Soho Electric Review: talent and spirit in abundance, if sometimes losing its spark
02 October 2026 | 19:30 | Phoenix Arts Club, London
⭐⭐⭐ | PR - Invite
A new rock cabaret playing weekends at the Phoenix Arts Club, Soho Electric is a wonderfully eclectic mix of live music, aerial performance, burlesque and variety acts in one of central London's most beloved venues. There is a huge amount of talent through the evening, and when the elements come together, the show captures the spirit and energy of a proud cabaret.
Tonight, we were hosted by Vanity Von Glow, who is marvellous in bringing personality and dynamic stage presence. She performs several songs herself, which work particularly well in settling audiences into the first act. However, she also features heavily later in the evening, which contributes to an overly musical and song-heavy second act. With such a wide variety of performers and disciplines on the bill, the latter half could better celebrate this diversity of talent.
We are supported by an alternative host Ruby Wednesday, who has a different performance style to Vanity. Ruby introduces themselves and performs Amy Winehouse's Back To Black alongside Vanity, which is one of the night's standout musical numbers. Her vocals are incredible, although when singing the Arctic Monkey's I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, this doesn't play to her strengths. Having two such contrasting lead hosts will help to keep the show alive as they alternate per night, each with unique personalities and variations to hosting.
The first act is brilliantly paced, with each segment woven together in a constantly exciting pace. Nothing plays out for too long, and the clown act perfectly captures the tone that audiences will expect from the show, performing rock songs including Muse's Supermassive Black Hole and a Queen medley. It is playful, animated and completely bonkers in the best way imaginable. In this instant when everything clicks, Soho Electric is fully realised.
Unfortunately, the second act doesn't maintain this momentum. With three consecutive acts of live singing after a positively assorted first half, the pacing becomes noticeably slower, in need of more movement-style acts. There is also some interaction with the audience for birthdays and, while the idea is fun, it isn't particularly engaging and needs more work to really land.
We can all see the evident confidence that is poured into the evening, but it's about finding song choices that suit both the performer and the genre of the cabaret as a whole. The rock-heavy, tongue in cheek stye of earlier performances seem to resonate with audiences the most, whereas features including Pulp's Common People fall flat in comparison.
The burlesque and ariel performances are the most impressive feats to come from tonight. These are confident, polished and entertaining with a particularly memorable finale: her costume alone looks more expensive than the entire rest of the show! The fire work is a high-quality addition, although is ends as quickly as it began, wishing for something considerably longer. Maybe an opportunity for an even bigger finale that isn't fully utilised?
I couldn't imagine another venue being a better fit than the Phoenix Arts Club. The space is used to its extremes, although there can be quite a lot of turning around for those on cabaret tables, and moving your attention around the room. With standing tickets starting at £28, moving up to £54 for the 'best seats in the house', some may offer more restrictions on the action than others. But no doubt there will be somewhere for everyone!
On the whole, Soho Electric is a promising starting point to what could become a strong evening of entertainment. With some refinement into the second act to emphasise how excellent the variety is, and more carefully chosen material for each performer, it's about negotiating a balance to keep audience's interested while getting the most out of the talent. For a night at London's Phoenix Arts Club, it's a fabulous way to begin, particularly should you choose to stay on for Sing Out, Louise!, where show tunes are played on the piano for audiences to sing along (from 9:30pm).
Soho Electric Tickets & Info: https://phoenixartsclub.com/soho-electric
Sing Out, Louise! Tickets & Info: https://phoenixartsclub.com/sing-out-louise
