Emika ft Fifi Rong & Geiste live at The 100 Club

Emika’s show at The 100 Club by Tottenham Court Road was a cosy affair with a friendly, welcoming vibe. The club had chairs for audience members sitting by the side of the stage and everyone was very relaxed. The first support act, Geiste, reminded me of a younger Ellie Goulding in her style and the way that she jumped around onstage. She looked like a fairy onstage and made a lot of effort to talk to the audience and get everyone involved. She was essentially one-man band, singing while simultaneously controlling her complicated-looking equipment, including a loop pedal, creating a synthy electronic sound. At the end of her performance she excitedly jumped into the crowd to hug her friends who had come to support her.

The second support act was Fifi Rong, a Chinese-British alternative singer with amazing fashion sense and a beautiful face. Her strong, haunting vocals were combined with expressive dance moves that matched the vibe created by the lights and electronic backing music. She sang in both Chinese and English (I understand a bit of Chinese and realised that in one of her songs she was repeating the names of the colours over and over again – it sounded great!). She totally captivated the entire audience and I would happily watch her perform again.

Finally, Emika came onstage to play her keyboard and give us more electronic synthy vibes but this time with a bit more bass and finesse. She opened with an incredible cover of Wicked Games by Chris Isaak, an already atmospheric song made even more impactful with her use of instruments and breathy, wispy voice. Strobe lights flickered throughout most of Emika’s performance, making for a trippy experience. She would sometimes quickly wave her hand between her mouth and the microphone while singing, creating the same kind of sound that you experience when listening to music through headphones and the sound flits from left to right. She was awesome. Very masterful over her craft. And the audience loved it all.

Overall, a very strong performance from three talented women making strides in electronic, alternative music. I’m glad I got to experience it all in a small venue for maximum impact.

Photos & Review courtesy of India-Mae Alby | Instagram | Twitter

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