Swedish pop princess Robyn appeared in a puff of smoke at the Aragon Ballroom on March 6. Although it was only 20 degrees outside, it felt about 100 inside with a sold-out show made popular, in part, to the LGBT market.
Robin Carlsson was originally scheduled to perform at the Riviera Theatre, but was switched as presale orders went through the roof from frenzied fans online. Her latest endeavor and eighth studio album, Honey, may not have had radio hits yet but that doesn't seem to stop her loyal listeners from worshipping the ground on which her silver boots walk.
She sauntered out on stage in those reflective boots and silver slip, posing with her eyes closed throughout much of the first track, "Send to Robin Immediately." The stage was draped in white sheets with enormous white hand statues. The band was also donned in white clothing with some sequins sprinkled in for good measure.
It was a slow build for her artsy, electronic set that started after 9 p.m. but the upbeat "Indestructible" picked things up a bit. Her lone backup dancer strangely took pictures of her during one number, with his cellphone sometimes awkwardly blocking her.
She became red Robyn later in the show, with a pantsuit and hair tied back in ribbons.
Over the years, Robyn has played locally at concert halls such as Metro and even one historic evening at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. She remains a very confident and creative performer who continues to attract a widely diverse following.
Her vocals were once again strong in this larger Uptown venue that some artists struggle with acoustically. Her devoted fans went wild over classics like "Dancing on My Own" and "Call Your Girlfriend." If you haven't seen these particular underground hits performed live, I strongly encourage you to see her at least once before Honey goes home.
She returned for a dark encore with "Stars 4-Ever" that spotlighted the live backing band and finished with a singalong moment from the audience. She thanked the audience, her crew and the opening acts before finishing with the Kindness cover of "Who Do You Love?" She presented that question to the fans and they all chanted, "Robyn!"
In addition, there was a Robyn fan afterparty at Lake View nightspot Berlin.
Look for Robyn to soar back into town on Sunday, July 21, to headline Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park. Keep track of the trip at Robyn.com .