Live review/ Elvana @ O2 Academy

By Dylan Morley, Third Year History

Elvis/Nirvana tribute act Elvana lit up the O2 stage with a dazzling evening of entertainment in Bristol on Saturday night, paying testament to both legendary artists.

Supported earlier in the evening by the heavy rock n roll of Haggard Cat, Elvana swaggered on stage to rapturous applause and confetti aplenty. Arriving on the promise of pure entertainment and rock and roll nostalgia, Elvana lived up to their word emphatically.

They served up a setlist of Nirvana’s biggest hits, intertwined with some of Elvis’ better known choruses, all bellowed out behind the world famous southern twang of the king of rock and roll. Donning multiple different flamboyant costumes throughout the set with ‘Evils’ stitched into them all, frontman Danny Cobain was a constant source of energy for every fan crammed into the O2. He was supported by a band and backing singers who sustained the performance with legitimate instrumental quality and precision. This ensured that the many Nirvana devotees in the crowd left feeling that particular itch had been scratched.

Perhaps the highlight of the evening arrived with the dimming of the lights above the intimate dance floor at the O2. A thirty second rendition of Elvis’ ‘Love Me Tender’ soon made way for the beating drums of In Utero track ‘Rape Me’. These truly unique three minutes alone made Elvana worth seeing.

Providing relief from the mundane occurrences of everyday life, Elvana reminded those in attendance that success in music and performance is not confined to technical artistry. They aren’t defining their own place in rock and roll legend like the men they play homage to most definitely have, but this is not the point. As frontman Danny Cobain proclaimed after a rustic rendition of Elvis’ hit song ‘In the Ghetto’, ‘‘Im sure there’s over 10 people in here who can impersonate Elvis better than me... but I think I get top f*cking marks for effort!’’

This unpredictable performance was rounded off with a marriage proposal on stage and an encore of the band members partaking in a beauty pageant, before joyous renditions of classics like ‘heart-shaped box’ and ‘smells like teen spirit’. If you hold a soft spot for the late greats Kurt Cobain and Elvis Presley, and are willing to take proceedings with a pinch of salt, then Elvana are truly worth your time.

Featured Image: Dylan Morley/Epigram

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