xanadu: live
@ o2 academy islington

Easter Saturday in Islington saw me at the O2 Academy to see the exciting Xanadu.

Fronted by India France, who has already released her own album Tangerine, the excitement was immense in what is a landmark gig.

The song Tempting off her album already feature the present members of Xanadu, and they are all undeniably formidable musicians that compliment each other exceptionally well.

The extensive attention to detail to their live set is obvious, as transitions between songs were slick, and each word said on stage was not wasted.

Playing new material, the jazz and R&B influences are extensive, and I left the show with a genuine excitement for their releases.

The quality of both vocalists are undeniable, and the band were equally as incredible; guitarist Daniel DukeJordan in particular, who enjoyed what I considered to be my personal highlight of the show with his genuinely awe-inspiring guitar solos.

With a surprise, Sol Rock made an appearance to feature on a song also released on Tangerine, and he was successful in captivating the audience with his genius poetic lyrical style and delivery.

My sense was that all audience members, whether they were there to see Xanadu or not, unanimously felt that we were witnessing the infancy of a band with exciting prospects on the horizon.