Maybe it was the venue’s muddy acoustics, the sound gear problems that stalled the show for a couple of minutes, or perhaps it was the fact that only one-half of the act was actually present, but something was definitely off with electro-crunk outfit Yo Majesty‘s Chicago performance last Wednesday evening. The duo headlined a show with UK dance rock band Does it Offend You, Yeah? (whose set this writer missed, sadly, thanks to some transportation problems.)
To single out the performers for a disappointing set, in this case, would be unfair. The Mansion, the city’s newest live music venue – which, true to its name, hosts shows in the ballroom of an actual mansion – definitely delivers when it comes to atmosphere and attitude, but comes up lacking when it comes to sound quality, making everything sound like it was performed inside a giant metal garbage can.
No matter, the adolescent-skewing audience of about 75 had no problem with throwing their hands in the air and chanting, “Fuck that shit” along to crowd-favorite track “Club Action,” but the conspicuous absence of Yo Majesty‘s other half, Jwl B. was hard to ignore.
After keeping the crowd occupied with her undeniable energy and some inspirational between-show patter about her grandfather, Shunda B, did acknowledge Jwl B.’s missing-in-action status and soldiered through the set.
Yo Majesty‘s penchant for 80’s-inspired party hooks and bawdy lyrics scores the crew a fair amount of press from critics, so one can’t help but be a little disappointed by the fairly routine performance of MC Shunda K, when the group’s reputation of off-the-wall live shows precedes them. Having recently lost third member Shon Burt earlier in the year, the group is clearly going through some changes. But considering that the primary appeal of Yo Majesty is so dependent on the charisma and unpredictability of
the performers, particularly Jwl B. (she’s the one whose topless antics at SXSW hit the YouTube circuit this past spring), the future of the group, especially on the heels of their debut album’s release later this year, will be fascinating to watch.
-Keidra Chaney