FKA twigs, born Tahliah Barnett, recently held a dynamic and visually stunning performance at Magazine London, located on the industrial Greenwich Peninsula. This concert, part of her tour promoting the album Eusexua, drew in an audience of approximately 4,800 fans. Known for her multidisciplinary artistry, twigs presented a show that fused elements of a gig, dance piece, and high-concept club night, offering an experience that was at once exquisite and bewildering.

The evening kicked off with Act I titled “The Practice,” where twigs immediately set the tone with her distinct artistry. A group of performers surrounded her as she mounted a dancer on all fours, evoking a sense of liberation amidst a backdrop of glitchy techno beats. As she transitioned into her song “Striptease,” twigs ripped off her beige maxi dress to reveal her nude underwear, captivating the audience with her boldness and intensity.

Critical to the performance was the concert’s unique structure, which involved complex choreography and dynamic staging that challenged conventional formats. The design featured a central black cube, shadowed by encased dancers who manoeuvred through a hard-edged khaki environment. This concept was particularly emblematic of twigs’s evolution since her career began over a decade ago; she now possesses the resources to create ambitious visual narratives. The atmosphere was tinged with sensuality as twigs contrasted delicate vocals with the harder aesthetic of the surroundings.

As the performance progressed into Act II: “State of Being,” twigs executed a series of daring aerial moves, suspended upside-down in a chain swing while the title track “Eusexua” played. The show seamlessly integrated tracks from her previous works, including a mashup of “Honda,” featuring Pa Salieu, and “Papi Bones” with Shygirl, maintaining a palpable energy throughout. Highlights continued as she delivered a homage to Madonna with vibrant choreography set to her track “Girl Feels Good.”

Despite the rich visual elements, spectators found visibility to be a challenge beyond the front rows of the venue, which limited the experience for many. However, as the night progressed, the energy remained undeterred. The set featured powerful performances, including a noteworthy segment centred around “Drums of Death,” which echoed the office vibe from its accompanying music video.

As the performance reached its climax, twigs presented an emotional rendition of “Cellophane,” a poignant track exploring the theme of broken relationships from her album Magdalene. The performance turned intimate when twigs, visibly emotional, stood encapsulated in a large cube, her music resonating with the audience as she explored themes of vulnerability and longing.

The show was notable not only for its artistic merit but also for its production elements, including live musical contributions from her producer Koreless and dancer-instrumentalists who added depth to the sound. Amongst the myriad of visuals, the appearance of a winged demon in Act III—intended to encapsulate themes of transformation—invoked mixed reactions, but twigs’s repertoire always brought the performance back to its core emotional roots.

As the night concluded with “Cellophane,” real-time visuals of twigs were projected against the venue walls, celebrating both her growth as an artist and the intimacy of her craft. The tour for Eusexua thus encapsulated the broader themes of liberation and catharsis, reflecting twigs’s personal journey and artistic exploration.

Source: Noah Wire Services