Concert Review: Skylar Grey Headlines The Music Hall of Williamsburg

The Many Shades of Skylar Grey. Fans are treated to Skylar’s repertoire at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Even if you’ve never heard of the name “Skylar Grey,” you’ve definitely heard her music. She’s the writer of the Eminem/Rihanna smash “Love the Way You Lie.” She wrote and sang on the Diddy – Dirty Money song “Coming Home.” She co-wrote ZEDD’s song “Clarity.” She’s collaborated with more artists than would fit in this article. She was featured on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack (no pun intended). You may even recognize her as Holly Brook, a singer songwriter whose debut album “Like Blood Like Honey” came out back in 2006.

In other words, she’s everywhere.

Fans were treated to much of the above, and more, during a sold out show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg that also featured opener Kevin Garrett and headliner X Ambassadors. There seemed to be at least two “Skylars” that performed on Friday, October 24: One that debuted a few songs from her upcoming album, and the other that strayed to the piano for a hit montage. Both felt distinctly different.

For her solo material, Skylar took center stage. She “played” a drum machine, timing her pointer fingers to create the beat. Her blonde hair and sheer white outfit swayed along to her music. Her songs were longer, more playful and free. Perhaps that is a result of Skylar’s recent move to Utah, a fact she shared while on stage. It’s there that she reflected on being in the present and came to the conclusion that “there is so much more to life than your accomplishments. It’s about your friends and your family … and your dogs.”

For material that she’s made with several other prominent musicians, Skylar took to the piano on the right side of the stage. “Here are some songs I co-wrote with some people,” Skylar said, a seemingly nonchalant introduction considering what follows: short snippets of “Love the Way You Lie,” “Clarity,” and “Coming Home.” It was half a hit montage, half a sing-along. It was just long enough to remind us of why we know her name, but not long enough to let us forget about the new material.

Accompanying Skylar, besides her fellow band mates, and Sam Harris for the song “Cannonball,” was a spectacular light show with expertly timed beams snapped off with each down beat. Being in a small, stadium style venue seemed to make it that much more fun: if you were above in the mezzanine, the lights shone right in your face.

When Sam and Skylar launched into “Cannonball,” Skylar picked up a tiny guitar.  It’s miniature size didn’t seem to match her power. Actually, none of the presentation seemed to match their collective power. Considering the hits that have come from this power duo, and the technical flair of the show, one wonders why the Music Hall of Williamsburg was selected as a venue … not that any of the fans lucky enough to attend this show seemed to mind. They had the opportunity to see the many shades of Skylar Grey.  And they loved it.

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Headed to the Musical Hall of Williamsburg? We’ve got you covered on how to handle this three story venue.

• DO head to the mezzanine:  If you want to sit, head upstairs to the mezzanine. Get here early enough for a table, or snag a seat on the ascending bleachers.
• DO head to the lounge:  Want to see the show but still want to talk to you friends? Head to the lounge downstairs. You can watch the show from the screen there, and the bar is 4 feet away!
• DON’T spend a lot of time in the bathroom:  If/when you head to the restroom, be sure to protect your ears! The bass underneath the venue is, for lack of a better word, incredible. On a scale from 1-10 where 10 sounds like an impending alien invasion, it lands at an 8. Trust me- your head will rattle. Pee quickly.