Blood Orange
Live at Brooklyn Steel
Photos and Review by Bek Allegretti
Blood Orange was back at Brooklyn Steel on November 30th for the second night of an ambitious six-show residency in New York City on the fall headlining run. Devonté Hynes reminded everyone that the most powerful live performances don’t demand attention, but earn it.
The venue itself was transformed for the occasion, using a 360-degree stage that sat in the center of Brooklyn Steel, rather than a traditional setup, placing Hynes and the band directly in the middle of the room. Towering floral arrangements spilled across the stage, softening the industrial space and setting an intimate, romantic, and slightly surreal tone. It felt less like watching a concert and more like being inside a collaborative session with Hynes and the backing band.
A beautiful rendition of The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” followed shortly after, performed by just Hynes and his cello under a single spotlight, drawing explosive cheers as he showed just how far his incredible musical talents stretch. “Jesus Freak Lighter” brought the full band back up, bursting with infectious energy, lights flashing in quick succession as Hynes shredded his electric guitar. The acoustic songs in the set further stripped things down. With arrangements stripped back, songs like “Jewelry” and “The Train (King’s Cross)” allowed Hynes’ songwriting to shine without distraction.
As the set approached its final moments, the atmosphere lifted once more, with “I Can Go” with Mustafa and “The Field” serving as cathartic, crowd-pleasing closers. The performance didn’t end when the lights went down, as each show was recorded and released as a limited-run CD, available exclusively to attendees shortly after the set concluded, serving as the perfect physical memento of the evening.
After opener Dan English warmed up the crowd, Hynes took the stage around 9:15 p.m., greeted by a wave of anticipation that immediately dissolved into an admirational silence. Performing alongside a rotating group of artists that included Tariq Saleem Al-Sabir, Eva Tolkin, Dillon Tracey, and Ian Isiah, Blood Orange leaned fully into the communal spirit of this run, each performer seamlessly trading space and focus throughout the set while perfectly supporting Hynes.
Essex Honey, Hynes’ latest album release from 2025, formed the backbone of the setlist, with duets and acoustic songs filling in the rest for a perfect balance. From the moment Hynes stepped on stage for the first song of the set, “Time Will Tell” stood out as a defining highlight of the evening. Performed alone, the song felt fragile and unguarded, as Hynes held the room in complete stillness, and his voice and keyboard were the only elements needed to make the moment powerful.
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