Mary Tyler Murphy Blond

All the way over on December 1st I saw Roisin Murphy at the ABC in Glasgow. I wasn't prepared for how much I loved her for her and not just for Moloko. Granted I've purchased a few songs from Ruby Blue on itunes, but my real reason for going was because of Moloko. She's most definitely a fangirl-worthy artist in her own right. I called the venue after seeing on the site it'd be at 7pm. Yep - it was pretty much that early - doors at 7 - Roisin at 8 - no openers. She had a time piece onstage that tick-tocked the correct time and at about 8:15, the show began.

Before she came on, the lights onstage blinked along to the music playing overhead and slowly to the beat of her tune as band members entered one by one and she asked offstage for the crowd to tell her that we wanted and needed her. She came out sporting a taped cross over her left eye. Was it in honor of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes or because of that fractured eye socket? I never watched the clip on Perez - I love her too much to see her in pain, but I'm thinking that's the reason...maybe.

She occasionally adopted snarl and stance of Sophie Ellis Bextor and often adopted some modern dance moves that looked like the equivalent to throwing tantrums and seizures from behind her micstand. She was very Bjork-ish in her avant-garde way a lot o' the time. Let's say Bjork crossed with Kylie.

Miss Murphy had ten million DIY onstage costume changes somehwere in between Lovefoxxx and Britney Spears. Infact one of her dancers - who changed way less than Roisin - was rocking some spandex-ish leggings that reminded me of Miss CSS. I was only in the pit for the first three songs, so I can't show you all of them - but my oh my - there were a lot - mostly dependent on accessories such as hats and coats and glasses. She had disco-ball-esque glasses that so reminded me of Calvin Harris - who by the way I have yet to kidnap while here in the UK.

With her beret and out stretched arm how much does she remind you of the last few seconds opening credits/theme tune time of Mary Tyler Moore? She can turn the world on with her voice! - and smile too hahaha

She really was looking oh so mod at some points and rocking blond locks as she has in her promos for Overpowered, but still I didn't know if she'd have changed it up by now.

I wondered if she'd serenade us with a Moloko track, but wasn't betting on it seeing as she didn't even play "Ruby Blue," "Sow Into You," or even "If We're in Love" from her last solo disc. but then - yes - it came! Up on the screen and through the speakers came "Forever More."
There were Lichtenstein-esque comic book drawings behind her that included the lyrics of "Forever More" as the text in the speech bubbles and scene descriptors. Of course I would have died if it had been "Sing It Back." Died.

When she started doing that body and arms flailing dance of "Forever More" - on the first flail, the audience errupted. This trip has made me realize how much of my life has been spent in the UK - and not just when I lived here. As soon as she launched into the only Moloko track of the night, I was taken back to me aged 16 sitting in front of the TV and how whenever I wouldn't be watchng the World Cup, I'd be watching music videos and more often than not I'd be viewing Miss Murphy making her way through a tunnel with back-up dancers.

She also found time to throw out her collaboration with Dan the Automator, Prince Paul and J-live in the form of Handsome Boy Modeling School's "The Truth." Did she leave out J-Live's rap? Hells no - she did it herself - profanity and all - mighty well too :D

Oh the show rocked so much - I'm so glad I went. It ran for 2 whole hours - enough time for me to miss a Transmission party in the Merchant City. Oh - and can I say I was struck by how much her song "Cry Baby" sound like Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for me Lately?"

"Ruby Blue" Roisin Murphy MP3

"Primitive" Roisin Murphy MP3