Live Report: Chameleon shakes The Workman's Cellar

The Workman’s cellar stage is crowded. A drummer, guitarist, keyboardist and bass player fill a space that can’t be more than four metres wide. As the crowd is well aware, there’s one more to join them.

Synth suddenly starts pouring from the amps, building with the audience’s excitement until Chameleon finally appears onstage. Wasting no time, the genre defying singer launches into his set.

An artist who has attracted critical acclaim for his unique mix of synth, R&B, and conventional instruments, the Dubliner immediately displays why he has attracted so much praise. His vocals are raw and every note is a knockout, as the audience tries their best to keep up with him.

Chameleon at Workmans Cellar / Copyright Patrik Meier / hotpress.com

Winning the coveted New Local Hero award in 2021, the artist announced the performance as a celebration of his new project, CALL ME TWICE PT 1. He makes a rare stop to thank his fans for the opportunity to finally perform, before introducing his band.

Chameleon in name and in practice, every song is a change from the last. Whether he's shouting “Loosen your hips and get ready to throw it back” or introducing a slow tune, his stage presence is undeniable as he effortlessly floats between genres.

As the sweat pours off the artist, a lad in the crowd shouts out “Have my kids”. Choosing to pull out an acoustic guitar instead, the gig calms down for a minute as Chameleon delivers a beautiful rendition of Paolo Nutini’s ‘Better Man’, displaying a dizzying vocal range.

Chameleon at Workmans Cellar / Copyright Patrik Meier / hotpress.com

The only negative feedback from onlookers comes when he announces the set will be over soon. They want it to keep going for a few more hours, and I don’t blame them. Rather than chiding, Chameleon answers with the opening notes to ‘I Never Knew You Well’, a delightfully sinister sounding track.

Though they appeared for a premier of the song ‘The Shakes’, fellow artists CARSTEN2X and KhakiKid made a return for the closing song.

A pair who've worked with him in the past, they joined Chameleon onstage for the high octane delivery of ‘Who’s That Girl’- or, more accurately, the three of them jumped down into the audience to get  lost among a throng of delighted fans.

An enjoyable show that felt over in a flash, attendees are left with ringing ears and a simple fact: Chameleon is still a local hero.

Chameleon at Workmans Cellar / Copyright Patrik Meier / hotpress.com