I was delighted to finally get Shura on the show. Her album, ‘Nothing’s Real’, came out this week and it thoroughly deserves your attention.
Here’s what happened:
1. Remi: Substance Therapy
2. MØ: Final Song
3. Hozier: Better Love
4. Wyvern Lingo: Left Hand Free / Don’t Let Go
5. Júníus Meyvant: Signals
6. Cathy Davey: The Pattern
7. Shura: Touch
8. Chat with Shura (Part 1)
9. Shura: What’s it Gonna Be
10. Chat with Shura (Part 2)
11. Shura: White Light
12. Twin Atlantic: No Sleep
Thanks for listening, The London Ear broadcast on DAB radio, Saorview and outside Ireland you can listen online.You can listen to the show again on the RTE player. The show is broadcast every Saturday at 1300.
Don’t forget to check out the RTE 2XM website. You can keep up with me here.
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.
This song has been rolling round my head for longer than when Annie Mac made this version with Talib Kweli her ‘Hottest Song in the World’. The original version has been knocking round for two years now but hasn’t been available to purchase for the past while.
As the Indecision, 2Shy and White Light were released, it became apparent that a re-released ‘Touch’ would probably be the track to run up to the release of Shura‘s debut album.
‘Nothing’s Real’ hasn’t got a definite release date yet but it’s looking more like May, just before the Shepherds Bush Empire gig on May 26th, I suspect.
This remix or ‘alternative edit’ of Touch features Talib Kweli and really does add a different dimension to the track. Touch is a sultry ‘let’s get it on’ track, Talib Kweli’s contribution funks it up, lifts it and will bring the track to a different audience.
Did I mention it’s addictive? This track is so so addictive, put it on a loop now and save yourself the trouble later.
