Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser Makes a Rare Live Performance in London

Elizabeth Fraser, the other worldly voice of Cocteau Twins performed a rare gig in London on Monday night. Fraser has been elusive these days, having only performed live a handful of times since the band’s demise over 20 years ago.

The short set was during an invite-only with only approximately 40 people in attendance.

The event was hosted by the Society of the Golden Slippers which showcases “emerging and established talent in intimate, candlelit settings”.

The event organizers tweeted: “What a privilege to have hosted a rare performance with Elizabeth Fraser tonight.”

The performance, featured singer John Grant of The Czars, whom Fraser had collaborated with previously, as well as including in the audience Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt of Everything But the Girl.

“Well it’s been quite a day. Just seen Liz Fraser do a little tiny gig in Soho. John Grant guesting on one song. No big deal,” said Thorn via tweet. With Watt adding: “Just saw Liz Fraser casually sing five old folk songs like it was no big deal, with John Grant joining in on harmonies, all in front of 40 people in a hot room in Soho thanks to GoldenSlippers7. Still can’t believe it happened.”

The songs were:

• Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair
• Willow Song
• 
  Cuckoo Song
• 
  Shenandoah
• 
  Heyr himnasmidur

The event did not allow any outside camera, however the Society of the Golden Slippers had promised to post “a few pics from afterwards.”

Fraser performed three concerts during Anohni’s curation of 2012’s Meltdown Festival, which was the Scottish singer’s first-ever solo shows and first full concerts performances in 14 years. Previously Fraser had only performed live with Massive attack.

Last year, Fraser joined Grant at London’s Royal Albert Hall to discuss the Cocteau Twins’ fifth studio album Blue Bell Knoll, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2 weeks.

No other details on the performance are available at this time. See the tweets below.