- FKA twigs' two EPs and debut album, LP1, made her one of 2014's standout acts, so naturally I was curious to see how this would translate into the live sphere. The recently opened Fabrique is one of the biggest clubs in Milan and it was pretty full on the night of her gig. Designer and DJ Giorgio Di Salvo opened, playing trap music for more than an hour. At 10:50 PM, the lights went out and smoke started filling the stage, while some Robert Fripp-style guitar played in the background. At 11 PM sharp, twigs made her appearance.
She was accompanied by three musicians, all of them wearing fishnet shirts, who took turns playing pads, bass and guitar. As soon as the show started, a sea of iPhone screens lit up the crowd. The first few tracks blended powerful bass sounds with her impressive vocals, which was often boosted by samples and effects. As well as a singer, Twigs is known for being a professional dancer, and her moves were incredible, sending the crowd into a frenzy. At times it was as if they were more into her dancing than her music.
Twigs didn't say a single word for the first 45 minutes. When she finally spoke, it was only to say "hi" and that she had "never seen so many men at one of her shows." The concert lasted an hour and featured most of the album, nearly all of the two EPs and an unreleased track she's been playing called "Figure 8." "Pendulum," with its wall-rattling bassline, was one of the highlights of the night, but the track that caused the biggest cheer was "Two Weeks." It was a classy, if not particularly captivating performance. Perhaps a smaller crowd would have helped her get in a more affable mood.
The aftershow was arranged by Club To Club and Noisey, and paired a couple of good Italian names with one of the most interesting English producers around. Unfortunately, a lot of people left after twigs finished, leaving the club half empty for Lorenzo Senni's cerebral but evocative live set. Mumdance followed, turning out a DJ set that was both heavy and melodic, with plenty of movement beyond four-to-the-floor frameworks. It provided a strong finale to an enjoyable evening.
Photo credit: Andrea Macchia