Manchester dances away as The Drax Project take the stage at YES
Delivering an infectious, genre-blending set to an enthusiastic crowd, 35x Platinum selling (yes 35x!) New Zealand quartet The Drax Project make their Manchester debut. And it’s a a performance that swings effortlessly from silky R&B to bouncy pop, jazz flourishes and soulful moments, all wrapped in a tight, upbeat package that keeps the Pink Room crowd on their feet from start to finish.
Before the headliners hit the stage though, support act Juno kick things off with an impressive and charismatic set. Their sound often leans into foot-tapping rhythms, driven by prominent saxophone lines and summery calypso beats. Lead singer Kahlia works the stage and crowd with a beaming presence, her energy matched by the fans already swaying and grooving from the opening track. The set moves between retro-inspired pieces and synth-led moments, frequently punctuated by cheers. They close with Best Friend, a slow-building love song that starts sparse but quickly builds and has the dancefloor moving.
When The Drax Project appear, they immediately take control of the room with the irresistibly catchy Oh My. Frontman Shaan Singh shifts between vocals, keys and saxophone, leading the band through a seamless mix of old favourites, new material, and unexpected musical twists. The crowd is quick to respond—singing along to well-loved tracks like Woke Up Late and Catching Feelings, dancing to the beats of Luxury, and swaying to the more soulful Fashion Sense. Even unreleased songs are met with enthusiasm, including a new track introduced as unfinished, though the audience seems unfazed and supportive when Singh briefly forgets the lyrics. Their flexibility and openness add to the laid-back yet intimate vibe of the night.
The set thrives on contrast—shifting from soulful tones and stripped-back delivery to high-energy moments like the medley that incorporates nods to Dr. Dre and J-Lo. The band’s ability to move between genres without losing cohesion is one of their biggest strengths.
Their interaction with the crowd feel up close and personal throughout. At one point, Singh pauses to acknowledge how surreal it feels to play to a Manchester crowd already singing every word—a milestone clearly not lost on the band. It’s echoed as The Drax Project perform another unreleased track How Does It Feel. It brings a different energy. It’s slower, building with moody beats. At the end Singh jokes about needing to finish the track in the back of the tour van, prompting shouts from the crowd who already seem happy with it. “It’s perfect” a fan shouts. The friendly back-and-forth adds to the intimate feel of the night.
As the set closes with All This Time, the energy peaks, and after a brief exit, they return for a playful encore. Joking about the classic “we’re back again” moment, the band cap things off with a crowd-pleasing mashup of Justin Timberlake’s Cry Me A River and Higher Ground, ending the night … on a high.
The Drax Project’s Manchester debut is filled with euphoric highs, vibrant arrangements, strong vocals, plenty of dancing and grooving. It may have been their first show in Manchester, but it felt more like a long-overdue reunion.
