Live Review: Miguel, Thandi Phoenix

Arriving early to Enmore Theatre it was clear by the string of eager fans queuing down the road that tonight was going to be something to remember. A sold-out Miguel show awaited and the loyal droves were oblivious of the cold in anticipation for the modern soul star gearing up to perform a set from his recent studio album — and in the hope of a few older hits.

Local opener Thandi Phoenix and her band took the stage to a near-capacity room, instantly lifting the energy of the theatre with a tight set of new material. She is a talent in her own right, warming the crowd with a personable, uptempo and energetic performance of funk-laden songs. Danceable, engaging and fun, she is truly a joy to watch. 

Everything about Miguel screams rockstar: the electrifying voice, the immense dance moves, the fringed microphone stand, full backing band, and, to his detriment, even the ego.

It was a constant stream of ab-flashing body rolls, lyrical adoration of the female form (spoiled by the demands to "see some titties"), and the big questions in life: "Do you like druuuuuugs?" Younger fans in the front row completely frothed over these acts of self-indulgence — and the smash hit Sky Walker. 

He's a natural-born performer, a sensual artist and a politically charged individual — strong themes of which are both present in his latest offering War & Leisure — but tonight it seemed to be all about sex, drugs, sleep, repeat — and not the real message.

That being said, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has a truly astounding voice that sounded as pristine live as it does on record. Miguel's sky-high falsetto coupled with his signature layer of soulful grit finds the perfect harmony for his brand of R&B, which is infused with a wide range of influences including rock, funk and psychedelia. 

The American R&B sensation's penchant for dance also shone on stage, as he glided, dipped, spun, stomped and thrust non-stop, smiling and smizing at the highly entertained audience.

Riding a wave of mainstream success with his latest album, Miguel teased and pleased the crowd with the likes of Pineapple Skies and Banana Clip. 2015's Wildheart was disappointedly skipped over apart from Simple Things, but we did hear some older favourites like Sure Thing. An encore was inevitable, and he filled it with his Kygo collaboration and tropical house hit, Remind Me to Forget. Something many fans won't be able to do after last night's performance.