Caravan Palace | Roundhouse, London | 21/10/24

Caravan Palace at Roundhouse was a never-ending theatrical spectacle.

★★★★★★★★★☆

Returning to London after their tremendous undercard show at Shepherds Bush Empire in the Spring, Caravan Palace turned Roundhouse into a theatrical party.

From outfit changes and dance moves to colourful light shows, the Parisian trio can put on an arena-size show wherever they may be.

Caravan Palace’s highly-anticipated string of UK shows comes after the release of Gangbusters Melody Club, arguably one of their best records. The album features huge singles Mirrors and Raccoons, keeping their 15-year reign in electro-swing very much alive. As the penultimate UK tour date, the capital received special treatment with a noticeably extended setlist which made the evening even more spellbinding.

With a mesmerising performance from support act Boogie Belgique, his lack of stage movement was more than made up for by his energetic beats. It felt like the perfect way to begin the evening, a match made in heaven.

When it came to Caravan Palace, in classic-style they hooked the crowd within seconds of appearing. Total control, style and fun. For those who have seen the trio before, you’d expect nothing less. For new folks, they were about to have the best night of their lives.

The band surfed through a huge collection of songs, with highlights being Lone Digger, Wonderland, Mirrors, Racoons and a smashing cover of Black Betty. Before diving into the afforementioned Lone Digger, lead vocalist Zoe exclaimed “How was your nap? You have plenty of energy now” and asked Roundhouse to to touch the sky. We’ve never seen this iconic venue party so hard.

Those who thought it was over were about to be rudely interupted, as a loudspeaker announces “We are not done yet”. Caravan Palace returned for an encore, one which became further extended after receiving a rapturous applause. Zoe dropped to her knees grinning from ear to ear, the band too, and surrended to one final track.

Aftterwards, the group thanked every member of their team individually, and gave a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the fans for being so supportive. While a small gesture, in a sometimes dog-eat-dog industry, this act of gratitude demonstrates very grounded artists.

Caravan Palace at Roundhouse was a neverending theatrical spectacle of a show. A leading example to everyone in showmanship. This was an arena-ready show at an iconic venue, at an incredibly affordable price - which is becoming increasingly difficult. If you haven’t caught these yet, you should be chomping at the bit when a new tour comes along.

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