Janelle Monae brought her “Dirty Computer” American tour to the Paramount Theater in Denver on Sunday night and the concert found Monae showing off her exceptional voice, her outrageous outfits, an on-point backing band, and an arena-style show cramped onto a small theater stage. Fans who have just discovered Monae’s rich talents were treated to a night they won’t soon forget; those who have been following her since her debut EP Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) no doubt enjoyed the show, but longed for so much more.
There is no denying the star power of Monae. Overshadowed by other American R&B stars (Beyonce anyone?), Monae has quietly made a music career for herself without ever having a pop hit. Perhaps this is why Monae’s first show in Denver in seven years played the relatively small Paramount when the production deserved a stage the size of The Fillmore, at least. In the age of the streamable single, Monae makes concept albums that deserve repeated listens. Therefore, Monae’s audience is patient, willing to see where her muse takes her.
On Sunday night, that muse didn’t take her back very far. In a 17-song set, 10 were tracks featured on the album Dirty Computer. For the most part, those 10 tracks were played in the album’s running order. There were short breaks – “Q.U.E.E.N.,” “Electric Lady,” and “Prime Time” felt like an intermission from the newer album when they were played consecutively in the middle of the main set. Monae closed the show with two tracks from the ArchAndroid before returning to her newest album in the encore.
Stylistically and emotionally, the show was a tremendous success. Monae meant to spread the narrative of her Dirty Computer vision and it paid off nicely. That vision has been articulated in much better features you can find on the internet and needs no repeat here. And so, if a fan thinks of Sunday night’s concert as a period piece – where one recognizes art captured in a particular moment – Monae attained perfection.
Monae is bigger than a particular moment, however, which is why there was disappointment from some fans at the end of the night. “She didn’t play…” was heard over and over on the walk down the 16th Street Mall following the concert. She would be well-suited to expand upon her setlist, reach back into time, and celebrate her career with deep tracks from prior recordings.
St. Beauty opened up with a brief 35-minute set that was marred by muddled sound that drowned out their superb voices.