JASON DERULO // BIC, BOURNEMOUTH
The Last Dance, may mark the end of an era. But whatever Jason Derulo takes on next, he’s sure to set it ablaze.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)
Jason Derulo @ BIC, Bournemouth
Photo Credit: Amy Martin
How many of us millennials have been in the club when that familiar one-liner of Jason Derulo has everyone ready to party? Not many artists can pull off such an aura like he does, one that has a catalogue of, let's face it, hit after hit. Over the years Jason Derulo has managed to reinvent himself one track at a time. On his current “The Last Dance” tour, he made his way to Bournemouth and was ready to put on quite the show. Now back with a new album of the same name, he delivered exactly what you’d hope and expect from the singer, sexy, dripping with charisma and made for the summer.
That summertime fun began with his support act, LZ7, a DJ-led act that transported you from the confines of the BIC to the sunshine. Imagine Ibiza summers filled with raves and a carefree spirit. Frontman Lindz West balanced the club vibes with speeches of hope and reminders to never give up. Despite it being a party atmosphere, it gave a glimpse into the work they do for the youth as well as the older attendees. The second support act came from Czech singer and songwriter THERA, who is more known for her viral tracks like “Stain” and “DLTTI”. She did an excellent job at following the previous energy and maintaining the momentum.
But then it was time for the main man himself, Jason Derulo made his entrance with what can only be described as West End levels of production. The introduction video felt straight out of a Marvel movie, casting Jason as a torn hero on a journey of self-love and true love, battling to find his own path. As the visuals faded, the stage was brought alive with dancers in boxes with a sci-fi-esque lab that wouldn't look out of place in Stranger Things. It was an unexpected setup for the opening track of his new single, “Sexy For Me”. But you know what? It worked. He has a certain aura that shone before even uttering a vocal of the song, everything else was simply brought naturally.
Cleverly broken into various eras, the show felt brand new each time a new stage was quickly transformed. From the wild depths of the Derulo jungle to the fiery Derulo Volcano, where jungle beats powered tracks like “Swalla” and dancers clad in sparkly leopard-print numbers. Later this gave way to a classy red bar that was eye-catching and hot, not just thanks to the fiery pyrotechnics but also the bold outfits and dancers.
Jason and his dancers worked as one, each of them like a main character alongside him; he was rarely alone on stage. If so, it would be mere minutes before his group of guys would join him either for an impromptu dance battle or locking in for a strict routine soon joined by some very gorgeous ladies in outfits many of us wish we could pull off for sure. At times it felt like a strip show mixed with elements of Magic Mike fused with theatre, especially on tracks like “You DJ, I’ll Drive.” Technically it was flawless but also had an air of lightness about it, the playfulness not confining them to being too serious instead of confident in their ability in what was being brought to the stage.
But it was the nostalgia that really got the crowd jumping. When Jason asked who has been there since day one, it felt like being back at student nights out in Bournemouth clubs. Tracks like “Wiggle”, “Breathing” (where he proved he can strip it back and deliver a beautiful acoustic extra chorus after the closing whirlwind choreography), and “Take You Dancing” were just a handful of standouts. Because let's face it, his catalogue is incredibly impressive. With over 250 million singles sold and tens of billions of streams, his catalogue is flawless. That same perfection translated well on stage, giving room for his vocals as well as his incredible dancing. Flexible, improvised, and just effortlessly cool – that is Jason Derulo.
One last party was gearing up, and the encore did not disappoint. It felt like we were back to the start. Echoing that same energy, seductive and fun. Bringing out the big hits like “Talk Dirty” and “Trumpets” before rounding off with his 2015 smash “Want to Want Me”. What could have easily been a dull Thursday evening was instead the perfect pre-party weekend warm-up, leaving us ready to head back out. Just like we did on student Thursdays of the past.
Review by Kirsty Bright. Photos by Amy Martin
#JasonDerulo #BIC #Bournemouth
