Janelle Monáe has always been a captivating performer on stages of all sizes. So, it’s no surprise that her performance at Charlotte’s Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre was one of the best outdoor concerts of the year.
Sure, there’s a lot of competition, but from start to finish, Monáe was simply outstanding. She’s been touring her latest album, The Age of Pleasure, has seen Monae exploring a more sexually liberated side of herself than we’ve seen from her in the past, Monae pleased the crowd from the moment she walked onstage donning a massive coat of flowers to her more stripped down performances later.
From vocals to choreography to wardrobe, Monae hit all of the right notes. It’s no surprise that her stage presence has led to a successful Hollywood career (see Hidden Figures and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) and her performance was consistently running on all cylinders throughout multiple “acts” that it was divided up into.
It wasn’t the most packed I’ve seen the amphitheatre this summer — that honor goes to the overflowing concourses of Tyler Childers — so if you weren’t there, you should ask yourself why. You sure did miss a good one.
Janelle Monae Setlist
Float
Champagne Shit
Black Sugar Beach
Phenomenal
Haute
Django Jane
Q.U.E.E.N.
Electric Lady
Lipstick Lover
Water Slide
Know Better
Paid in Pleasure
Pynk
Yoga
Only Have Eyes 42
I Like That
Encore
Make Me Feel
Tightrope
Be sure to check out Queen City Nerve’s Soundwave, Charlotte’s most comprehensive live music listing, so you don’t miss out on any shows or concerts coming up. And hell, if you’re looking for something else to do, you can check out our events page as well, which runs the gamut of things to do in Charlotte. You don’t ever have to be bored again. You can check out more of Jeff’s pics and live reviews here.
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