Allie X at Koko

Allie X, the eclectic singer, songwriter and keyboardist from Ontario, has nearly a decade’s worth of dreamy pop hits to her name. She has switched up her sound over the years, especially considering her recent album rollout of Girl With No Face in February, but one thing is certain: she is committed to her unique style and personality. Allie X’s goth and punk, yet frilly aesthetic has attracted the attention of hundreds of thousands of listeners all over the globe. This Tuesday, the singer arrived in London to perform at KOKO in Camden and was met with a packed venue.

Dark clothes, brightly coloured hair, silver spikes, leather and bold makeup stood out among the crowd. Allie X fans, or “Xs”, as she likes to call them, are not merely just her supporters, but rather a family. Before the main set, concert-goers mingled and chatted regardless of if they were perfect strangers, no doubt complimenting each other’s impossibly cool outfits or discussing their favourite songs. At exactly 9.02pm, however, light and bubbly conversation transformed into gasps and cheers.

The lights went black and magical, synthy and glittery instrumentals slowly played out. The bass shook the venue as lights flashed until Allie X’s silhouette came into view. The singer, alongside her bass player, Emily Retsas and Cecilia Peruti on guitar, literally jumped into her current biggest hit, Bitch. KOKO may have been vibrating from the heavy bass and synth of the track, but the crowd’s on-tempo, heavy dancing added to the intensity, thus making for an epic beginning to the night.

The performer then followed through in a similar fashion for every song that followed, no matter the studio version’s pace. The singer took attendees on a brief tour of her discography, making sure to add in a few fan favourites from her latest record. The crowd was fueled by each number, especially during Girl With No Face, which was dedicated to Aer Lingus for losing the band’s luggage, Susie Save Your Love, which had a surprise feature from the opener, Tei Shi, and John and Jonathan.

Allie X has a relationship with her followers that many artists do not; she is not afraid of direct audience interaction and conversation, which makes for a very special experience for all in attendance. Everyone laughed as she and individuals cracked jokes about songs or her many accomplishments. It was especially impressive when she danced with the crowd whilst singing, playing the keyboard and pounding a tambourine with all of her might. Even after giving the performance of her life over the course of an hour and a half, she still had the same passion and excitement until the show’s finale with Paper Love and Casanova.

An Allie X gig never has a dull moment: whether it be fans who fire up not only each other, but also their star, and fun synth-pop tunes performed to perfection, this tour is surely not one to miss. She will round out her UK show run on Thursday in Manchester and the following Friday for a special signing show at Rough Trade in Liverpool before heading back to North America – catch her before she’s gone.