New York City’s S.O.B’s became a vessel for avant-garde music fans to journey with J*DaVeY Sunday night. Amped to see sounds, feel baselines, and transmit energy, a herd of cult followers buzzed in neon wardrobes and ‘80s-flavored kicks.Opening acts Rajh and Taylor McFerrin aroused the crowd with a soulful serenade and a bout of McFerrin’s effortless beat-boxing. Casey Benjamin of J*DaVeY’s special guests, Heavy, bolted onstage in a Rick James fashion, strapped with a keytar. Nicky Guiland, his vocal wing woman, pranced across the stage in a skin-tight gold mini with just enough breathing room for her to foot it during “Venomous” and “Pritty Boy.” The funky duo shared energy as their performance ran the gamut with tambourines, a vocoder, and “Hey Ya!” shimmies. J*DaVeY grooved as former tour mate Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” boomed through the speakers. Brook D’Leau, the group’s beat master gazed into the charged audience, feeding off the energy, as Jack writhed in bold shorts during “Lazy Daze.” Drums thumped and guitars swelled as they transitioned into an all-consuming rendition of “Division of My Joy.”
Jack dedicated “No More” to a man in the crowd, as he slithered onstage to undress her in quite a convincing skit. She enticed the audience in black lingerie singing flat on her back rowing her legs in the air. She then donned a tank that read “Dirty Looks,” playfully telling the gentleman “I’m done with you.”Jack announced, “This is the part of the show…if you want to get naked feel free do to so.” The synth melody for “Mr. Mister” pulsed through the speakers. Hands flew into the air. The room collectively transcended into another realm of consciousness, and people rushed the stage to sing every lyric in full volume.As J*DaVeY left the stage, one would have thought the whole crowd had performed. People had to wind down. The room was suffocating with a hypeness that made an imprint for a night to remember.
