Lizzo at The Brixton Academy
Location: O2 Academy Brixton
Date: 6th November 2019
Price: £35 + booking fee
Empowerment was a solid theme of the evening and is a common thread that runs through Lizzo’s music; her lyrics give a voice to the underconfident, the uninspired and the marginalised.
“No, I'm not a snack at all
Look, baby, I'm the whole damn meal (Ooh, baby)”
Brixton Academy is one of those delightful venues – same as Hammersmith Eventim Apollo – no matter how far back you stand, due to the incline of the floor, you can always see the stage. Lizzo is one of the most vivacious and motivational people you will encounter online currently, and so actually being able to see her in the flesh at her sold-out ‘Cuz I Love You’ tour was truly special. She played a whole host of her hits, including Cuz I Love You, Water Me and Boys – plus, a special cover of Areatha Franklin’s Respect mixed with her very own track Worship.
The stage was dressed like a church with stained glass windows and an alter that doubled as a DJ deck. When she first walked out on stage, Lizzo wore a gold foil cape which was reminiscent of a priest’s holy garb. The lighting and effects were impeccable but really it was the energy that Lizzo drew from herself and her dancers that made the evening – it was relentless, in a good way. There was a real sense of community and acceptance in the crowd on this cold November night. Before launching into fan-favourite Jerome we were asked to turn our torches on our phones, after mere seconds the entire room was lit up signifying just how much command she had of her audience, and just how much we were willing to follow.Lizzo and her flute are a sensational pairing – much like Tropicana and OJ – and after some excellent hits, Lizzo came marching across the stage with her flute in tow we were all treated to some Juice. Many people don’t know that she (real name: Melissa Jefferson) was a classically trained musician and studied at the University of Houston.
The final outfit change of the evening saw Lizzo don gold sequined trousers with “100% that bitch” written on the backs of her legs. Strutting around the stage with her posse of dancers and a white veil on, Lizzo married herself at the alter whilst performing the enigmatic Truth Hurts.
“I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that bitch
Even when I'm crying crazy
Yeah, I got boy problems, that's the human in me”
If you’re in need of something to dance to have a listen to Lizzo’s three studio albums, Lizzobangers (2013), Big Grrrl Small World (2015) and of course Cuz I Love You (2019). You won’t regret it on a dull December morning – she even has a Christmas song if that’s your thing, Never Felt Like Christmas.
#FLODown: The venue has imposed a new rule where bags bigger than A4 will not be allowed inside. This caused quite a lot of upset and confusion, and resulted in much of the crowd spending a vast amount of time (40+ minutes) in a queue for the cloak room. We recommend bringing the smallest bag possible or getting in early to get your stuff in the cloakroom.
Words by Mollie Kate Cohen
