Robyn Continues To Shine

Robyn's made three Toronto stops in the last year, but Hogtown's appetite for her seemingly knows no bounds.

As people crowded into the rather haphazard and makeshift "new" venue, Echo Beach, it was clear many had caught one of her previous appearances, while another large cloister of fans were just coming around to the Swedish chanteuse's brand of Euro-disco pop music.

John O'Regan, better known as Diamond Rings, once again opened and it's easy to see why: his own take on sentimental synth-pop and a penchant for ridiculously loud clothing (red leather jacket, matching Blue Jays cap and some very bagging trousers) put him perfectly in line with Robyn's own aesthetic.

O'Regan performed on his own, and set failed to match the shimmering recorded power of last year's Special Affections, though he did give it his best, stalking the stage like the seasoned performer that he is. But O'Reagan appeared to be at his most natural while playing guitar, which suggests his other more rock-leaning band, the rechristened Matters (formerly known as The D'Urbervilles), might ultimately win out in the struggle for O'Reagan's comfort zone. But for now he appears to want to continue to ride the Diamond Rings wave.

Robyn hit the stage as the sun went down to the pulsing beats of "Fembot." She was clad in garish tights and a bomber-jacket with "Konichiwa Records," her label, emblazoned on the back, and quickly set the tone for the night by dancing up a storm on stage.

Her set was heavy on material from the Body Talk trilogy, and was very similar to her past appearances. But as great as songs like "Dancing On My Own" and "Call Your Girlfriend" are, it's clear it's Robyn-the-performer that draws fans back again and again.

Though the set needed to be tightly scripted in order for her four-piece band (with two drummers) to keep the beat moving, nothing about Robyn's performance felt affected, from her dance moves to her interactions with her band. Fierce looks quickly melted into bright smiles as she soaked in the love from the crowd. Her short set was augmented by two encores; the first included "Hang With Me" and "With Every Heart Beat" while the second ended with a slowed down version of '90s hit "Show Me Love."

It remains to be seen whether or not Robyn can carry the goodwill and dedication of her core fans further into the pop mainstream. But it's clear from this night, that as a performer she's ready for the big stages and bright lights that pop stardom brings.