Bjork, Klaxons & SantoGold @ MSG: Wanderlust

Though I had some slight reservations about seeing Icelandic goddess, Bjork, at (the 18,000+ capacity) Madison Square Garden, I'm happy to report that the show was just as magical, if not even more fantastic than her stunning United Palace gig this past May.

(photo by Ryan Dombal)

Decked out in a gold satin number, Bjork took to the stage around 10PM for a raucous version of Volta opener, 'Earth Intruders'. For the next ninety minutes, her majesty bounced back and forth between tracks from 1994's landmark LP, Post, and the entirety of her catalog up to present-day (see setlist below). Perhaps most exciting was hearing Antony duet with Bjork, yet again, for 'Dull Flame Of Desire'. His vocals were stronger, sweeter and brighter than the United Palace show. He undeniably won over the majority of the mega-venue. Other highlights include 'Unravel' (my personal favorite Bjork tune), 'I Miss You', and of course, Homogenic's much-loved, 'Joga'. Absolutely amazing.

Setlist: Earth Intruders. Hunter. Pagan Poetry. I See Who You Are. Unravel. Pleasure Is All Mine. Dull Flame Of Desire. Joga. Desired Constellation. Army Of Me. Innocence. I Miss You. Cover Me. Wanderlust. Hyperballad. Pluto... Oceania. Declare Independence.

MP3: Bjork - Wanderlust

For as much as I adore Klaxons, their MSG set (sadly) fell on the lackluster side of the tipping scale. Performing a bevy of tunes from the Mercury Prize-winning, Myths Of The Near Future, the Brits encountered/experienced a host of sound problems, uninterested attendees, and a general lack of enthusiasm. The show didn't hold a candle to the groundbreaking Studio B gig from earlier this year (review here). Here's hoping the 'magick' returns next month when the band headlines Webster Hall.

Setlist: Two Receivers. Atlantis To Interzone. Golden Skans. Gravity's Rainbow. As Above So Below. Magick. Isle Of Her. It's Not Over Yet.

MP3: Klaxons - Two Receivers

Opening the festivities was relative newcomer and Brooklyn native, SantoGold. For her set, she brought out familiar faces in the form of Spank Rock & Diplo. Santo's sound can best be described as 'MIA-esque' with hints of early female hip-hop (a la MC Lyte). I'm still undecided on Santo. I don't think MSG (much less a 25-minute set) was the best introduction to her sound. Learn more about SantoGold here at her MySpace page.