Charli XCX

Heaven, London - 30 October 2014

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"Both she and her all female band were dressed as cheerleaders"

This was the first time I had seen Charli XCX and I was impressed by the initial stage presence, both she and her all female band were dressed as cheerleaders and the lighting was great.

The live band consisted of drums, bass and guitar, but hidden in the sides was a man either running some music production software or a mixture of this and electronic wizardry – but as I say very well hidden away. This gig was to support her forthcoming commercially available album Sucker, and she played a number of new tracks from this as well as some of her other recent releases and older songs. The performance was very energetic, exciting and her vocals were very strong.



Highlights for the audience seemed to be I Love It, which hit the UK charts when performed by Icon Pop but was actually penned by Charli XCX, as well as her solo hits Boom Clap, Break The Rules and a version of Fancy which she performed alone on account that Iggy Azalea was not there to perform alongside her. Other highlights were a cover of Money by Barrett Strong, much more in the style of The Flying Lizards, and London Queen – which was made more relevant by the venue. At the end of the night when pink and white balloons fell from the ceiling to accompany Boom Clap the audience seemed captivated – a most enjoyable night and a very professional performance. 7/10

Setlist: Breaking Up, I Love It (Icona Pop cover), Famous, SuperLove, Black Roses, Lock You Up, Caught in the Middle, Need Your Love, Stay Away, You (Ha Ha Ha), Money (Barrett Strong cover), London Queen, Break the Rules, Grins Gold Coins, Encore: Fancy (Iggy Azalea cover), Boom Clap  

Review + Photos: Mark Smith

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