Rox
Where: London Scala
When: 17th June 2010
The Scala is packed, really packed. There is of course the usual pre-show chatter amongst the crowd, but tonight there is something special in the air, a palpable sense of anticipation. Despite being approximately twenty minutes behind schedule, the excitement around the venue still prickles the back of the neck. Finally, the band arrives on stage and the anticipation reaches fever pitch. And, swooping onto the stage with a sultry smile and launching into a ferocious version of “No Going Back”, the reason for such expectancy is clear. This is Rox, and tonight is her night.
Despite her tender years, the young lady has confidence in abundance. Belting through the opener, she stalks the stage, enticing the audience and hitting ever note with little effort. Powerful yet considered enough to show her talents, the song allows Rox to grin confidently and exercise her stage persona. She is a lady in her element.
Yet, when the track draws to a close, we see an entirely different side to her. “Thank you all so much for being here tonight, this means so much to me” The sentiments are genuine, the humility refreshing. “This is the biggest show I’ve played, thank you for spending your money to come and see me,” It seems, for all her excellent stage bravado, Rox is genuinely unassuming of her talents.
And boy, what talents they are. Continuing with the marvelous “Page Unfolds”, she floats between every note of the octave with little effort. Reminiscent of a young Beverley Knight, her voice is rich and syrup-like yet with a hardy quality. “Sad Eyes” shows her soft and soulful versatility, giving her voice a different and equally magnificent platform, whilst a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining” sees the reinvention of a classic in stripped down fashion.
Throughout her jaw dropping performance, Rox continues to interact with the crowd in her genuine manner. Encouraging audience participation, she chats giddily, playfully and often candidly. There are over two hundred people here, but this is an intimate and personal experience.
Further highlights include a heartfelt rendition of “Forever Always Wishing”, a tale of love and heartbreak based on personal experience, and “Do As I Say”, a soul ballad with strong Bailey Rae influences.
But it is the finale to tonight’s proceedings that will live longest in the memory. After a sincere thank you and brief departure, Rox returns with a cover of Seal’s “Crazy”. Superbly delicate, perfectly poised and full of character, it is more than enough to trigger a mass jaw-drop around the venue, yet another salute to her seemingly endless charm. Finishing with the raucous “Breakfast In Bed”, she once again thanks the crowd for their attendance before returning to her ultra confident, master of proceedings stage persona for a crescendo finish.
As the lights go up, a shell-shocked silence descends upon the Scala, perhaps caused by the cacophonous ending, or the sudden raising of the house lights. But, most likely it is from the realisation that they had just witnessed of one of the most promising British talents for a very long time.
Words: Dan Grose
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