Live Review: George Maple, Cxloe, MIMI

Boasting an all-female line up this evening, Melbourne vocalist and DJ MIMI, who boasts a flair for genre-mixing and slick beats, kicked off the show in style. This artist channelled the energy needed for a club or festival set (of which she's played plenty), which got us in the mood.

Next up was Sydneysider Cxloe, whose stellar vocals elevated and embellished her fairly standard electro-pop sound. She commanded the stage by dancing front and centre, flanked each side by her keyboardist and electric drummer. The crowd got into her set whether or not they were familiar with her tracks, so she treated us to a cover of Billie Eilish's Bellyache. Her final track proved an immersive ending to an enjoyable set.

George Maple's Lover is a bold and sultry opus, and her live show is no different. Opening with the album's title track, the visual overture was not of Maple herself, but rather a montage displayed across three screens with shadows of her two dancers coming into view before she joined the fray.

Phones were raised to capture the striking visual of Maple and her dancers moving fluidly in perfect time to the track, while her vocals didn't miss a beat. The hard-hitting and steamy Sticks And Horses followed, resulting in the first singalong of the evening.

Maple's stage presence oozed sex appeal and, much like the intimacy presented in her album, it felt somewhat taboo to be watching on with such enthusiasm. Her use of light, shadows and movement was mesmerising, and a nod to the many personas she takes on throughout her tracks. She moved through Buried, before changing outfit/persona for a more sombre moment when she sat down to showcase her phenomenal vocals with Slow Dancing (which got a bit lost among the visual stimuli).

She then picked the mood and beat back up with a club track before launching into fan-favourite Talk Talk. Keeping the momentum going, we heard the opening notes of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Love Me), which Maple sang a few verses of - a testament to her vocal ability - before transitioning into final track Hero.

No encores were called for, nor were they necessary, as Maple's set was an immersive, artistic masterpiece to be experienced not meddled with.