Ellie Goulding thrills a sold-out crowd, and even more fans online, through American Express UNSTAGED.
Sandwiched between Tuesday nightβs Victoria Secret Fashion Show and a six-pack showcasing cover on Decemberβs Shape magazine, Ellie Goulding found time to rock out the Hammerstein Ballroom through American Express UNSTAGED on Wednesday November 11. Β And Goodness Gracious, what a performance!
This latest installment of AmExUnstaged was directed by none other than Scarlett Johansson and featured social media participation. Β Through Twitter polls and the online stream, fans opted for a fog cannon and metallic confetti to be discharged during the show. Β And while that was the only official stage explosion of sorts, there were certainly more mini-Explosions throughout the show: Β punches of electric guitar, timed light poles, and a striped video screen that provided a constantly moving and engaging background during the show.
βIt is so good to see new faces,β Ellie Goulding gushed during her first pause, an impressive non-stop and electric 15 minutes into her show. Β βItβs been a crazy week for me and you guys have made it so much better.β Β And with that, another explosion: An electric guitar crunched us into βFigure 8.β
It was a sold-out show where Anything Could Happen, including a pair of songs accompanied by ballerinas. Β The sets were choreographed by former Alvin Ailey dancer Benoit Swan Pouffer. Β In a parting of the audience Red Sea, a mobile platform wheeled (painfully) slowly to the center of the dance floor. Β As audience members guessed how the performance was going to work (βIs she going to fly in? Β Please tell me sheβs going to fly in!β), Ellie was escorted through the crowd to the platform with the help of security (parting of the Red Sea, part two). Β The short delay allowed for an impressive pay off: Β As Ellie sang βExplosions,β surprise dancers appeared on stage; think part cage-match, part center-stage. Β There was so much happening you couldnβt get it in one picture, not that Ellie wanted your phone out to capture it any way. Β For βLove Me Like You Do,β Ellie asked us to βremember this performance in your head and not on your phone, like back in the days of Michael Jackson.β Β The Army of fans obliged: Β phones were dropped as seven dancers moved on stage, and Ellie moved us all. Β
The entire AmEx performance was like the Spartan Race of concerts. Β We got an hour workout in and Ellie got the equivalent of a Barryβs Bootcamp class. Β She has perfected the timed jump (I’m pretty sure she went to Trampo-Lean to prepare for this moment). Β She implored her audience to Keep On Dancing although there was no need to ask: Β the few patrons that had seats certainly were not in them. Β
Ellie, there really IS something in the way you move.Β On Wednesday, you flaunted mid-backbends, timed side shuffles, and energetic lunges all the way to your final move: Β a timed jump three feet in the air with an electric guitar in tow.
One of the new tracks on Delirium is called We Canβt Move To This. Β And on Wednesday night, everyone, including you, proved it was impossible not to.
Wish you could have been there? Β Youβre in luck! Β You can stream the entire performance plus additional content through the American Express UNSTAGED website and app: Β Β https://www.amexunstaged.com/