M.I.A.’s performance last week looks, in retrospect, entirely uncomfortable. The stage appears bare, the sound is fairly dull and the performance’s high spots have little effect in the given environment. Last night I saw Aesop Rock perform and he said, in a moment of solid stage banter, that there was definitely a difference between performances that feel like work and performances that are fun (noting this was one of the fun ones). I can only think that this bit of publicity was work however.

M.I.A.: (Official) (MySpace) (Wikipedia)

M.I.A. “Kala” (listen)
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Also: (M.I.A. on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic) (Spike Jones Spends Saturday with M.I.A.)