BJÖRK - CORNUCOPIA
FEBRUARY 1, 2022 @ SHRINE AUDITORIUM
Review by Alexander Laurence
Bjork played three shows in Los Angeles. Her multi-media performance called Cornucopia was spectacular. It was not just a music event, but a show combining visuals, music, choral singing, films, and costumes. This event puts her more in the company of Kate Bush and Madonna, than some of her contemporaries from the 1990s indie rock world. I saw her last at Coachella 2007, where she headlined the first day. Her show then was a combination of singing, backed by an orchestra and electronic musicians. Now she has evolved into a performance artist, and each show is like a special musical event.
Most of these events take place in a sit down theater. The audience is also dressed up in costumes and Bjork friendly attire. Bjork focused mostly on her 2017 album Utopia, with one or two songs from her previous albums. There is a focus on choral singing and her band is mostly flutists from Iceland. There is a harpist. There are two other musicians playing percussion and keyboards. The evening starts out with the Tonality Choir in front of the curtains. The curtains are made of long strands, and there are projections on them all night. Bjork appears in the midst as part of the environment. She begins with the songs “The Gate” and “Utopia”
She sings one song a cappella in what I would the Pod. In the middle of the show she sings some old favorites like “Venus As A Boy” and “Isobel.” Then she sings a duet with Serpent with Feet, which proves to be a highlight. She takes us on a musical journey about the environment, and things get more wild and filmic and visual. Bodies rise and fall. Flowers bloom. Bodies disintegrate. Bodies are reborn.
There is a break. A speech by Greta Thunberg. Bjork changes her costume and comes back for two more songs. The audience is overwhelmed. This show is like a real time performance of virtual reality, which seems to be a theme in current music videos. Bjork has less to do with rock and roll, and more with high art and the art world.
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