Marking the first sold-out international date of her post-Eurovision tour - fresh off earning a phenomenal 3rd place finish for Romania, equalling the highest score in the country's Eurovision history - Alexandra Căpitănescu’s London stop on October 14 was a statement of intent. For a venue like Underworld that has served as a baptism of fire for countless rock legends over the decades, including Paramore, BMTH, Foo Fighters and Alice in Chains to name a few, the atmosphere inside was electric - a tight-knit room of fans and metalheads crammed in to watch a trailblazer rewrite the rules of modern European heavy music.
District 13
London's own heavy alternative District 13, kicked off the evening with energy. Armed with a sound frequently described as a dark collision between Black Sabbath and The Ramones, the three-piece -Jon Wild, Alessio Barba, and Asen Milushev - set a high tone. With a resume that includes supporting metal royalty like Judas Priest and rocking major festival stages like Hills of Rock, they brought a polished, veteran grit to the opening slot.
Opening with ‘Step Into The Fire’, the mix was a bit muddy on the high end early on, but a ripping electric guitar solo more than made up for it. Visually, bassist Alessio sported an incredible tattoo of a vocalist performing into a mic - a striking nod to how much live performance means to these guys.
After checking the room's energy and thanking the crowd with a surprisingly spot-on pronunciation of the main act's name, they rolled into their latest single, ‘When It All Comes Back To You’ - one of the best songs live as well; check it out! Things got amusingly human during the setup for ‘Take Control’: pedal trouble triggered a sudden feedback squeal and an audible, unscripted "Ah" into the mic from the bassist, earning a warm laugh from the front rows. If there’s one minor critique, it’s that District 13 loves a guitar solo and they’re really good at it, sometimes dropping one after every single track. A bit more restraint could make those standout shreds punch even harder live.
Alexandra Căpitănescu
When Alexandra Căpitănescu stepped onto the stage, it was immediately clear that she is a star, and this is only the beginning.
While Romania has a rich rock history, it hasn't seen a recent massive international breakout act successfully bridge the gap into contemporary, unapologetically heavy music. Căpitănescu and her powerhouse unit - featuring lead guitarist Bogdan Stoican, bassist Matei Cohal, Luca Șofron on drums and Thomas Cîrcotă on keys - are single-handedly putting România's back on the map in this genre. Her sound is a masterclass in modern heavy hybridisation - melting alternative rock, down-tuned djent, nu-metal grooves, and contemporary pop hooks into a cohesive package. Imagine if Evanescence and Nightwish had a baby with Spiritbox, and you’re halfway there.
Kicking off with a heavy instrumental intro straight into ‘Heat’, the tone was set instantly: massive riffs, chest-rattling bass, and crushing breakdowns. Transitioning into ‘Umbra ta’ (Your Shadow), Alexandra paused to address the crowd with a beaming, disarming smile: "Hi, how are you? Thank you for being here; this is a dream come true... Who is here from Romania?" followed by a deafening roar from the room as if the whole country showed up in London.
Her stage presence feels intensely humble and deeply grateful for her position, yet utterly commanding when the music drops, proving exactly why she deserves to be here. Midway through, introducing her latest single ‘CMYM’, she paused to check on the crowd’s hydration, cracking a joke in Romanian after she asked her team to open her bottle of water, before commanding the room to open up and jump.
Before ‘Utopia’, Alexandra addressed the crowd and explained the vision behind their debut album, CHOKE ME (2026). They wanted a brand-new track to be the true face of the record - because while 'Choke Me' is a powerhouse, Eurovision gave it a massive life of its own that belonged to a specific moment. 'Utopia' was built to define where the band is headed next. Packed with raw energy, a catchy hook, and a cinematic music video, it’s easy to see why they rallied behind it. Afterwards, she joked to the room, "You all have amazing voices, I want you on my team" - a delightful, self-aware nod to her winning run on The Voice of Romania back in 2023.
The mid-set offered brilliant dynamic shifts. The live debut of ‘I Need You Now’ leaned into a classic, driving rock sound that had hearts flashing in the air, while the unreleased, slow-burning love song ‘Doi Imperfecti’ (Two Imperfect People) gave the room a moment to breathe before building to a gorgeous crescendo. “You will have to wait a little bit for this one”, the singer says about the release date for this track. Meanwhile, the alternative live version of 'Fuego' - her rock-infused overhaul of Eleni Foureira’s Eurovision pop anthem - proved just how meticulously the band reworks existing material. But more than a great cover, this set showed their ability to adapt Alexandra's entire back catalogue to match her current heavy era. After speaking with friends who caught her earlier gigs, I knew re-engineering her older pop-rock tracks with heavier teeth was a top priority for the band during this genre pivot. Seeing them live, I can confirm they pulled it off seamlessly: every song, old and new, sounded tailor-made for this new soundscape.
Then came the emotional and centrepiece of the night: ‘Heal’. Introducing the track, Alexandra spoke candidly to the artists and musicians in the room about the stubbornness it takes to protect your craft, admitting she felt genuinely nervous singing something that means so much to her. The song is a staggering epic, featuring soaring operatic vocals, polyrhythms, and a sprawling guitar solo that stands out as the night's best, with shredding, tapping, and everything in between, complete with the lead guitarist trading joyous glances during the breakdown. Every band member shines on this track; if you listen to just one song from the new album to grasp their full identity, vision, and technical prowess, ‘Heal’ is the definitive choice.
In an era dictated by streaming economics and short attention spans - where songs are routinely trimmed down for TikTok virality - Căpitănescu isn't here to make music to go viral; she wants to go viral for making good music. That flip in mindset says everything about her commitment to the craft. Stretching over a sprawling six and a half minutes, ‘Heal’ stands as the ultimate testament to that ethos: fearless, unhurried, and beautifully complex.
That same uncompromising philosophy runs through the rest of the record, where even the shortest new track comfortably claims over three and a half minutes of breathing room. In an industry obsessed with quick-hit consumption, Căpitănescu and her band refuse to let a social media algorithm dictate their artistic boundaries. It is a bold, commendable stand for creative integrity - and a quiet revolution that more artists should be brave enough to follow.
The momentum stayed sky-high through ‘Guilty’, which blended cinematic effects with a heavy guitar tone and an Evanescence-like operatic breakdown, and ‘Dilaila’, which mixes trap with an unexpected reggaeton break midway through, alongside playful, mocking vocal call-and-responses lifted straight from the studio track. As brilliant as that crowd interaction is to witness live, the track sounds so heavy in person that the sheer wall of sound unfortunately swallowed the audience's vocal replies, making it hard to hear the room join in over the performance.
Sharing that ‘Hollow Heart’ is her mum’s personal favourite track on the album, Alexandra launched into the song as the band barrelled through a barrage of technical riffing and another soaring guitar solo that left the front rows breathless. But there was no question what the room was truly waiting for. Returning for an explosive encore with 'Choke Me', the crowd erupted into a sheer wall of energy. The undisputed flagship of Alexandra’s catalogue and the catalyst for her historic Eurovision run, 'Choke Me' has become a massive live anthem. Delivering its staggering vocal leaps, Căpitănescu proved precisely why this track has become her signature statement.
Releasing a debut album entirely in English as an international artist is a monumental hurdle, let alone executing it with this degree of world-class production and seamless, band-wide songwriting. With foundational collaborations like ‘Nu Mai Pot’ (I Can’t Take It Anymore) with Romanian E-An-Na already under her belt, it’s only a matter of time before major international hitters start vying to jump on a track with her. Whether their next move is a fully realised concept record, collaborations or festival stages, the sky is genuinely the limit for this group.
Before stepping off stage, Alexandra promised the crowd that they will be returning to London - so keep your eyes peeled. Be sure to catch them on their current tour dates while you can, because intimate rooms like this won't be able to hold them for much longer.
Stream Alexandra Căpitănescu’s debut album, CHOKE ME, out now on all major platforms.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
30 Oct 2026 – Bucharest, România @ Quantic (Alexandra Căpitănescu x Lavinia)
31 Oct 2026 – Cluj-Napoca, România (Alexandra Căpitănescu x Lavinia)
07 Nov 2026 – Chișinău, Moldova @ Tekwill
13 Nov 2026 – Milan, Italy @ Slaughter Club
Words by Vlad-Paul Ghilaș
Photos by Andra Mustea