refugee chic.

last friday, i had the pleasure of seeing m.i.a peform at the paradise rock club. her show is energy filled and distinctly organic. she performed in knee length black tights with yellow daisy dukes (a la luke) and a black sweater with gold sequins. in a word, her outfit was stunning. it offered a deliberate style made to appear laidback.

with hair frazzled, and voice hackneyed, m.i.a commanded a crowd of roughly 500 with basic rhymes, sampled beats, and dancehall inspired undulations. i was front row, stage left. her appeal is captivating--her lyrics often get lost behind chopped speech and forceful basslines. but still, her fan base knows her lyrics and cheer her on as she dances in time to her music.

she's from a suburban on london (acton, hence the name m.i.a for missing in acton). yet still, she pays proper tribute to the reggae and island rhythms that dominate the london music scene.

her show was $18 well spent.