Concert review: Robyn at the Cosmopolitan

By Josh Bell

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 | 6:14 p.m.

By international pop-star standards, Robyn’s concert on April 14 at the Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool was downright minimalist. There were no elaborate sets, no costume changes, no choreographed dance routines. Even Robyn’s band was lean: Just two keyboardists and two drummers, dressed all in white like musical lab assistants. Despite the lack of spectacle, though, Robyn’s show was every bit as enjoyable as a pop concert produced at 10 times the scale. Sticking to songs from her most recent releases, Robyn put every ounce of energy into her performance, and the eager crowd gave every bit of it back.

About halfway through the show, the venue had taken on a club atmosphere, fueled by Robyn’s dance-friendly songs and the singer’s own moves, which were executed with contagious glee. She wasn’t dancing because it was part of the show—she was dancing because she couldn’t not dance. When she spun around for a while, she got dizzy and stumbled. After pulling a suggestive maneuver during “U Should Know Better,” she got flustered and flubbed some of the words. It was endearingly genuine and relatable.

Sometimes the vibe was a little too clubby, though, with songs that blended into each other and long instrumental breaks that left the singer just hanging out onstage. But Robyn brought the focus back anytime it was starting to drift and led rousing sing-alongs to “Dancing on My Own” and “Stars 4-Ever.” The rest of the world could keep their Lady Gagas and Katy Perrys; for one night in one place, Robyn was the biggest pop star around.