26/05/12: This Eurovision weekend, true to form, seemed sufficiently trippy enough where live performances were concerned.
That was until I found myself at Heaven, watching Paloma Faith emerge from the wings against a backdrop of pink and purple Union Jacks and dazzling gold palm trees, flanked by two backing dancers swathed entirely in body paint – packing both the abdominal area and their colour co-ordinated Lamé boxers.
Paloma herself was turned out like a fierce a ray of sunshine to top the freakishly good weather we’ve been enjoying lately, her gold sequin gown, earrings, headdress and sling back pumps giving off sparks under the stage lights.
Blood red lips fixed in a wide grin – avid competition for her Pre-Raphaelite head of hair – Faith was primed and ready to release her bluesy voice over the boys; and out it came, in the form of the set’s first song – from the new album Fall To Grace – ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’.
The next song, throbbing pop ballad ‘Agony’, was anything but – embedding itself in the minds and mouths of everybody present by the second chorus, and in no time being sung back to Faith with equal force. Picking up on the electric atmosphere, Paloma demanded in her chipper accent that the boys get dancing – and, launching into her gospel sounding ditty ‘Freedom’ we were hit with the spirit to do just that.
All too quickly it was over, and true to the words of her last song and latest hot single ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ – we staggered from the main floor in all four directions. Faith by name, and definitely by nature – move aside Sweden, had they seen her in action, the world would have voted our homegrown girl!
Check out more photos from this event and plan your next night out with the ‘QX Gay London’ iPhone app. FREE from the iTunes app store.
Heaven, Villiers Street, WC2N 6NG
Words by Yafeu Brown
