Live Review: Ne-Yo, Champagne and Roses Tour 2024 in Perth
30th of September 2024 at the RAC Arena in Perth Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davies Jnr, and Fred Astaire may have met Moses, but their heavenly enigma still lingers on Earth, sipping through the veins of superstar Ne-Yo. But the Las Vegas artist is no copycat, as his swagger entwines with the unique falsetto and confessional narrative of a distinctive kind. The transition from soul to dance is mellifluous as the artist charms the fans with the addictive hooks and sweltering beats of his discography. Adding to the spice is the choreography of dancers, steered by Ne-Yo through the verb personification of uber dexterity; the hip thrust, gyration, 360 spins, and twists, moving as fluid as champagne through a meandering pipe, pumped by the beautifully timed vocal indexation flavoured with emotion, vulnerability, conviction, and sexual prowess.
The three-time Grammy Award winner is after all, an actor, a philanthropist, a fashionista, and an accomplished dancer, bringing elegance, grace, and zest to the RAC Arena in Perth.
Ne-Yo (stage name inspired by The Matrix) fittingly graces the stage with Closer, a dance-pop that marks his departure from urban sounds. His desire to come closer is personified through the sensual penetration of dance as the connection with the girl of his fantasy is represented by the bevy of dancers in accentuated, body-hugging outfits. The star is donned in an all red suit, topped by the classic trademark hat. The thematic line, I just can’t pull away screams his desires, as the lead dancer lies on the stage, back arched, legs apart, succumbing to his fantasy. The addiction is viral…the more I get the more I want. Ne-Yo confesses that he can’t stop, ultimately reaching the point of no return – and frankly, neither can the crowd.
The hits keep pouring early under the thunderous setlist with Because of You. Every citation through his dance takes the audience to the next level of hysteria. The second most popular Ne-Yo song in the US is a surprise early visit, but as the night sails, we realise that the RnB singer has a stack of bangers. In footballing terms, the depth of his set roster is deep. Such as Nobody, as the zest of Michael Jackson lives with the staccato beat, with the huffing and puffing, coupled with a dance swish that comes from the closet of the King of Pop with a Ne-Yo signature.
We also see a costume change to an all-grey equivalent, as each dancer is introduced in You Got The Body. The night heats to the summer version of Death Valley or in Western Australia – Marble Bar, as the sass returns to salacious sensuality of the R Rated kind…Now, ladies, I know you’re not afraid to tell me what you want…I love a woman who can say it…ah…I know what I want baby…I want to do it in front of the mirror. As Ne-Yo sits while narrating the lyrics of Mirror, two dancers gyrate and slither across the stage, revolving around the singer, while the third lands on his pelvis, sitting and bouncing, while flexing her hips and thrusting onto his face. With lyrics such as When I’m behind you holding your hips, the show has officially surpassed the official rating – whatever that may be.
And if you’re still with us, make some noise! Thanks for checking in, as some may need oxygen after the visual titillation.
Despite the aura of the salacious kind, the dancers are planets, revolving around the star. The inexorable gravitational pull, however between the two sets of bodies is intrinsic, expelling the energy from the stage, all part of the entertainment value. And more significantly, his vocal extremities remain on point throughout. The fun continues, as the superstar explains…
“A Ne-Yo show is made up of two types of songs, ladies and gentlemen…we had the “classic classics” and the future classics. The classic classics are the ones you already know, the ones you listen to through high school, you know what I mean….and then you have the future classics – those are fairly new – you might know as well…but if you give them a chance, I promise you might enjoy them as much…”
The certified classic classics – Sexy Love, is the song that some members of the audience were conceived on – so he reckons. The beat at the intro sparks the screams. He occasionally invites the fans to sing the number one song of the Ne-Yo catalogue. And classic classics – there are plenty with So Sick, Time of Our Lives, Miss Independent, Mad, and Irreplaceable, showcasing the depth of his set.
The vastness of his writing repertoire is also showcased through a sing-along by the crowd of songs written by Ne-Yo, while the artist is backstage getting ready for an encore. The MC revs the crowd through Take a Bow (Rihanna) and Irreplaceable (“To the left, to the left” – Beyonce), while Ne-Yo returns to the stage with Let Me Love You, written for Mario.
Unfettered excitement is in the air as club mode is about to explode 00’s style; imagine being in the queue at the hottest nightclub in Las Vegas. From soul and pop ballads to dance mode, the dessert end of the night is creamed with the addictive club bangers of our time – Let’s Go, Play Hard, Time Of Our Lives, and Give Me Everything. The floor reverberates across the RAC Arena as the 15,000 revelers jump almost in synch, like in a scene at Ibiza or Love Parade.
The Las Vegas and world entertainer seized the arena, arming with his hometown zest from halfway across the world, personifying every bit that’s “showbiz” – the blend of R&B, pop, and hip-hop in beautifully crafted vocally with an A Plus choreography. It’s also the kind of show that could have easily gone tacky, but the artist ensured a classy, rosey & champagne service to the Perth audience is delivered. The family man is a gentleman.
Ne-Yo continues his Champaign and Roses Australia tour in Brisbane and Sydney (Sold Out). Tickets are available from Live Nation Australia
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Revolutions Per Minute, Live Nation Australia, and Ne-Yo for the media accreditation
About the Writer/Photographer: Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to more than 100 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK, Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media. He has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro (pictured), Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 60 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
