LIVE: Skating Polly @ Sebright Arms, 10.09.18

As a rule, especially now I’m fast approaching mid-thirties-dom, I generally try to avoid Monday night gigs – they tend to set a precedent of low energy and enhanced apathy for the rest of the week. But last Monday, I decided to make an exception for my favourite sibling punk-rock trio, Skating Polly. And I’m extremely glad I did.

Kicking off the two-band line up at Bethnal Green’s Sebright Arms are GIHE faves The Menstrual Cramps. Delivering their topical tongue-in-cheek wit and immense, politically-charged force, they succeed in astounding the crowd. With their refreshingly uncensored, genuine passion, they seem to have refined their seething set even since I last saw them play for us a couple of months back; they’re a band who are now more relevant and necessary than ever before, continuing to refine their musical prowess to blast their message into our ears.

Marking themselves out as favourites when we caught them a couple of years back, putting on an immense live set at The Lock Tavern, Skating Polly‘s Kelli and Peyton have since recruited brother Kurtis on drums, to create an even bigger, high-octane sound. Delivering their trademark combination of honey-sweet melodies with gritty, whirring hooks, 2016’s ‘Pretective Boy’ starts the set. And immediately they draw in the packed out venue with their immense buoyant energy and understated subtle power.

Although I had been blown away seeing Kelli and Peyton as a duo, with the added volume of one extra person, they’re able to blast into the eardrums with a fuller, all-encompassing sound that hits you with a sublime force from the start. And it doesn’t make it any less impressive or immersive either; the two front women continue to swap vocal responsibilities and instruments throughout the set, with Peyton and Kurtis swapping roles for one song too. Skating Polly are a band who continue to keep us on our toes, showcasing their exciting, multi-faceted sound and unique, impassioned stage presence.

Treating us to an eclectic mix of songs new and old, each and every moment of this jam-packed set is full of raw emotion, with this band’s intense snarling energy and ferocious vocal delivery blowing me away throughout. From new tracks such as ‘Free Will At Ease’ (inspired by a “shitty ex boyfriend”) and the seething grunge-fuelled power of ‘Camelot’, to 2016’s ‘Perfume For Now’ (about a guy who accused Kelli of being a creep when she was just 13) and the immense grit of ‘Stop Digging’, each and every offering is an exciting, intoxicating sonic delight.

Fiercely staring into the crowd and shouting “throw your mother-fucking hands up!”, Kelli tops things off by launching into the sweaty (and incredibly smelly!) sea of fans for an epic surf, bass and all. A glorious end to a glorious night of live music. Once again marking themselves out as going against the grain, Skating Polly deliver an empowering sentiment, uniting anyone who doesn’t want to coincide with the confines of society’s limitations.

Definitely worth venturing out on a Monday for; far from apathetic and energy-less, the night leaves me feeling motivated and refreshed, having been in the presence of such formidable women in music.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LIVE: The Joy Formidable – The Lexington, 22.08.18

Almost six years to the day since they last played the venue, The Joy Formidable made a triumphant return to The Lexington to perform to a sold out crowd on Wednesday night. Ritzy, Rhydian and Matt are masters of loud-and-quiet alternative anthems and despite being absent from the London live scene recently, the trio have lost none of their momentum.

Opening their set with the riotous and rarely played ‘Greyhounds In The Slips’, the band tore through the song with impressive precision and energy. ‘I Don’t Want To See You Like This’ followed, before the all-encompassing ‘The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade’ took hold, filling the venue with foot-thumping and chants of appreciation. At the close of the song, guitarist & vocalist Ritzy and bassist Rhydian addressed the “familiar faces” in their crowd, and banter about her “mountain troll” clumsiness – as well as drummer Matt’s intake of walnuts and whisky – drew laughs from their loyal fans.

The trio eased into a stellar rendition of ‘Ostrich’, which unlike the recorded version, hosted a calmer intro, reflecting Ritzy’s words about the song’s theme of “moving on and forgiving” people. With their fourth album AAARTH due for release next month, the band then showcased some of their new material, including latest single ‘The Wrong Side’ which rang out with trademark Joy Formidable intensity.

Hitch track ‘This Ladder Is Ours’ thundered through after, before the band briefly left the stage, returning for a knockout encore. Between the blur of ‘Buoy’ – which was given similar treatment to ‘Ostrich’ – and final track ‘Whirring’ the band took time to remind fans that next year marks the tenth anniversary of the release of their debut EP, A Balloon Called Moaning. Ritzy promised the band would be celebrating the occasion with some intimate acoustic shows, then promptly apologised for not playing the acoustic dates she promised last time she was in town, when the band played Oslo in Hackney.

In one final six minute frenzy of riffs and raucous drumming, the band threw themselves and their instruments around the stage during ‘Whirring’, leaving their crowd fired up with the promise of seeing them in town again soon. The Joy Formidable have been on the musical radar for almost a decade, and last night’s performance proved they’ve got another decade’s worth of raw live power in them.

Support came from the wonderful Bryde – who performed with a full band – who TJF heartily praised.

Pre-order your copy of The Joy Formidable’s AAARTH here.
Follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Shamir @ Camden Assembly, 27.06.18

On what’s now becoming a ‘normal’ sweltering London day last week, I battled my way across the sweat-filled city to Camden Assembly.

And I’m mighty glad I did, not least because I discovered a new favourite band in the night’s openers, Handsome Eric. Starting off with a few solo numbers before being joined by the rest of his band, Stephen O’Dowd immediately captivates with his raw, honest emotion and scuzzy no-frills charm. As whirring hooks and a driving energy bring to mind Manchester artist, and personal favourite, Kiran Leonard, it’s love at first listen. I’ve fallen head over heels with their lush, impassioned, lo-fi fuzz.

I first became a fan of Shamir upon hearing the frenzied joy of 2014’s ‘On The Regular’, and my love continued to grow when I saw him live at Visions Festival the next year, and he gave me the sweetest of hugs when I told him I was a fan. However, since then, Shamir has grown up, matured and created a sound that is entirely his own, honing it perfectly to suit the person that he is today.

As a sparkling Shamir takes to the stage, he informs us that set opener ‘I Can’t Breathe’ is about police brutality – a sombre, but necessary, start. Immediately exuding a heart-rending raw emotion, the moving beauty of Shamir’s vocals and the delicate simplicity of the melody ooze an endearing vulnerability as the track builds to a poignant climax.

Whilst a step away from the uptempo set that I caught at Visions Festival three years ago, it’s no less wonderful, In fact, more so; to see Shamir come into his own, and present his true self to us on stage, is a breath of fresh air on this humid evening.

Continuing with an angst-driven energy, Shamir introduces ‘You Have A Song’ with an honest wit – “I only write songs about people I hate…”, before expressing his disdain for ‘Straight Boy’s. Touching on the affecting theme of mental health on ‘Room’ (“a song about depression… it’s a happy song though.”) and ‘Glass’ (“about not letting shitty people break you..”), he lays his soul bare with a shimmering, empowered passion.

Upping the tempo for ‘90s Kids’ and (“an unexpected cover”) Ariana Grande’s ‘No Tears Left To Cry’, Shamir’s colourful energy continues to uplift and inspire as the set draws to a close. Returning to the stage solo, for a brief encore of the only offering from 2014’s Ratchet we’ll hear – he lets the audience choose ‘In For The Kill’ as the final song of the night, and instantly all my troubles float away as his distinctive sweeping vocals and vibrant emotion fill the air.

More like witnessing a stirring work of art than simply your average ‘gig’, Shamir’s set exudes a poignant relevance with all that’s going in the world, revealing a gritty edge that I hadn’t before witnessed. A welcome edge, proving Shamir to be one of the most necessary and unique (and indeed loveable) artists around today; and one whose voice we need now more than ever.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LIVE: Indian Queens – Meltdown Festival 2018, London 15.06.18

After watching Hackney trio Indian Queens perform to a packed out Purcell Room at The Southbank Centre last night, we have only one ambition: to become as skilled a guitarist as Jennifer O’Neill. The band were hand-picked by The Cure’s Robert Smith to play his exceptionally well curated 2018 Meltdown Festival, and after their mesmeric, sharply executed performance, it’s easy to see why.

Together, vocalist & guitarist Jennifer, bassist Katherine and drummer Matt create thoughtful, atmospheric sounds reminiscent of bands like Warpaint and Radiohead. Performing against a backdrop of kaleidoscopic visuals – which were a fusion of live footage and urban buildings – Indian Queens played a captivating set, featuring brand new single ‘Pretty Little Thing’, released via Cool Thing Records on the day of the show.

Bare-foot bassist Katherine was animated throughout, delivering her moody bass lines with stylish aplomb, whilst drummer Matt was the driving force behind it all – even after he dropped a stick, he recovered the rhythm seamlessly. Jennifer’s vocals were as magnetic as her guitar riffs, effortlessly anchoring the performance of singles ‘Save Yourself’ and ‘Get No Rest’. She confessed mid-way through that the band had accidentally left their set-lists in the dressing room, but the trio moved from song to song with such ease and precision, this oversight was barely noticeable. Their set closed with a standing ovation, which was unsurprising, but entirely deserved.

If you haven’t caught Indian Queens live yet, a) what have you been doing? They were the secret openers for our March gig at The Finsbury earlier this year, and b) buy a ticket to their headline show at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen in October here. They’re a must-see for those who appreciate hypnotic, alternative guitar tunes.

Photo Credit: Emma Viola Lilja 

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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