I already knew from catching her at ESSENCE Festival on more than one occasion that Janelle Monae is on another wavelength – but never fails to bring abundant life in the midst of her “girl, you so different” vibrations. She might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but her talent and ability to captivate is undeniable. St. Louis knew it to be true too, which is why they sold-out the St. Louis leg of her “Dirty Computer” tour as soon as the doggone show was announced. By the time it finally arrived at The Pageant on Wednesday, it had already been sold-out for months. And I imagine every show she does from here on out will enjoy the same success after the way she slayed the stage. Soul duo St. Beauty got things poppin’ as the opening act. They looked like they were warped from the middle of a 1974 Soul Train line straight to the Pageant stage, thanks to their afros, halter tops and boogie-on-down choreography. I was so into it, I had to stop myself from doing “the bump” with my seat neighbor. They would have been a tough act to follow had the headliner been anybody other than Tessa Thompson’s not-so-secret, secret main squeeze Monae. Janelle was jukin,’ rappin,’ singin,’ twerkin,’ and living her best life on that stage. I know hardly none of y’all know her songs, because she hasn’t been on the radio since she was singing “Primetime” with my soulmate in the head Miguel. But even if you hadn’t heard of her and was able to luck up on a plus one, you would have left that show a fan for life. I see why the late, great, Prince rode so hard for her.
