A Unique Proposition: Shura & Pixx, Live at the Ultralounge

Tonight, the UltraLounge sees Pixx and Shura take its unique stage. Pixx opens the gig, fresh from the release of her debut album, The Age of Anxiety in June, immediately transporting the audience by exuding confidence, both in her sound and stage presence. The venue itself is well suited to acts such as Pixx, as it allows their personality to shine through the use of lighting and screens that projects distorted versions of the performance around them. The stage itself is in the form of a translucent cube, which further enhances the intimacy of the venue, allowing Pixx to connect with the audience and momentarily, transports the audience from the reality that they are in the basement of a department store. This is perhaps most apparent when Pixx performs an excellent cover of Joe Jackson’s “It’s Different For Girls”, a moment that truly highlights her impressive ability as a singer and performer. At times, it is clear that more attention is paid to the staging and lighting, as the vocals suffer; however, this is more of a technical issue, rather than an issue with Pixx herself as a singer and performer.

Shura follows, opening with “Nothing’s Here”, and showing her appreciation for Pixx whilst talking to the audience. She also talks about the absurdity of performing in a cube in the basement in Selfridges, briefly bringing the audience back to the reality of where they actually are, which is a testament to the transformative power of Pixx, Shura and The UltraLounge as a concept. The visual effects are utilised to great effect on songs with heavy drumbeats, such as “Make It Up”, and it is great to see Shura take full advantage of the unique staging and lighting. Speaking to the audience on several occasions, Shura mentions that many of her songs, such as “What Happened To Us?” are about ‘being with someone who doesn’t love you anymore’, a relatable, if bleak, theme if ever there was one. This awkwardness, mixed with dry wit, allows Shura to connect with the audience on an incredibly intimate level, and this is further enhanced by her stepping out of the translucent cube and embracing audience members during “Touch”. The set ends with the fiercely energetic "White Light", featuring audience participation in the form of intense hand-clapping, juxtaposed with the closer “31125”, a song that saw Shura, and some audience members alike, ending up seated on the floor. It is the perfect end to a gig that not only celebrates the music itself, but also the artistry.