AJR served as her opening act, which were able to warm up the stage for the Staten Island headliner. Michaelson kicked off her set with “Light Me Up,” where she was able to instantly lure her audience thanks to her crisp and hauting vocals. The song had a neat echo effect to it, and her performance was expressive.
“Good evening, New York,” Michaelson said, prior to nothing that she did not think that she was going to cry so early. She was extremely grateful to have two sold-out shows at the Beacon Theatre, and showcased her appreciation for her fans.
She immediately broke into the sassy and mid-tempo “Time Machine,” as purple lights dimmed from the stage. “Maybe” was a delicate, acoustic vocal that ought to be enjoyed for its beauty and simplicity.
During “Parachute,” Michaelson was accompanied with shakers, and the stage was graced in red, white and blue lights. She played “Another Life” on piano, which was another hypnotic song.
One of the highlight vocals of the evening was the heartfelt “Corner of Your Heart,” where she displayed her impressive whistle register, as she praised her beautiful band-mates for elevating the song to a higher level.
The next portion of her show involved some “alone time” for Michaelson and her fans. That is where she performed Radiohead’s “Creep,” and she noted that this is a song that she wished was hers.
She took her audience on a trip down memory lane with “The Way I Am,” and then she brought her band back for “Be OK,” as the crowd was clapping along with them.
Michaelson brought out her openers AJR, who joined her for a special collaboration of “The Lotto,” which had a neat reggae vibe to it, that was nonchalant and refreshing.
They continued with an unplugged version of “You and I,” where they allowed the venue to recite the lyrics back to them. After a sip of water, Michaelson showed some attitude on the sultry “Warpath,” which had infectious guitar riffs.
For the mid-tempo “Afterlife,” where she accompanied herself on piano, she was able to get the audience on their feet, and she was able to tug at the heart on the melancholic “Turn to Stone,” which featured her impeccable whistle register.
After “Still the One,” she shared the back-story of “Celebrate,” which involved her first kiss back in the day with a teenager named Jimmy Clark. She closed with the catchy “Hell No,” prior to returning for an encore that included her signature tune, “Girls Chase Boys,” which featured her honey-rich voice, and she concluded with her distinct cover of “I’m Too Sexy.”
The Verdict
Overall, Ingrid Michaelson was fantastic at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. There were no gimmicks: only an extremely gifted woman from Staten Island with her band and their natural talent, delivering a spellbinding musical performance at one of the most exquisite venues that “The Big Apple” has to offer. Her live show earned five out of five stars.
