played, and rolled on the stage together on an entirely too lengthy “Pull Up to
the Bumper.” As the musicians kept the rhythms bouncing, Jones licked the
microphone as Monáe sang into it. Monáe crawled on all fours between Jones'
legs, upon which Jones took the opportunity to spank Monáe's derriere
repeatedly. Jones then spun around and sat on Monáe’s back like she was a
horse. Somehow, Jones’ trousers dropped and Monáe tried unsuccessfully to
remove them. The two were having hopelessly silly fun before the audience. Winding
down, Monáe was not done with the accolades to her heroine. "Grace Jones
is the most original, innovative artist of our time," Monáe told the
audience.
Reaching
curfew, the musicians cleared the stage, the house lights came on, and much of
the audience headed out of the gates. Curfew be damned, Jones and company
returned to the stage. Jones ended the night singing “Slave to the Rhythm,” all
the while spinning a hula hoop around the corset that embraced her lithe waist.
The
opening night of Prospect Park’s summer concert season bled into overtime, and
it was a blast. The pairing of two such innovative and iconic performers was a
wild introduction to a season full of adventurous booking. Many of the upcoming
concerts offer free admission. The full schedule is available here.
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| Grace Jones |
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| Grace Jones with Janelle Monáe |
Setlist
- Nightclubbing (Iggy Pop cover)
- Private Life (Pretenders cover)
- Demolition Man (The Police cover)
- My Jamaican Guy
- I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)
- The Key
- Williams' Blood
- Amazing Grace (John Newton cover)
- Love Is the Drug (Roxy Music cover)
- Pull Up to the Bumper (with Janelle Monáe)
Encore
- Slave to the Rhythm
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| Grace Jones |
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| Grace Jones |
***
The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's
live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All
photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted
otherwise.
For a list of Manhattan
venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to
the right of the The Manhattan Beat home page and click on the
pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."
For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's June calendar.
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