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  • Diary: Shura // Live at KOKO, Camden

    Diary: Shura // Live at KOKO, Camden

    Shura_nessymon_Main

    Shura // Live at KOKO, Camden // Jun 1 2016

    It’s a while since I’ve seen Shura live, last time was the Electric Brixton in September of last year. This gig was originally supposed to be in Shepherd’s Bush Empire but due to renovations, was moved to KOKO. A fact I was kinda happy with, especially as it takes over an hour and a half to get home from Shepherd’s Bush.

    Pumarosa did a fine job of warming up the crowd as they filtered in, but really all 1400 people in the venue wanted to see Shura.

    First stand out of the night for these ears were the choice of pre-gig tunes, 80’s rock galore, Don Henley’s Boys of Summer, Toto’s Africa, Billy Idol’s White Wedding. If this was Dublin, the party would have already started.

    I’m not going to do a song by song review. Shura is really good at what she does. The sound in the venue was a lot better than it had been in Brixton. The band are tight and Shura’s voice seems to be growing in strength. And, to cap it all off, we get every track from Shura’s upcoming album ‘Nothing’s Real’.

    All these mixed with great lights, both from the stage and the trippy house discoball lights that filled the venue, make it all a special night.

    Personally, this was a major pick me up in a week that was pretty shit (more of that to come later), I danced and sang the night away with new best friends. It was also the day that Shura unveiled the new video for ‘What’s it Gonna Be?’ and everyone was feeling the love.

    Highlights – you could tell the tracks people really liked. The phones came out. ‘2Shy’ and ‘Touch’ led the charge. ‘Indecision’ has always been a fave of mine but the more I listen to the Extended Mix of White Light and then hearing it here live, just take it out of this world.

    Everyone needs a night like this at least once a week. Can’t wait for the album.

    …

  • Diary // Shura – Live at Bleach, Brighton // Jun 2 2015

    Diary // Shura – Live at Bleach, Brighton // Jun 2 2015

    Shura In Bleach Brighton photo © nessymon.com

    Stardate 02062015, time 0645, it’s the day you wake up and remember you’ve bought tickets to a gig in Brighton. Me and my buddy Alex had purchased tickets to go see Shura.

    I’ve been playing Shura for a while now on the radio and Alex raved about her Village Underground gig in March so there was no Indecision on our part to get tickets. Yes, I know that was a terrible pun. Plus, attendees of these couple of dates around the UK would also get their mitts on some free limited edition vinyl of a Warpaint-Steez remix of 2Shy, pressed on one side only. #YummyVinyl

    So working in London, myself and Alex legged it out of the office at 5.15 and got the Gatwick Express to Brighton, which I have to say, was a quite relaxing journey, fuelled by music discussion and goss. We arrive in Brighton, find the venue and find an eaterie.

    We go to the venue, get our hands on our vinyl and pop out to say hi to Shura and get our vinyl signed (fangirl or wha?). We head back upstairs, hopefully proving we’re not psychos and wait for the show to begin.

    It’s a small venue, maybe 200 people in there. The band have added an extra guitarist for live duties. The short eight song set starts with ‘Figure it Out’.

    It’s Shura’s first time playing in Brighton and the crowd react well to the opening notes of ‘2Shy’, ‘Indecision’ and ‘Touch’ but for some reason never completely let loose.

    In reality, these shows are probably good run throughs for festival season and set lists change and evolve. Included in today’s is a Fine Young Cannibal Cover, She Drives Me Crazy, while a good cover, if someone is driving you crazy, you need a little more Grr!

    Honourable mention must go to the guitar at the end of the second track of the night, ‘Kids n’ Stuff’, if Top Gun needed a new piece of music for when the plane takes off the runway and Tom Cruise is on his motorcycle, well, this is it. This leads really nicely into ‘Indecision’.

    Shura’s sound is definitely eighties throwback, with Ms Janet Jackson sprinkling her fairydust over everything. But it’s when the last song of the night kicks in, I realise what was slightly lacking. A few more uptempo tracks.

    When people go to to gigs they want to dance and ‘White Light’ definitely makes you want to do that. (I might be wrong as I recall the evening but there could have been a Madonna sample thrown in to the live mix there). Shura is a new artist and it’s fascinating to see artists change and evolve in the time before they even get to release an album and then between a first and second album. ‘White Light’ seems to be the sound of an artist maturing, getting to know where they want to go, how to manipulate and create to be exactly where they want to be. It works, it’s bloody great live. The following night it got it’s debut on Annie Mac on BBC1.

    Good night’s entertainment, if Shura keeps producing stuff like this, she’ll have a decent career.