James Blake performs new hits, old favorites at House of Blues

British singer, songwriter, musician and producer James Blake — arguably one of the most versatile performers today — performed at the House of Blues on Oct. 4. His show would be appropriate for both music halls and nightclubs, as his music is a fusion of soul and electronic genres. Likewise, his music is alternative yet also accessible, proven by this year’s collaborations with Beyoncé on "Forward" and Frank Ocean on "White Ferrari." It would not be an overstatement to call the Mercury prizewinner one of the most talented singers in the indie scene today, as he never fails to receive overwhelming acclaim from critics. Blake’s concert, which sold out weeks before the show, was a reminder why all these statements about the artist hold validity.

Usually, opening acts are not a highlight of a concert. This wasn't the case with Moses Sumney, the opening act for Blake, whom Pitchfork has praised for having a “gorgeous voice that is as intricate as it is intimate." Performing songs from his recently released EP "Lamentations" (2016), Summey was surprisingly captivating and undeniably entertaining. His short set probably resulted in hundreds of audience members writing down his name on their phones.

Sumney’s performance was quickly forgotten when Blake appeared on the stage, however. At the right of the stage, never centered, Blake sat by his keyboard as usual. The show opened with “Always”, a mid-tempo song from Blake’s third album, "The Colour in Anything" (2016). "Always" is a surprising way to open the show, as Blake usually likes to start with a more electronic, upbeat song such as the dubstep jam “Air & Lack Thereof” (2009). Nonetheless, unlike “Air & Lack Thereof," “Always” better demonstrates Blake’s vocal abilities, so it provides a better idea of what's coming next.

One criticism of "The Colour in Anything" has been the album's length. It has a whopping 17 tracks, a high number even for hip-hop and rap albums that have multiple interludes. At times, listening to the album is an overwhelming experience, but the concert legitimizes Blake’s decision to keep the album 76 minutes long. The album expands Blake’s catalog of expressive piano songs and includes more electronic dance tunes, which sound much better live. Blake performed the majority of the album's songs throughout the concert with, “Modern Soul” and “Radio Silence” as the highlights. “I Need A Forest Fire,” missing the vocals of Bon Iver, is perhaps the weakest performance of the concert. When trying to cover Bon Iver’s part, Blake sounds flat at times.

Musicians usually like to play their new and popular songs in their concerts, typically leaving their biggest hit for the finale or the encore. Blake, on the other hand, did not shy away from performing older and more obscure songs. For example, instead of closing the show with his biggest hit “Retrograde” (2013), Blake decided to perform “Wilhelm Scream” from his debut album "James Blake" (2011). For the encore, he performed his cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” (1971) from his 2011 EP "Enough Thunder" instead of a one of the newer piano songs from his new album, like “f.o.r.e.v.e.r.” But Blake is well aware that “A Case of You” would be a better segue to “Measurements” (2011), the second encore track. Instead of performing a bunch of random hits, Blake carefully selects the songs he is going to perform from his quite extensive repertoire.

It has almost become a tradition for Blake to end concerts with “Measurements.” The song is a perfect closure not only because of Blake’s little gimmick of leaving the stage before the song ends but also because “Measurements” requires the audience to stay silent throughout the song as Blake records and loops his voice live. As a result, the audience is able to experience the song more, so it almost sounds spiritual through Blake’s soulful vocals. That night, when the song ended and the lights turned on to an empty stage, the audience was baffled no matter how many times they had seen Blake perform live.