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The iconic Grace Jones visited the iconic Piece Hall in the heart of West Yorkshire for an unforgettable night.
The singer, songwriter, model and actress was a standout addition to an already mighty line up that is coming to Halifax this summer, and the buzz around this show was huge.
Bar a gust of wind bringing down the stage reveal curtain early, and Grace accidentally saying ‘Hello Manchester’ before quickly correcting herself, the evening was a flawless lesson in how to perform.
She took us to church and to the club with a performance truly fitting for an icon of her stature. Opening with a seductive cover of Iggy Pop’s Nightclubbing from the back of the stage she prowled her way to the front of the stage and rolled back the years with several hat and costume changes throughout the set.
William’s Blood was a powerful, uplifting experience and showcased Grace’s powerful vocals over some incredible musicianship from the stellar band behind her as the energy swelled between the graceful and dramatic sections of the song, and it’s Amazing Grace ending.
A great cover of Love is the Drug followed before she took to the shoulders of one of the security staff for a walk around the photo pit to high five everyone on the front row during Pull up to the Bumper – a surreal moment for many of her adoring fans. She was in a playful mood all night and seemed to enjoy getting up close and personal with the audience.
An extended version of Slave to the Rhythm closed the show with her hula-hooping for its duration, moving freely across the stage up and down steps and never missing a beat as she introduced the band.
She either realised she’d finished the show a little early or didn’t want to leave, as she reappeared shortly afterwards to sing a couple of tracks acapella. The great ‘La vie en Rose’ and ‘Libertango’ the song that features in classic Harrison ford thriller ‘Frantic’ – it was a beautifully absurd way to end the evening. Rumour has it she even stayed to help clean up the stage before leaving.
This was an incredible evening form an incredible performer, that adds to The Piece Hall’s ever growing musical legacy.
