M.I.A.Decked out with a neon-lit tent, dome and a screen swathed in psychedelic graphics, the Enmore stage seamlessly complemented MIA's eccentric aesthetic and distinctive sense of defiance. Performing a balance of her older material and reworked new stylings, MIA brought her spice and flair for philanthropic lyricism to the stage, offering a raw and all-inclusive performance. Through her live dynamic we see why MIA is such a trailblazer, with inimitable style, intellectually inclined lyrics and a unique attitude to her own music and performing. As she fervently performed dance-based tracks Galang and World Town, MIA and her wild backup dancers twerked about the stage, with the audience swiftly following suit.
Although she displayed the utmost level of energy and infected the audience with her presence, the sound issues could not be ignored. Some tracks were hardly even audible, including her single, Paper Planes, which, much to the dismay of fans, was a muffled vocal mess and awkward. MIA's sense of disheartenment and understandable frustration were palpable as on numerous occasions mid song she would yell “stop the song” or gesture aggressively to the sound engineer.
Despite the production hiccups, MIA still managed to provide an electrifying live performance, with help from her gritty backup dancers and captivating hype girl. Her performance was free of pretence and it was made apparent that she genuinely wanted to please and involve her fans in the live experience. Pulling members of the crowd up onto the stage, a dance party developed as MIA performed a bizarre but somewhat innovative mash-up of Psy's Gangnam Style and her own Boyz. Although mildly irritated by the consistent grabbing and touching, MIA persevered and proceeded to get freaky with her biggest fans.
