Photos and Review by: Kate Hampson
Author’s Instagram: @katebunnyhampson
Lineup: Oh My God It’s the Church!, Elvana
Date: December 16, 2023
Location: Camden Roundhouse, London
Elvana – the mash-up you didn’t know you needed.
Witnessing Elvana at the Roundhouse felt like a fever dream I don’t want to wake up from. The Christmas spirit was in full swing, only heightened by the amount of dazzle coming from the stage.
For many, the idea of a band mixing the music of Elvis and Nirvana may initially sound a touch unusual. Hailing from Disgraceland, this rather quirky ensemble were unleashed on the world in 2018, and have played Download and Glastonbury Festivals to critical acclaim.
Are they more Elvis or Nirvana fans? Based on the outfits of the people in the audience, there was a very good mix of Nirvana T-shirts, Elvis-themed costumes, and lots of antlers and Christmas lights thrown in. As for me? I won’t wax lyrical here about my love of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but the best concert I ever attended was Nirvana at Reading ‘92. I was buzzing with anticipation to see what their lead singer was going to do!
Erupting onto the stage the enigmatic frontman opened with ‘Dive’, a grungy Nirvana b-side and an interesting segue into Elvis’s ‘Devil in Disguise’. The packed out Roundhouse was ecstatic. Crowd surfers and drag and Christmas oh my.
Next up is ‘Stay Away’/‘Trouble’. The volume is up as their screams at the top of his lungs, matched by the ever increasing decibels by the well up for it crowd. A confetti storm during ‘In Bloom’, followed by another Elvis song (That’s Alright Mama), then the crowd went wild as their singer wailed the intro to another Nirvana song, and even though they were already anticipating the seamless transition to an Elvis number, it was still unexpected.
Getting swept up in with Elvana’s “Elvis” swaggering about the stage, his hips swaying, and working the crowd is dead easy. Yet, the other band members are a talented bunch, making the whole performance seem dead effortless. And we can’t forget the backing singers, decked out in cheerleader gear straight out of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and waving pom-poms.
After an outfit change into Vegas theme, he explains that ‘sometimes I sound like Kurt Cobain and sometimes I might even sound like Nicholas Cage. But ‘never like Elvis fucking Presley!’
Who cares? The 1700 strong crowd certainly didn’t. He may not sing like the King, but in terms of performance they BROUGHT IT and then some.
Elvana’s setlist naturally includes all the tunes you’d expect from two of the biggest acts in history.
What really stands out tonight is how the band cleverly mixes up the tunes from both artists. Instead of your usual covers, we get some proper interesting mash-ups. The transition from ‘A Little Less Conversation’ (Elvis) into ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (Nirvana) is nothing short of genius, for example.
Playing to a packed house, Elvana proves they’re more than just a smart or daft idea – they’re a cracking bunch of lads, entertaining and seriously talented musicians who know how to put on a proper show.
