Meltdown Festival: Jon Batiste at Southbank Centre
After every song he performs, Jon Batiste leans his head back and laughs – a pure burst of joy, springing from a heart that pours into every key and chord. He emerges from the dimly lit stage at Southbank’s Royal Festival Hall to immediate reverence. As he waves, he smiles brightly – one that rarely leaves his face during his nearly two-hour performance. Poised with nothing but himself and his Steinway, Batiste delivers a stellar set: an ode to the composers who came before him, and a vision of what the future could sound like.
Batiste launches into an all-consuming medley, his hands flying across the tiny black-and-white keys as he channels every emotion he can muster. He loses himself in each note, shifting from whimsical touches to bursts of frenzy. Despite its tense connotations, Batiste’s interpretation of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 feels inviting and warm. He dances in his seat, feet tapping and head nodding, putting a joyous spin on the classic. “It feels like we’re in my living room,” he says with a smile. “I love you even if I don’t know you.”
His rendition of Louis Armstrong’s Oh When the Saints Go Marching In prompts the audience to sing along softly – the first of many immersive moments, sparked by a nod of Batiste’s head and a wave of his hand. He gives a heart-wrenching performance of his song Cry, this stripped-back version reverberating with the ache of heartache and injustice, its haunting echo filling the hall. On the piano, Batiste channels the same spirited energy as the recorded version of Freedom. As the audience claps in unison, he surprises them with a melodica, playing a perfect rendition of the track before segueing into an improvisational medley that morphs, unexpectedly, into Oasis’ Wonderwall.
After a brief intermission, Batiste returns with nods to the composers who have shaped his sound, acknowledging Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. He delivers a stunning cover of 2Pac’s Changes, the blend of rap and piano forming a gorgeous melody as gasps of recognition ripple through the audience. Following a short encore, Batiste extends his performance for one final song. He invites his young nephew – who is learning to play the bass – to join him on stage. As they harmonise, they mirror each other’s smiles and musicianship in a tender and touching close to the night.
“Music, in the times that we’re in, is still the universal language,” says Batiste. “In the beginning, it was fire, water and rhythm. [There’s] something very powerful in these notes and these sounds… it’s entertainment, but it’s also much more than that.”
Paulina Subia
Photo: Courtesy of Soutbank Center
For further information and future events visit Jon Batiste’s website here.
Watch the video for Dusklight Movement here:
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