Walking into the grand beauty of The Theater at Ace Hotel, I had few expectations for what was to come of the night. Only the second of James Blake’s current “Solo Piano” shows, it was hard to achieve a real sense of how an electronic artist would convert his typical digitized show into a simple piano performance. But he sure did.

As if the pure elegance of The Theater at Ace Hotel wasn’t enough already, James Blake took the stage and transformed a stately venue into one of the most intimate performances I’ve ever been a part of.

Accompanied by only a piano and electronic looper, Blake transformed his typically complex act into a solo run that has taken him out of his comfort zone. In fact, Blake himself expressed his fear of the piano in front of him, calling his usual self a “laptop ghost.”

Nervous about his new environment on stage, it couldn’t have helped knowing that the one and only Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas were sitting front row. That’s right, the legendary alternative pop artist and her famous songwriting brother were in attendance on night two of Blake’s two-night engagement at The Ace.

Fortunately, Blake had something up his sleeve for the occasion. In between his witty comments regarding his status as a sad song-writer and perceived seriousness, the recent Grammy nominee performed an array of hits from his own catalogue as well as a few others’... including Billie Eilish.

Blessed with a voice that manages to produce chills up and down the body at the hit of any note, Blake had no problem taking on creative versions of covers and solo hits throughout the night. Of course, with Billie Eilish in attendance, the crowd was particularly excited to hear an acoustic cover of “when the party’s over.” Talk about a perfectly composed rearrangement.

Of course, the covers wouldn't end there. Acknowledging the difficulty of orchestrating acoustic versions of all of his songs, the British icon relied on a fair number of covers to complete his setlist. Including Frank Ocean’s “Futura Free” and “Godspeed”(which Blake co-wrote), Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You,” Don McLean’s “Vincent,” Bill Withers' "Hope She'll Be Happier" and Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” (yes, you’re reading that correctly), Blake sure compiled a wide variety of hits to blend with the remainder of his own tracks. Yet, somehow he made it work seamlessly.

Recently coming off of a long promotion of his most recent album Assume Form, Blake was sure to select a few individual tracks off of the 2019 record as well like “I’ll Come Too” and “Are You In Love?.” Luckily, the new content lends itself well to the simpler structure of his “Solo Piano” tour considering its slower pacing and frequent usage of the keys.

On the other hand, finding his way onto the scene in 2010 with a couple of acclaimed EPs, Blake has far too many highly-regarded solo hits to neglect, regardless of the setting. Throwing in a few of these tracks along the way, Blake never looked more comfortable than when he performed the familiar tunes. From “Life Round Here” to “Retrograde,” it was clear by the audience reaction alone that Blake is much more than a typical alternative artist. With a voice as flawless, and a compositional mind as genius as Blake’s last night, it wouldn’t be ludicrous to call him a musical genius. The show was honestly that impressive.

Sticking to an hour and a half night, there were plenty of opportunities to worship the prodigy in front of us. However, no moment was as powerful as the debut of the unreleased single “Say What You Will,” which featured an audience sing-along during every chorus. Cueing us with a single finger point as if to share his warranted magic, the darkness of the venue was soon lit up by audience participation alone. It truly was a surreal five minutes of time that could have made up half of the show and I would’ve left just as pleased.

Although his “Solo Piano” run is limited, there is still time left to witness this intimate experience, and I promise it’s worth it. Check out all of the remaining 2019 dates below and see James Blake’s official website for ticketing information!

James Blake Remaining 2019 "Solo Piano" Dates:

12/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM Strong
12/18 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM Strong