Christine and the Queens treated Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse to the world premiere of his new show on Saturday night, with a minimalist set but a seriously ambitious – and note-perfect – performance.
Before Christine and the Queens came onto stage, following a strong supporting set by Lava La Rue, fans were already beginning to marvel at the sheer number of lights being brought onto both sides of the stage.
This was, after all, a world premiere, so completely new territory: would the show consist solely of new material? Would there be backing dancers? Extravagant costumes? Guest performers?
The answer to all of the above was no.
As it happened, the show was surprisingly straightforward in terms of setup – for the most part.
Chris and his band entered, all dressed in black, and launched straight into Ma bien aimée bye bye and Les étoiles, both from 2022 album Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue), and both performed with an almost indignant, ferocious energy.
It is no mean feat to command a stage when, aside from the band sticking obediently to the left, you’re the only one on it, but here Chris had the audience in the palms of his hands from the first note.
“What a time to be alive,” he exclaimed, to cheers. Would a greeting to the audience follow?
No, this was all still part of the show. It was the first of a number of what felt like pure streams of consciousness, poetry which let the singer seamlessly transition from one song into the next, with natural transitions between French and English, too.
Tracks like People, I’ve been sad and 5 dollars, from 2020’s La vita nuova and 2018’s Chris respectively – perhaps the most accessible songs of the set – led the willing crowd to sing along with him, though his phenomenally strong voice needed little help.
When fully in the moment, as he seemed for the duration of this set, Chris truly looks like he would be just as happy performing to an empty room. His energy feels generated entirely by the music. He learnt classical dance from the age of five and you can tell – his movements, drifting and gesticulating all over the stage, are the height of elegance: each action looks effortless and fits perfectly.
But when the ferociousness took a brief backseat, with songs like the fun, upbeat Tilted – “I’m in my right place, don’t be a downer” – excited cheers illustrated why this is a show that needs to be seen live for full appreciation.
In a highly unlikely pairing that just about worked, the song was here interspersed with snippets of Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The final three songs of the set were all live debuts, with the powerful, sprawling Track 10 the final song before the encore.
And here the singer provided a final act of drama.
Coming back onstage, black waistcoat swapped for white wings, he began the brooding Lick The Light Out, halfway into which a triumphant white light – so that’s what they were for! – shone onto the audience, so blinding that many could only look away.
The wings formed his angelic silhouette as eyes readjusted in time for the glorious final song, latest single To be honest.
It may have been a little on the nose but it was, nonetheless, a divine way to finish this new show.
Photo: BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC iPlayer and Shirlaine Forrest
