Janelle Monáe In her Age of Pleasure

The singer brings a flawless performance to Charlotte, NC

Ever since she burst onto the musical scene Janelle Monáe has essentially been an undeniable force. With an amazing voice and imagination to boot Janelle Monáe manages to pave her own way creating concept albums and music that are uniquely her, setting her far apart from the crowd and establishing herself as a premier artist and performer.

With her most recent album release The Age of Pleasure Janelle made a clear statement to the world that her art and vision will simply not be denied. Now on tour in support of that album Janelle is bringing an amazing live show across the US and she joined us in Charlotte, NC at the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater.

Opening the evening on this tour you will find Nana Kwabena hosting a dj set and warming up the crowd and unfortunately, we were not in the venue in time for any photography. However, we were able to hear the jams and the crowd participation as we found our way in, it was clearly a fun time and according to the smiles on the faces in the crowd, the mood was set.

Our coverage began with Flyana Boss, an incredibly energetic hip-hop duo from L.A. With some recent viral social media success the duo have been ramping up their exposure and as an opener on this tour I can tell you they are winning new fans, myself included.

Flyana Boss put on a really fun set with a back-and-forth reminiscent of more old-school hip-hop duos but of course with a sound that fits in with today’s music. Equipped with their microphones and supported by their DJ and videographer for their tour vlog Flyana Boss worked the crowd having what appeared to be the best time.

With a short set break, our time with Janelle Monáe was upon us.

As a performer, Janelle Monáe has been captivating audiences for years. Janelle’s current sound and musical stylings have moved beyond her early days and her concept albums which helped her break onto the scene, but one thing has not changed and that is her reputation for putting on a solid performance.

Supported by an amazing stage setup, backup dancers, and band Janelle’s set was an amazing show. It has been some time since I have attended a concert with this level of production and stage design.

Not massive by any means but incredibly thought out and well within the vibe of Janelle’s current persona and music in this current time of The Age of Pleasure.

Entering the stage just after her band members the spotlight was on Janelle and for the rest of the evening, it remained there. With a strong supporting cast of dancers and performers, Janelle made her way effortlessly from top to bottom and left to right occupying virtually every inch of the stage from one point to the next.

Engaging with her dancers and the crowd Janelle put on a flawless performance that was incredibly entertaining going through set and wardrobe changes with ease. The Age of Pleasure tour is a true all-around concert experience and from what we saw, executed to perfection.

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.