Soulful, funky, sexy and electric are all ways to describe the atmosphere inside Toronto’s Hoxton when Kelis brought her tour to town. With a career spanning nearly 20 years, Kelis served some of her best and most beloved songs for her devoted fans.
Strutting out in a sexy tight green dress Kelis captured everyone’s attention from the start. Pair that with her sensual and fun performance of the mega successful song “Milkshake” and it’s no wonder everyone inside the venue was sweating. It wasn’t all about sex appeal from the Harlem native though, as she took her time going through her catalogue.
Opening act Son Little really set the stage for the night with his emotional, yet edgy performance. He spoke highly of his tour mate Kelis and had nothing but praise for her music and what she does on stage.
“I’ve always admired Kelis for what she does, she’s a trendsetter, and she’s always out in front of what’s happening.”
Throughout the night, Kelis kept fans dazzled by her versatility. Performing some of her more laidback and expressive cuts from her latest album Food, like “Forever Be”, “Breakfast” and “Floyd”, she was able to capture audience members and have them drift away with her. Even when faced with technical difficulties during her performance, Kelis and her band were still able to rock the stage. The crowd loved every moment of it as they were shouting her name and marvelled when she hit a Mariah-like note during “Cobbler”.
The Hoxton could have easily been mistaken for a jazz club, as well as a dance club, during the night. While her latest album is more laidback, Kelis wasn’t afraid to kick it old school and play some of her older up-tempo songs like “Millionaire”. It was the performance of “Acapella” that really had people grooving like they were on Electric Circus.
During it all Kelis never stopped talking to her fans and thanking them for their support over the past 16 years. Her fan base in Toronto is as diverse as her music. The Hoxton was filled with people from all walks of life, all of which seemed to have gotten their fix of whatever Kelis and her band cooked up.
Words By. Patrick Dennis Jr. + Photos By. Fitzroy Facey