Allie X has been making waves in the pop scene for some time now through outstanding visuals and out-of-this-world synth pop. This year, she gave the world her second studio album Cape God, which while staying in a similar vein as her previous work, gave the artist new sounds and songwriting styles to play with. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that started in the same period as the release of this project, its accompanying tour that was set to begin on March 22 and to take Allie X to North America and Europe, had to be postponed. Ultimately, the star decided to celebrate this magnificent release and give the fans a chance to listen to some of the fan favorites played in a live setting, thus announcing the self-directed, along with Alexander Alexandrov, Cape God digital concert, which took place on December 17th.
via alliex Instagram
Over 20 minutes before the virtual event began, fans were already flooding the website chat with excitement over the upcoming show, discussing which tracks they would like to hear played and asking each other to follow them on social media to keep the conversation going. This is a sign of the incredible job that Allie X has done for many years now of cultivating a fanbase that feel a connection both with her and one another, which took her to huge recognition between pop enthusiasts, in spite of not necessarily being a household name.
The concert kicked off with “Fresh Laundry,” coincidentally the first promotional single of the era and the album’s opening track, in a very haunting way: green eye makeup, dark lipstick and the theatrics only Allie X pulls off. She can very quickly be spotted all by herself, in a small setting but with the utmost control — almost making the show seem like a short film — and prompting mystery onto the audience, tied with excitement over what comes next.
Immediately after followed a powerful piano rendition of ‘Madame X,’ a ‘Regulars’ performance with shining camerawork, and an initial climax with ‘Bitch,’ the only song on the setlist not belonging to the Cape God album, presumptively due to its popularity and how well it fits within any context brought up by the singer, being so unique to her characteristic sound. By this point, it was clear that the show would not feature any backup dancers or distracting visuals, just Alexandra’s powerful voice and extravagance by themselves, similar to the way the audience is viewing the show — which in no way, shape, or form takes away from the captivating experience, but instead only enhance it.
The relatively short length of the concert is never a limitation for the visual aspect of the show, as it features several notable wardrobe changes and smaller setting tweaks while maintaining the vintage, white-and-beige, cold aesthetic that’s reminiscent of the album. It’s quite interesting how well-executed were the transformations of certain songs into a live environment, with “Life of the Party,” a rather euphoric song that the artist chose to sang while laying on the floor and snapping her fingers, being the perfect example. “Love Me Wrong,” one could argue was even elevated by the scenario, with Allie X’s vocals having an even brighter spotlight than in the recorded version featured on the record.
The digital concert wrapped up with “Super Duper Party People,” a song fans had been long been fond of even before the record was released. Here, the singer performed while standing between two office-like chairs, completely capturing the track’s unique cheekiness and bizarre sensation through face gestures and over-the-top movements. The show, ironically enough, closed with the artist chanting the lyrics “Don’t stop the music, I don’t wanna lose it,” leaving the fans absolutely ecstatic, as if they had gone through the sweat and mind-blowing experience of a real-life Allie X concert that this unique star is always sure to give.
via alliex Instagram
The “Cape God” digital concert clocks in at 30 minutes, leaving the door open for a follow-up event in which even more of the remarkable songs in the project could be performed. During this time, the artist displays everything that makes her stand out: from the carefully-devised sonic and visual atmosphere, to a commanding stage presence and overall eye-catching performances. While she could have chosen to have collaborators on the album, such as Troye Sivan or Mitski, make an appearance, or feature striking gags, the simplicity of the event proves how powerful Allie X’s natural talent at connecting with her audience truly is.
