Category Archives: live reviews

Gigs, live reviews

IT’S LIVE – BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT…

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Five gigs in eight days, as seen by TONY ROUNCE

I won’t lie to you.

I haven’t enjoyed this year.

I’m not much of a one for staying in when there’s live music to be seen, and endless months of watching highly commendable online gigs on my phone or iPad have not really satisfied my craving to be part of a crowd of like-minded individuals, standing in a small venue somewhere watching people on stage and enjoying what they are doing.  

A couple of ill-fated attempts to see gigs during the autumn notwithstanding – don’t get me started about Moles in Bath, a venue I will never set foot in again if I live to be a million – coming out of lockdown a couple of weeks ago brought a real opportunity to get ‘living for live’ back on track. I really have made the most of it, I can tell you… 

Eight recent days of frenzied live activity began with a first crosstown trip since February, and a visit to Hackney’s Oslo on December 3rd. The main bar/restaurant was closed but the music room upstairs was open for business and stringent anti-Covid measures were in place, with the venue operating at around 12.5% of its usual capacity and around 30 tables spread evenly across the floor. “It doesn’t really feel weird at all, though” was delightful Lauran Hibberd’s comment as the Isle Of Wight-er and her band steamed through a joyful 40 minute selection of her always-impressively fizzy poptastic tunes with a big smile on her face that told the full house ‘I’m here, and I’m having fun again’.  Lauran wasn’t the only one having fun, as Hibberd favourites like ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and ‘Frankie’s Girlfriend’ were received with an appropriate if slightly restricted audience enthusiasm (no singing along, no dancing…) LOUD WOMEN has been on Lauran’s case for a couple of years, and she remains one of the ‘most likely to succeed’ once the live music scene is fully back in business.  She played a great set, and we all had a good time…

Lauren Hubbard at Oslo

Back in Hackney two nights later, and literally just across the road from Oslo at one of LW’s favourite London venues, Paper Dress Vintage,  the now almost veteran quintet Oh! Gunquit were launching their brand new vinyl album “Why Haven’t You Watered The Plants” with two separate hour-long shows, both sold out (as indeed were all the shows over the 8-day period covered here). 

Fronted by the irrepressible force of nature that is Tina Swasey, O!G’s relentlessly exciting songs and stage presence falls somewhere between the B52s and X-Ray Spex. I did see them at a socially distanced, seated outdoor gig behind a pub in Abbey Wood back in September on one of the coldest days of the year, but the warmth and intimacy of PDV’s upstairs room was a much better prospect and it gave us diehard O!G fans an opportunity to hear the new album performed pretty much in its entirety, augmented with a few proven crowd pleasers for good measure. 

We don’t cover O!G much here, but I personally owe them a lot as it was a bill I saw them on, more than half a decade ago at Dalston’s Shacklewell Arms and with The Franklys as support, that provided me with my entry point into the DIY scene and opened my eyes and ears to the new Golden Age of gigs and bands that has been thrilling me ever since. If you’ve never seen them you owe it to yourself to do so at least once, if only to witness the spectacle of the unflappable Ms. Swasey playing the trumpet and hula hooping simultaneously through one three minute garage instrumental.

Oh! Gunquit at Paper Dress Vintage

Two great gigs in two days! Why, one could almost have been forgiven for thinking it was this time last year…

Pausing only to make a decision between a Sunday matinee at the New Cross Inn headlined by the manic musical overdrive of A VOID, and the online stream of Dream Nails’ ‘Feministmas’ show – Dream Nails won – the car and its driver were ready and willing to point themselves at Brixton and the Windmill on Tuesday night for one of the very best upcoming bands in the world.  Last December I had tipped Brighton quartet Lime to be one of 2020’s breakout bands, and it’s a tip that I would like to carry over with confidence to 2021.

The four young and extremely personable women were due to support Malady, but a last minute cancellation by the latter gave Lime to opportunity to play their first London headline gig. They did not let themselves or anyone else down and made the most of their 40-minute set, highlights of which included their compulsive opener ‘Simon Said’ and their 2021 single ‘Surf And Turf’. Never exactly shrinking violets, the band has grown hugely in confidence since I last saw them on a wet Tuesday night in February at a small venue near Hoxton, and once again delivered their jagged, spiky perfect pop in a manner that suggests my faith in their destiny to succeed is not misplaced.  The handful of people who returned their tickets after Malady pulled out missed a treat. The rest of us had plenty to savour…

Lime at The Windmill

..And it was back to Brixton and the Windmill for two gigs on Saturday – one matinee, one evening.  Brighton-by-way-of-Malta’s ĠENN were the afternoon’s headliners, and if you know me at all you will know that I am very fond of this band, both as musicians and as people.  Before their set, all four women confessed to me individually that they were nervous about appearing live for the first time in almost 11 months. The minute the music kicked in the self doubts disappeared – and a cheerfully aggressive set that blended old favourites such as ‘Let’s Go Suki’, ‘Damaged’ and ‘Duda Dance’ with recent single ‘23rd March’ and several other new songs written and rehearsed during the year more than proved that it was business as usual in ĠENN-land. They will be playing LOUD WOMEN Fest 5 in September 2021, so if you haven’t caught up with them by then you will be able to judge for yourself just how great they are. And that’s pretty great in my book.. 

ĠENN at The Windmill

The Windmill kicked us all out at 1700, and kicked us all back in again at 1900 for a triple bill headlined by South London/Manchester ‘power duo’ Scrounge, of whom more later. Another sell-out show, it was opened by a woman who looked like she had just stepped out of the cover of a 1960s French EP cover, and who sang with a compelling soulfulness that didn’t so much invite your attention as threaten to beat you up if you didn’t surrender it.

For about 20 minutes, Bradford’s Hannah Marsden performed her beguiling, ethereal songs and music to the accompaniment of backing tapes, but such was the magnetic power of her presentation that you would not have noticed the presence of a band if she had brought one. It takes some skill for a solo artist to make one feel that they are singing just for one person – in this case, me – but Ms. Marsden was absolutely riveting. I looked for her after her set because I wanted her to know just how profoundly her music had affected me, but she was nowhere to be found and it almost felt like she had materialised out of nowhere to perform, and dematerialised as soon as it was over…

Hannah Marsden

The opportunity to see A VOID was not missed this week. The French-English power trio took no prisoners as singer-guitarist Camille Alexander and her cohorts Aaron Hartman on bass and Darryl Hannah lookalike Marie Niemec on drums steamrollered their way through a grunge groove’d 45 minutes that drew heavily on their recommended “Awkward And Devastated” 2018 album and climaxed with its best (well, my favourite) track ‘She Threw Her Baby From The 7th Floor’.  Ms. Alexander is as formidable a frontsperson as any band could wish to have, and her livewire jumping, crouching and dropping to her knees during each number more than ramped up the energy level after the quiet and perfect storm of Hannah Marsden…

A Void

Last band of the night was the aforementioned Scrounge (or ‘Scroonge’ as they will now forever be known, following Ms. Alexander’s endearingly Gallic mispronunciation of their name at the end of A VOID’s set…).  I’ve been a fan of Lucy (vocals & guitar) and Luke (drums and vocals!) ever since I caught them early in their career at the Finsbury a couple of years ago. The ferocity of their music, particularly when played live, is totally at odds with the sheer niceness of the duo as people.  Loud, urgent and at times quite scary, it has so far come over better on stage, where its adrenaline-fuelled rawness seems less confined on songs like ‘Purpose’, ‘Etch’ and particularly ‘Badoom’, an almost unfollowable set-ender and night-ender for that matter.

There may only be two members of Scrounge, but they play with enough volume and energy for ten.  Having also told me beforehand that they, too, were nervous about playing live again, they powered through as though it was something they had been doing every week during 2020. It’s my hope that they – and indeed, everyone I have seen during the past fortnight – will get plenty of chances to do so once we are all jabbed up and ready to resume something resembling ‘normal services’…

Scrounge

I know we still have a long way to go before ‘the good old days’ return, but the success of these events, and anticipation of others that are slowly rolling out as 2020 draws to a close, prove that a socially distanced live scene is viable for now. If Father Christmas doesn’t bring me anything else whatsoever, the eight days and five events of early December have been the best gift I feel I could have received this year…

Keep watching Facebook/Instagram etc. for further news of live activity by all of the above.

All rubbish photos by T. Rounce…

live reviews, theatre

Sugar Coat – VAULT Festival 2020

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Theatre review by Lorna S Myles – Sugar Coat at Vault Festival, opening night 10 March 2020.

When I heard that LW faves Dream Nails’ guitarist Anya Pearson was appearing in a punk-pop feminist “gig theatre show,” with music inspired by Le Tigre and Veruca Salt, well, this sounded like the kind of thing I should investigate. After all, I am a woman-of-rock, and my 4real answer to the question “which album first got you into music?” is “The Sound of Music soundtrack.” And I remain a fan of the musical format, and I stand by it!

However, I confess I had some fears as to whether a feminist coming-of-age story was entirely the entertainment I was looking for at the current time. Y’know, what with the world falling apart in every direction, with the failure of democracy, the destruction of the environment, meanness and selfishness and infectious diseases and everything… was I in the right space to listen to stories of heartache and loss and good/bad sex etc? Would it feel trivial? Would it be too earnest? Would I just want to go home and inventorise my tea bags etc? 

It turns out, though, that Sugar Coat was exactly what I needed.

Viewers, I hadn’t smiled all day. But from very shortly after the band started playing, the corners of my lips turned up, just a little bit, and then a bit more, and oh, it was wonderful.

So you have a four-piece band – two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer – all womxn. And you have the protagonist, who occasionally joins them on vocals, and mostly just tells her story, walking around in front of them, talking to us all like we’re her new best friends she just met at a bar and is entertaining us with the story of her life. She’s fucking funny, though her story is sad and painful at times. And the band members double as the voices and faces of people she tells us of – her first boyfriend, problematic shags, her mother, flat mates at Uni and so on.

And, because it’s a “music play”, every few minutes there’s a song. But it’s a song played by a feminist punk rock band, right there in front of you, like you’re at a gig in a subterranean amphitheater. And they move from punk to grunge to funk to pop to riot grrrl, and every song and every lighting decision reflects and enhances the mood, and we’re right there in her story, feeling it, but never getting too intensely-intense. There are poignant moments, there are difficult moments, but before it ever ever gets too earnest or sends you spiraling off into introspection or awkward memories, there’s a beat or a wry look or a comment about toast sliding off your lap and landing peanut butter side down on the floor, and everyone laughs, and everything feels light again.

And I thought about how sometimes, when life feels fraught and on the brink of collapse, what is needed is an escape into a warm room. Not escapISM, not a pretense that everything is OK; but an acknowledgement of pain, through experiences shared frankly and in the context of a hilarious night out with someone you just met.

Anyway, this did it for me.

It’s on until this Sunday 15th March, with performances at 7:30pm each night and a matinee at 4:30pm on the Saturday. And it gets my vote, for an hour and a half of blessed respite combined with an invigorating dose of “fuck the patriarchy!”

Get your tickets here

live reviews

GIRLI + Matilda Eyre: live review

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Words and photos by Keira Anee

Last night at The Social in central London was special. Not only was GIRLI so on fire she did indeed set the fire alarm off, and not only was GIRLI so on fire there was indeed a mini power cut, but the fire of a room full of women and non-binary (only!) singing along and dancing really – can I be this obvious?! – warmed my heart.

Having a night such as this isn’t easy. In even attending, I have had to justify myself and the ‘women only’ criteria to a few people. I’m not going to. 

But I will say, from the atmosphere alone it is well worth having these spaces, that we ourselves I think even underestimate the need for sometimes. 

I was able to speak to Matilda Eyre briefly before her support set. Matilda’s music sounded really big in this small room (Check it out!).

We spoke a little about how in the past there has been this feeling that if you’re a singer, or sing onstage with a backing track, then you’re not necessarily seen as credible as a musician, or even, music maker. In the last few years at least, I’m happy the view on this is changing. With acts such as PREGOBLIN and Lynks Afrikka performing with a backing track and their sets and performances being outstanding; as was the case with GIRLI tonight. I particularly enjoyed her song ‘Hot Mess’. Definitely check that one out. …It’s my new trying to brush my hair song.  

A few songs into her set, GIRLI says she had been feeling down today. The room sat down with her. “I feel like this is a small enough room that we can use this as a sort of therapy session!” And that’s exactly what it felt like.

I felt a lot of strength in the room coming from feeling included, and being ‘real’.

Find GIRLI on Facebook and girlimusic.com

live reviews

Amanda Palmer: live review

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Review by Joe Jones – Amanda Palmer live at Union Chapel, 15/12/19

“I could have done a normal tour. I could have done six Dresden Dolls songs and sold more tickets and merch and the newspapers would have come.” 

From her perfectly-lit spot at the helm of the Union Chapel, red roses weaved into her hair, Amanda F**king Palmer is anything but normal. Neither are we. That’s why we’re all here with her in this glorious church on the dark and stormy evening we found out the dreaded election results. It’s our church tonight. And no better sermon could have been delivered.

Palmer has built her career on, with and for her community for 20 years, and it’s a no-brainer as to why she is the cult-crowned queen of anti-pop.  She has been making frenetic, unapologetic, honest artistic statements since before The Dresden Dolls, connecting with her community religiously, and talking openly in her music about some of the more treacherous paths on the human experience.

I first saw one of her tours in 2011, and have been to at least 4 since. I thought I knew what to expect, but this show was a gift unlike any other. ‘There Will Be No Intermission’ is perhaps quite simply the bravest display of exposed humanity I have ever experienced at a gig. ‘Gig’ doesn’t quite feel descriptive enough though. It was more akin to a reading from her diaries. For three hours she delicately weaved a small selection of handpicked songs with stories from her personal life into a tapestry of pain, loss and beauty. Of retribution and abortion and accidentally killing a squirrel (on route to a reformative justice retreat where she discussed it with convicted men on death row). Stories of her teenage self and her horrendously relatable bad taste in men, of the  social media backlash from a poem about the Boston bomber to posts about Taylor Swift.  Several beautiful stories of her best friend Anthony, from meeting him at 15 to his dying in her arms twenty something years later. And then the song she wrote for his memorial.

There was a safe-word kindly given. “If at any point anyone is too sad, please stand up and shout ‘Amanda I’m Too Sad’ and I’ll play you the opening chords to Coin Operated Boy as a pallette cleanser” which she obliged twice. Being the self-confessed theatre kid she is, she managed to both draw and toe the line between comedy and tragedy. Tales of anguish peppered with humour, and a well woven theme of hatred for ‘Frozen’. 

There was a lot of cry-laughing from all involved. I’m not sure I know of another musician who could (or would) be able to explain that they are about to sing a song about disparate feelings towards motherhood written from the point of view of two women (“who are actually the same woman”), a foetus and a vagina. And then stop playing for a second to mention that it’s “much funnier if you actually picture a vagina singing”.

Feminism was a theme well explored; not as a ‘ram it down your throat’ ideal, but more in the ‘the radical notion that women are people too’ way. Palmer spoke at length of womb related issues, of being in Ireland on the day of the abortion referendum, the stark contrast between two New York abortion clinics, and how people with wombs don’t talk about a lot of very important things (note: ‘people with wombs’, not ‘women’ – an artist who is both fiercely feminist and trans inclusive without having to perform wearing a flag) and then talking about those things openly, in songs including the wonderful ‘A Mother’s Confession’ written 4 months into motherhood, with a chorus the entire audience sang with her of “At least the baby didn’t die”. Another notable moment was a deeply harrowing story of a yuletide miscarriage alone in a snowstorm before giving the most heartfelt rendition of ‘Let it go’ (from her much hated Frozen) any of us had ever heard. Her congregation wept and laughed as she played.

The other main moral to her fables was compassion.  She wrote the earworm-worthy ‘Drowning in the Sound’ after reaching out to her patrons (Palmer has been patron funded since her now famous split with her record label in 2010), asking about the afflictions in their lives, and being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of hurt.

Through stories and songs about her compassionate yet gun loving late best friend (listen to ‘Machete’) Amanda Palmer explained why believes so deeply in radical compassion, fierce communal kindness towards absolutely everybody. From the squirrel she accidentally killed, to the convicted murderers she told about it. From parents and children to “yes, even him” … Boris Johnson. And she is right. We are all ‘bigger on the inside’ and perhaps the most important thing we can do in such fractured, terrifying political times, is to commit ourselves to compassion, honesty, art and community spirit. To galvanize our resolve, dig our heels deep and sometimes, come together on dark nights in a well lit church to laugh and cry and sing.

“We are so much bigger on the inside
You, me, everybody
Some day when you’re lying where I am
You’ll finally get it, beauty
We are so much bigger
Than another one can ever see
But
Trying is the point of life
So don’t stop trying”

– Bigger On The Inside. Amanda Palmer

live reviews

Long Teeth: Last ever show @ The Shacklewell Arms, 18 Nov 2019

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Live review by Tony Rounce. Photos by Keira-Anee Photography.

A wonderful career: the final curtain for one of the finest bands of the past few years …

Once upon a time there were two men and a woman who made a truly joyful musical noise in the studio and on stage. Their fan base was expanding with every show they played, and their future potential was looking limitless.

Then all of a sudden, three became two.  The drummer got very sick, very suddenly, and died at just 30 years of age.  The others missed their friend and colleague greatly. Rather than looking for a permanent replacement, they decided to close the door on that particular chapter of their musical careers, and find new projects to challenge that limitless future potential.

Thus it was that Jade Ellins and Sam Asbury – plus a trio of percussive pals – gave their friend and colleague Alessandro ‘Al’ Salzano a truly memorable ‘going away party’ at Long Teeth’s last ever gig at Dalston’s Shacklewell Arms (with excellent support slots from Gold Baby and Mango that need to be acknowledged, but I hope neither band will feel slighted if that’s all I do here).

It was cold outside, but the venue was filled with a near capacity crowd displaying warmth and appreciation for a top musician – and, according to those who knew him as a friend as well as a drummer, a totally top bloke as well.  If you never got the chance to see LT, let me offer you these musical comparisons: think early Talking Heads with a side order of Gang Of Four and/or their female counterparts the Delta Five. If you caught any of those bands in their pomp you would recognise LT as being kindred spirits, with Sam’s pithy, perceptive lyrics and his urgent delivery thereof being complemented by jagged and all-powerful guitar work – underpinned in a thunderous manner by Jade’s rock solid bass playing and crucial vocal contributions.  If you have ever seen Jade fronting the currently-on-extended-hiatus DOLLS you will be well aware of her own extraordinary abilities as a guitarist and vocalist, and she carries herself as a bassist in a similarly dominant manner.

With the assistance of not one but three of their chums occupying Al’s drum stool at various points, they performed 11 songs in an ecstatically received 40+ minute set with the exhilaration of a band that was just starting out, rather than one that was saying goodbye.

And what of those songs?  Well, the other purpose of the evening was to launch a limited edition, beautifully packaged vinyl mini-album containing 8 tracks that comprise almost their complete discography. Four of those songs had previously appeared on their 2017 ‘Canned Laughter’ CD EP, while four were new and had been completed with Al shortly before he passed away.  It was and is a worthy project that I hope everyone in the Shacklewell purchased at least one copy of, as all profits made on the sales are going to the North London Hospice.

The magnificent ‘Canned Laughter’ and ‘Nice Guys’ got the loud part of set underway in earnest after Jade brought things in calmly with ‘Walk In The Water’. After a brief dialogue from Sam about the purpose of the evening three of the LP’s new tracks got their final public airing, the fantastic and lyrically wry ‘Never Wanted A Job’ particularly stressing what we are going to miss.

‘URA Winner’ from ‘Canned Laughter’ paved the way for a couple of great numbers from the trio’s deep catalogue, their 2015 CD single ‘Famous Girls’ and the even earlier ‘Little Machine’, before the LP’s title track ‘White T-Shirt’ gave notice that the end was nigh – and that it was inevitably going to come with the mighty ‘Pangea’ which – in a truly magical moment towards the end of the song – featured all three of the drummers who had subbed for Al playing simultaneously in a Burundi like manner, while Sam riffed relentlessly from the audience and Jade screamed the chorus line “My Name Is Pangea, I’ve Had A Wonderful Career” like the lives of all present depended on her doing so. It seemed a somehow fitting way to end a final set by a band that really should have had a much longer ‘wonderful career’, had The Grim Reaper not decided otherwise.

It was an emotional night, but in a happy and positive way. A great send off for a great musician, and a great group.  I did suggest to Sam afterwards that they should make it an annual event, but he was adamant that we had all seen the last of Long Teeth and that there would be no repeat performance, ever.   He and Jade now have their relatively new project Big Sea Creatures, while just the night before I witnessed Jade’s great debut gig on bass with the excellent Abjects at the Windmill in Brixton.  DOLLS may be on hiatus, but that concept is not done and dusted either. The pair have plenty to occupy them going forwards.  Whatever the future brings they can look back on this part of their past with extreme pride – and an exit that concluded Long Teeth’s own career on the highest of highs.

Big Sea Creatures have upcoming gigs in December at the Hope & Anchor on the 4th and the Finsbury on the 9th.  Hopefully there will be more Abjects gigs to come soon, too…

If you were not there last night and would like to buy the ‘White T-Shirt’ album please find LT’s Facebook page and proceed accordingly!

live reviews, photo galleries

Cocaine Piss: live at The Dome, London, 12 Nov

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Words and photos by Keira Anee

Having seen Cocaine Piss once before, around this time last year, I was definitely eager to go again. They played at The Dome, supporting an equally brilliant band name (the poster really pops…) Mannequin Pussy.

My mum is spending a few days with me and she was happy to come along. I’m pleased to say, she loved it! I quote:

“I never understood all that jumping and head banging before, but now I think I do. It’s a release!”

Julie, Keira’s Mum, and total badass

Cocaine Piss are a band I would love to see play for Loud Women, not just for the release and the great time they provide, but also a great mother/daughter activity! The whole set feels so free and carefree, I don’t think i stopped smiling. Mum even bought a T-shirt!

Find Cocaine Piss on Facebook

live reviews, photo galleries

Saint Agnes + Soeur: live review & photos

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Live review and photos by Keira Anee @ Dingwalls, 25 Oct 2019

Last night was the first time I’ve seen Saint Agnes in a long time, maybe even a couple of years. From the beginning, a friend of mine recommended them highly and back then interviewed singer Kitty for one of the first issues of the photo journal, 98 Wounds.

Six years later, and it was fantastic to see them having sold out Dingwalls, and I hear other dates on this tour, too! I remember a while back speaking to the band about music they were listening to, and them telling me about times they would sit around together, in silence, listening to a whole album by The Doors, or Metallica. Their live set certainly suggests these phenomenal influences – all, of course, opened with bassist Ben, in a bunny costume, staring menacingly at the crowd. That is, before the rest of the horror clad zombie band stepping out and showing the room insane amounts of energy!

It was also fantastic to finally see support band for the Saint Agnes tour, Soeur. With a lot of great stuff coming from Bristol at the moment (I love No Violet) they make my home city look, if I may, ‘bangin’.

It’s only a day later and I want to see them again, perhaps a Loud Women show…?

live reviews, photo galleries

Miss June + Pretty Sick: live review and photos

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Words and photos by Keira Anee – Miss June + Pretty Sick at the Lexington, London, 10 October 2019

Openers Pretty Sick are from New York, and playing live tonight with double bass. 

That is, 2 x bass equally distributed amongst two bassists! I think this is probably the first time I’ve seen a band use two bass, especially without guitar? Which I think definitely deserves a mention.

The band look like they’re having a great time and I was so happy when for their last song they covered ‘Hooch’ (i think?) by The Melvins. I love this song, and singer Sabrina tore it up perfectly. You can listen to some of Pretty Sick’s music here

It goes without saying that I should probably end this by saying that Pretty Sick were… Pretty sick.

Wahh! After missing Miss June earlier this year, when their debut album came out at the beginning of September (and I loved it), despite so many great gigs happening last night (Ghum, anyone?) I had to be at The Lexington. From the start there was so much energy, the band members were friendly and personal with the audience, and there was also a pretty incredible one woman stage invasion. I wanted to be that woman, she looked ecstatic and I can see why! Miss June are here from New Zealand, they play all my favourites from the album and singles Twitch and Best Girl get a really, really overwhelming reaction from the crowd. I’m going to stop rambling now and dedicate this gig review (?) to the word ‘wow’. 

Get the album, and be happy like me. 


live reviews

EX HEX: live review

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Review by Anna Graham-Martin – Deaf Institute 25/5/19 (with apologies from Loud Women for the lateness in posting this but better than never!)

Ex Hex are one of the many bands I’ve discovered this year through listening to a lot of ‘women in rock’ playlists on Spotify, and when I began seeing their posters outside one of my favourite Manchester venues, I got quite excited to finally see these ladies in action.

As much as any fellow music lover, I have attended many a gig, but I have never been part of such an eclectic crowd as this one. At the front was an older looking, long haired rock uncle (you know the type), in front of me were a few younger artsy looking kids with bright coloured hair and denim jackets, then right next to me was a man I was convinced was Noel Gallagher for a good minute. It felt equally exciting and welcoming to be in an audience with such a vast mix of people, and to me it showed that Ex Hex’s music really can appeal to anyone.

As the Washing trio Mary Timony, Betsy Wright and Laura Harris glided on stage, I was in awe of the air of effortless cool that surrounded these three. Rock uncle dude was having the time of his life “wooing” as loud as possible and flashing the horns with an unbelievable energy. This undeniable coolness was only heightened when they began their opening number Another Dimension which came with such ease you could’ve told me they’d written it 20 years ago and I would have believed you.

Throughout the set, Timony and Wright shared out lead guitar and vocals, whilst Harris was constantly adding the perfect sound of some heavier rock drum work that was also beautifully simple that blended amazingly with the sound of the other two ladies.

Wright and Timony’s guitar work was incredible to me, especially during the extra long solo of Rainbow Shiner, where I was extremely captivated by them both and their effortless stage presence, and if I closed my eyes could’ve easily been at an old school rock arena concert.  Timony’s smile as she held her guitar up to the crowd, or put her leg on the monitor made my night and I have never seen someone look so humbled whilst having so much fun.

As Cosmic Cave began, I was pleasantly surprised as it was not a song I thought would hold as much weight as it did live, and at one point the friend I’d brought along turned to me and said “I honestly thought this was a Blondie song for a bit” and if that’s not a compliment I don’t know what is.  

I was surprised at the calmness of the crowd, despite Ex Hex’s music being easily moshable, if not definitely deserving of a hard boogie- maybe this was because of the slightly older average age of the audience. It was strangely refreshing to be listening to rock music without being punched in the face, but also having the freedom to dance like a mad woman if I wanted to (I did.)

Having been in a bit of a bad mood earlier that day, I came out of the deaf institute pretty damn refreshed and inspired by Ex Hex and even got a cheeky poster off the Institute door to remember the evening. For three women significantly older than me and most of the current bands I listen to- they sure rocked. All I can say is I hope I am that cool later in my life, and I hope they don’t leave it too long to come back to Manchester so I can introduce more friends to them.

live reviews

Piney Gir Live at The Lexington, 13/07/19

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Live review by Lorna Myles

The first time I saw Piney Gir perform live, she was guesting with TV themes covers band Dream Themes, recreating the ghostly vocals on the Star Trek theme and absolutely nailing the very highest note. With such a talent it’s unsurprising other artists seek her out to sing with them, and until very recently she’s been kept busy touring the world with Gaz Coombes and his band.

But, as great as her voice is – full and rich and sweet and with a huge range and lots of heart – it’s as a songwriter that Piney Gir really shines. Here at the Lexington she’s opening for another band, accompanied at first only by her own gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar, and the response from the audience is pretty much totally rapt attention and appreciation.

Piney’s extensive back catalogue covers a wide range of genres, from pop to electronica to country & western, but it’s striking how strong the tunes and lyrics are when performed very simply without the lush and rich arrangements of a full production.   

Combining a few chords and uncomplicated melodies in such a way that they still sound fresh and engaging is a rare talent – but songs like I Don’t Know Why I Feel Like Crying But I Do sound instantly memorable, like new friends you feel you must have known for a long time. Stripped back and uncluttered, the songs really connect, and you can’t help but fall silent.

After a short while she introduces lead guitarist Garo Nahoulakian to the stage, and the additional layer especially works on a plaintive and moody interpretation of 2018 single Dreamcatcher, like the soundtrack to a late-night drive in a film.

It’s rare for a support act to hold the audience’s attention for the duration of their set like this, but with songs this good the crowd doesn’t grow tired and the applause at the end is sustained and sincere.

Piney will be back at The Lexington for a full band show on 17th September, with new album You Are Here due out in October.