Kevin Bronson on April 14th, 2014

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Who: Blood Orange at the Outdoor Theatre
In 3 or Fewer Words: Where’s the boudoir?
Memorable Because: Judging from the many iterations his music has taken, Dévonte Hynes is more than just a Prince acolyte. But Blood Orange’s early-evening set was all about purple – smooth, sultry and funky R&B dispensed by a seven- and eight-person ensemble that doused the adoring crowd in vintage lushness. Hynes’ falsetto vocals, whether solo or paired with collaborators Caroline Polachek (Chairlift) and Samantha Urbani (Friends), evoked late-night longings even in face of harsh sunlight. And he didn’t so much play his guitar as canoodle with it, alternately ripping off impressive licks and caressing its various parts to squeeze out precise notes. “It Is What It Is,” “Sutphin Boulevard” and “Chamakay” drew the biggest roars/squeals as Hynes played the showman perfectly. If the heat didn’t make you want a shower, Blood Orange’s 45 minutes tunes did. Wipes brow.
What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was At The Naked and Famous: Hope you got the radio hit, anyway.
– K.B. (Photos by Bronson)