Elvana Unplugged / Metronome / Nottingham
Covid postponed (obviously !) and moved from The Glee Club we arrive at Metronome, a creative centre, part of Nottingham Trent University in the city centre - Student Arts unit by day, comedy and gig venue by night. I have to say, I was really impressed by both the sound and the lighting at Metronome. The stage is low and not very deep, which I think hindered the set lay out tonight somewhat, but couldn’t be helped with the change of venue.
Well, where do you start with Elvana? How do you describe them to someone that’s not heard of them before? The name says it all really, they are the world’s finest (and probably only?) Elvis Fronted Nirvana tribute band….. Fronted by a guy from Newcastle upon Tyne, pretending to be Kurt Cobain, pretending to be Elvis Presley, who occasionally pretends to be David Bowie. There is no pretension…… I don’t sound like any of those guys says Paul Kell aka The King. But as you’ll see, it really doesn’t matter.
It sounds like it shouldn’t work…… but boy does it work ! I’s far more than a tribute band act, and has taken on a life all of it’s own, with a huge following round the UK and beyond, both in their own sell out shows and at the festivals too. Taking two such great American icons as Elvis and Kurt Cobain, I’ve always wondered what our US cousins think of it ?!
Elvana play all the classic Nirvana tracks, like Smells Like Teen Spirit, Heart Shaped Box, Come As You Are, and some of Elvis’s greats too. Their sound is full of Seattle grunge distortion, and they do it very well. Songs merge, and blend together s well. One minute you’re listening to Nirvana’s Rape Me, and it seamlessly morphs into Elvis’s Love Me Tender. It’s quite impressive really, and has fans shouting out the lyrics to both from start to finish, as lets face it, both artists are renown for songs to get involved in.
Tonight’s show though is a little different.
Back in 1993, as part of the MTV Unplugged series, Nirvana put on their jumpers and sat down on a flower strewn stage in New York and performed an acoustic set of their own songs, but with a few from their favourite artists thrown in for good measures, such as David Bowie, The Vaselines, the Meat Puppets and Lead Belly. It quickly became iconic and the ‘gig you just had to be at man’ and remains special today.
So, tonight we’re here at Metronome to experience Elvana’s take on this classic show, and to be honest, it’s the closest any of us will ever get to having been there ! The usual band members are all there Elvis, Danny Cobain, Rob Novoselic and Bobby Grohl along with Stephanie and Charlotte their regular singers, but they’re joined by a cellist, and guest guitar player ‘Kenny Smear’, to fully recrate the Unplugged sound.
The stage is set up with gold lame curtain drapes backdrop with spot lighting, white lily’s everywhere, candlesticks and the centrepiece Elvis tribute Golden throne (erm…. toilet) centre stage for the man himself. The band hit the stage, in velvet lounge jackets, cummerbunds and bow ties, taking their (seated) places as the King himself comes on stage in all black full Vegas suit, with flared trouser, bare chest, bling and sunglasses.
The set starts with the excellent About a Girl or Never (About a Girl & Now or Never) and anyone in any doubt about their musicianship is left in no doubt, what a storming start. The set is an (in order) re-creation of that famous night in NY, but with added Elvis bits (obvs !)
It’s hard to pick a stand out track, their versions of Pennyroyal Tea / Love Me Tender is a real favourite with the crowd and brings out all the terrible singers, at the top of their voices (including me !), but Dumb / Always on My Mind, Heartbreak Hotel / Polly and In the Ghetto / Something in the Way are all excellent too, the King encouraging the audience to sing along with the Elvis classis In The Ghetto.
It's just great music….. and amazing fun !
For me though, the best parts of the night, were the covers of the covers (if you see what I mean). Elvis singling Nirvana, singing The Vaselines / Bowie / Meat Puppets / Lead Belly…… Jesus Doesn’t Wants Me for a Sunbeam by The Vaselines is an incredible track and they do it real justice tonight. It’s emotive and powerful and a moment where the crowd stand and listen in awe. It’s followed by Bowie’s The Man Who Sold the World and the audience participation is back in full swing as we all bellow out the lyrics, and the King steps out and wanders round the crowd.
Rob Novoselic, better known to Elvana fans simply as “Bassguy” has a quiet stage persona and is the butt of band jokes through the night, but greatly loved by the fans who come to his defence with chants of “Bassguy, Bassguy, Bassguy……” at every opportunity. But despite the jokes, the homage to Elvis/Cobain delivers….. honouring MTV’s legendary unplugged session.
As the set draws to a close, we are entertained by Nirvana’s incredible All Apologies, Elvis’s emotional hit Are You Lonesome Tonight? and an exceptional version of Lead Belly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
But, having paid great homage to Nirvana’s set, it could only end of a classic Elvis number to remind us who the King is. The throne (erm… toilet seat) lid is lifted and a can of beer is pulled out, and cracked open… ready to lead the crowd in a bouncing, sing-along-to raucous crescendo as we deliver a communal rousing rendition of Suspicious Minds. The King, back down amongst the crowd, sharing the mic with anyone and everyone as we all join in. The energy levels in the room are off the scale, as the set finishes and we all spill out not the streets.
So that was a night with Elvana, and what fun it was too. They really are the best at what they do, and there really is nothing else quite like it. The Elvis stuff is great, the Nirvana stuff is great, and the mixed up stuff is great too. I’d highly recommend it, I’m not sure you can have a more fun night at a gig.
Set List
About a Girl Or Never
Come As You Are
Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam (The Vaselines)
The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie)
Pennyroyal Tea – Love Me Tender
Dumb – Always on My Mind
Heartbreak Hotel – Polly
On a Plain
In the Ghetto – Something in the Way
Plateau (Meat Puppets)
Oh, Me (Meat Puppets)
Lake of Fire (Meat Puppets)
Love Me Tender
Baby, What o You Want Me to Do ?
Blue Suede Shoes
All Apologies
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Lead Belly)
Suspicious Minds
Elvana have released an excellent live album “Live from Disgraceland” which is back in stock now, and due in September 2022 is the release of their “Unplugged” album. For more information on the band and the albums, check them out here:
Support was provided by twin sisters Stephanie and Charlotte, better known as Talk Like Tigers, and also an ever present part of the Elvana line up. They gave us a short seven song set of wonderful synth/guitar pop from their latest EP’s “Passion Fruit” and “Feminine Power”. They looked amazing in outfits covered in chrome like discs, reflecting the light in all directions, which worked really well with the colours often wonderful warm yellows with white spots and gave them a great look, and their vocals complement each other perfectly.
For me the best tracks were a fantastic cover of the Cranberries classic Linger which gave this popular a different and dreamy feel, and the final track Annabel’s Calling dedicated to their sister which has a wonderful 80’s synth pop vibe !
Really enjoyable…… Great stuff !
Set List
Fruit
Protection
Diamonds
Linger
Move
Sacred Feminine
Annabel’s Calling
