Janelle Monáe may be a musical veteran, but they continue to ascend as a multi-hyphenate, genre-fluid artist; the new and fresh feeling follows wherever they go. San Francisco has taken note, with Monáe (who uses they/them pronouns) being one of the Outside Lands 2023 festival’s big-name draws in August, and the demand has remained so strong, Monáe packed the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on October 17, 2023 for their Age of Pleasure Tour.
From the moment the lights went down, the love began as each band member got their own entrance from the silhouette center stage before Monáe entered in a coat, crown, and boots made from flowers. Performing “Float” — Monáe and their coat gave the airy sense that a larger-than-life performer was on the mic, yet Monáe’s rap flow grounded them in the strict musicality Monáe and their band delivered throughout the 17-track live performance. A big boombox set decorated with flowers — along with flowers at every band member’s station — putting everyone on notice that the Age of Pleasure is a sensory experience. As Monáe shed the floral coat, revealing a vintage black bodysuit, the red rose pinned to them showcased the seamless transitions in their music and performance.
Onward to “Champagne Shit” — Monáe’s backup dancers crowded around them as they toasted San Francisco with a champagne flute adorned with flowers. It invited the crowd to live their best life through the music ahead. When Monáe broke away from the center and revved up the energy, she implored the audience that the night was not for thinking about the past or thinking about the future. It was simply to be present. That was the gift Monáe offered through “Phenomenal” and later, the San Francisco favorite “Lipstick Lover.” All the way through “Come Alive (The War of Roses)” for a fitting end to the night.
View the gallery for more photos. (All photos by D.A. Mission)
