Live Review
Khushi + Farao + Roscius
Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London
October 8 2013
Words + Photos: Andrew Major
Tuesday evening saw newcomer Khushi take to the stage at the ever popular Hoxton Bar & Kitchen in support of his debut single release, ‘Magpie’. Lucky enough to be subject to some celebrity backing and on the books of a top indie label and PR company, a sell-out crowd is promised and delivered with an eclectic mix of standard hipsters, intellectuals and some of London’s tallest human beings spilling in to catch support acts, Roscius and Farao.
Simply describing himself as ‘World Minimal Disco’, French electronic artist Rosciu delivers just that. Immersed within a collection of synthesisers and various other complicated looking machines, the Frenchman sets the tone for the evening with some ambient, chilled-out electronica that seems to serve as backing music for the thirsty punters rather than a full blown performance.
Up next is Norwegian songstress, Farao. Exquisite vocal harmonies and subtle layers of instrumentation is what Farao is all about, and she doesn’t fall short in a live setting. A little too delicate for some of the now bustling crowd perhaps, but again another wise choice on the bill and a perfect warm up for the main event.
The looming issue with many lone singer-songwriters is usually the struggle to convert their polished recorded sound into a strong and visually impressive live show; with Khushi however, that is not the case. Presenting himself onstage with an ancient looking resonator guitar and a confident backing group, the young Londoner looks very much at home and relishing the opportunity to impress a crowd made up largely of friends and family. Khushi wastes little time getting into the swing of things, opening with ‘Seven Years Old’ and ‘You Say’, which warm the baying crowd up nicely. Setlists can be a risky business, especially on a night of such gravitas, Khushi certainly considered this when sticking both ‘Magpie’ and b-side ‘Never Never’ slap bang in the middle. Both tracks are delivered with professionalism and the pitch perfect vocals that are required.
The remainder of his set is left somewhat wanting, with no real stand-out tracks other than the penultimate ‘Hard To Find’. Despite this, the more than receptive crowd seem to enjoy what Khushi has to offer - even with cries for an encore - clearly hitting the right buttons. Overall Khushi and co deliver a competent live display. There’s little doubt that in time the live show will grow with possibility of adding elements such as a string section to bolster his sound. This doesn’t, however, overlook the content of Khushi’s music: in spite of a rousing and sonically gratifying set, you just can’t help thinking it’s all been done before.
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