Live Music Review: Rumer at the Academy, Dublin
While the British singer’s voice, silky like luxury chocolate, verges on immaculate, her manner hints at endless melancholy. Her music is formally upbeat, yet weirdly exhausting to hear. It doesn’t take long for the chirpiness to turn oppressive.
In concert, the 33-year-old — she settled on the stage name ‘Rumer’ during her decade as a waitress in London — seemed determined to live up to her reputation as the reincarnation of 1970s easy-listening acts, such as The Carpenters. A faded rug was laid on the stage, while her keyboard player, just to the left, maintained a slightly chilling grin through the evening. It was a surprise that nobody had arrived with a fondue set.
