LIVE: The Go! Team @ Electric Ballroom, 15.02.18

Skipping dinner in order to catch Berlin band Gurr supporting The Go! Team at Camden’s Electric Ballroom is certainly worth it (and Guinness is a meal in a glass anyway, right…?). Kicking off the night with their sweeping, grunge-infused ‘Gurrlcore’ sound, they charm the crowd with their energy-filled offerings and endearing between-song wit. With a mosh-inducing set of racing tracks including last year’s single ‘#1985’ – “Who here is over 30?… This one’s for you. We’re not yet 30, but we’re sure you can still be cool when you’re 30” (thanks guys) – they ooze a raucous musicality and buoyant joy. The perfect introduction to the night’s main act.

And then it’s time. The excitement I’ve been feeling over the last couple of weeks to finally catch The Go! Team (a band who’ve been successfully putting a smile on my face since their 2004 debut Thunder, Lightning, Strike) has reached its climax as the extensive band take to the stage.

Opening the set with the racing energy of ‘Flashlight Fight’ from 2007’s Proof Of Youth, front-woman Ninja takes a minute to greet the completely sold-out venue: “5 frickin’ albums! Who’s been with us since the beginning…? You must be old!” – the second reminder of my age of the night, but all is forgiven as she bounds with gusto into the swirling cacophony of recent single ‘Mayday’. And then onto perhaps the band’s most famous track, ‘Ladyflash’; reminded of the first time I fell in love with The Go! Team’s utterly joy-filled, musically rich splendour, I’m giddy with glee as brass melodies are blasted out alongside pumping beats and an immense, contagious energy.

Interweaving these intense, buoyant offerings with the honey-sweet pop sounds of the likes of ‘The Answer’s No – Now What’s The Question?’ and ‘Chain Link Fence’, we’re treated to Kaori Tsuchida’s luscious vocals and twinkling musicality as we take a breather before the next hit of rapturous energy.

As the band continue to instrument-swap, the crowd can’t help but be swept up by their infectious, jubilant sound and join in at every opportunity. From the “Yeah!”s of ‘Grip Like a Vice’ to shouting out our star-signs throughout ‘Semicircle Song’, and even do-dooing along to the recorder melodies of ‘Get It Together’, this is very much an interactive performance, and – with Ninja’s sunny charisma at the helm – it’s impossible not to remain completely engaged in each and every moment of the ecstasy that is The Go! Team live.

The highlight of the night, however, comes in the form of Thunder, Lightning, Strike’s ‘Huddle Formation’. Splitting the huge crowd into two sides, Ninja leads the way as we all sing our hearts out to the chorus, as a wave of sparkling euphoria sweeps over the Electric Ballroom.

Jumping our way through the uptempo break-beats  of ‘All The Way Live’ and the frenzied energy of ‘Keys To The City’, it’s impossible not to be left utterly blown away by the immense soaring joy The Go! Team leave in their wake as the set comes to a close.

Thankfully, this uplifting experience is not quite over as the band return to the stage for an encore of Semicircle’s ‘She’s Got Guns’ and Thunder Lightning Strike’s ‘The Power Is On’. Once again expressing her gratitude for us all being there tonight, Ninja signals the end of what has been one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. I may have waited fourteen years to finally see The Go! Team live, but standing here tonight, the “cool” thirty-something that I now am, it seems the wait was worth it; I’m left speechless and immensely grateful for the performance I’ve just witnessed, brimming full of a euphoric bliss that only comes with seeing the most special of bands. Thank you The Go! Team for brightening up a dull February day and breathing a new lease of life into this ‘old’ gal.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LIVE: Tokyo Taboo @ Jumpin’ Jacks, Newcastle, 09.02.18

The Toon was alive with the sound of Pussy Power last Friday night as cyberpunk-fuckery-on acid-with-a-load-of-glitter, Tokyo Taboo, took the stage at Newcastle’s Jumpin’ Jacks.

Sandwiched between a multitude of talented guys, the resounding message of the evening was brought up on stage by singer, Dolly Daggerz, early on in the set: “Are there any girls here?” She cried out as an opening to ‘Pussy Power’ — one of many tracks with a to-die-for riff – “There’s like four of us!” There weren’t many. But those who were there, well, we made it known.

Jumpin’ Jacks is a venue based upstairs from one of Newcastle’s best pubs, indie-rock haven the Dog & Parrot. It was my first time there, but as I rebelliously strolled towards the Centre for Life, cigarette in hand, seeing David Bowie and Prince staring at me from across the street was a sign from the universe. It was gonna be a good night.

Age-wise, the crowd was mixed. Flower crowns I hadn’t seen since the Evolution fest a few years ago have made a return and it touched my heart to see. Everything comes in circles, and thankfully, the return of bum bags didn’t last all that long.

Tokyo Taboo are Dolly Daggerz — Bowie and Wendy O. Williams blended with a clitterball — and guitarist, Mike. Dolly’s vocals hit the crowd from the back as Mike, dressed head-to-toe in the kind of astronaut garb the obnoxious Tim Peake could only wish to own, kicked off the set with a riff reminiscent of a young Jack White (if Jack White had dived head-first into a Manga and come out of the other side with a Telecaster and a reason for it to scream).

I’ve missed punk rock, and Tokyo Taboo have it in spades. Dolly Daggerz owns the stage more than anyone that night. She also owns the floor. And Mike’s guitar. At one point, she takes her place in the crowd, instructing everybody to sit and hold hands with each other as they play one of the more low-key tracks. Low-key, that is, as Tokyo Taboo get.

Inside, I feel the swell of joy in the four-other-girls’ hearts, remembering how fucking badass it is to be a girl, even in the days when the world seems against us… All right, it’s always seemed against us. You get it.

From the first second, the energy Dolly and the band bring to the stage is palpable. Though, regrettably, holding a camera prevents one of the most revered parts of a punk rock show: moshing. As I sit in the pit at one point, I dream of being kicked in the face with vintage silver knee-high platform boots (like the ones I covet in a shop on Portobello Road) and covered in water or vodka or the power of women.

Dolly Daggerz has show(wo)manship. She owns the stage, her songs, and the women that approach her after the show, tearfully, to tell her how much she rocked. She did. They did. Even the session bassist has a gold fucking blazer I’d chop off a leg for and, at times, I found myself moshing of my own accord, on the floor, beside the amp on the side I’ve already blown the hearing out of.

She brings a sense of pride, of femininity, of non-conformity; the energy of a big cat stalking its prey except the prey was already hypnotised by her ultra-violent eye makeup and notes half of us couldn’t reach if we stubbed our toes. It could have been easy to slay, but she gave her entire self anyway. That, if you ask me, is a fucking artist.

One last thing: Being the only person offstage to hear ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ was trippy. But then maybe that was the cider, too. Or was it just Tokyo Taboo?

Do yourselves a favour and check out Tokyo Taboo as soon as you can, and in the meantime, give their latest record 6th Street Psychosis a listen.

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

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LIVE: Fenne Lily – The Islington, London 31.01.18

Fenne Lily‘s understated, soft, yet seething lyrics captivated her sold out crowd at The Islington on Wednesday night, and we were impressed by her tentative voice and startling self-awareness. Whilst persistent sound issues kept taking listeners out of the moment, Fenne Lily managed to bring them back into it with a combination of perfect vocals and self-deprecating humour.

Whilst her songs often ring with sadness and pain, her not-so-PG stories – including one about a guy who ruined Back To The Future for her by asking for a blow job – make her live performances a real joy to witness.

Accompanied by her bassist and drummer for the majority of her set, she effortlessly performed singles ‘What’s Good’, ‘Bud’ and ‘On Hold’ as well as delivering a poignant solo rendition of track ‘Brother’. She performed the tear-inducing ‘Three Oh Nine’ in her trademark modest, stunning style and even in her sleep-deprived state – she’d spent almost a solid 24 hours hand-painting tote bags for the merch stand – she’s a beguiling, beautiful performer.

We recommend you catch her now, before she inevitably becomes uncatchable.

Support came from Oxford group Be Good, who won the crowd over with their indie-pop sounds and hap-hazard charm.

Fenne Lily’s debut album On Hold will be released on 6th April. Pre-order it here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LIVE: Dream Wife – Sebright Arms, London 26.01.18

Pastel-coloured party balloons littered the basement floor of Hackney’s Sebright Arms last night as pop-punk power trio Dream Wife took to the stage to celebrate the release of their debut self-titled album. After tearing through a knockout rendition of ‘Hey Heartbreaker,’ vocalist Rakel thanked the crowd for joining the “intimate soiree.”

Having recently returned from New York to play the album launch show, there was no evidence of jet-lag or fatigue in their performance even though Alice admitted she was “sick as a dog.” ‘Lolita’ and ‘Fire’ sparked a frenzied but friendly mosh that was maintained for the majority of their set, and new tracks ‘Love Without Reason’ and ‘Right Now’ sparkled in a set-list full of gems. Old favourite ‘F.U.U.’ never fails to rile up the crowd and there’s something overwhelmingly liberating about watching the girls thunder through this track, gleefully threatening to undo your image with a vicious haircut.

The live impact of poignant anthem ‘Somebody’ never fades. Whether you’re a “Bad Bitch” at the front or an ally at the back, hearing Rakel speak her truth with defiant flare is always affecting – whether it’s your first, or fifth Dream Wife gig. It was seamlessly followed by new track ‘Act My Age’, the chorus of which sparked further po-going and pushing in the mosh. Rakel’s unapologetic, confident delivery lead her out in to the hands of the crowd, who lifted her up to the ceiling and made her feel “cradled like a baby.”

Dream Wife have built this creative, supportive community around them and they were happy to thank individual members of their team mid-set, as well as continuously speaking words of gratitude to their fans and sharing the champagne they’d opened at the beginning of the show. They closed the night by handing out pom-poms to fans, who cheer-leadered their way through the riotous final track, ‘Let’s Make Out’.

Dream Wife’s Sebright Arms gig proved that they’re one of the most cherished bands on the live circuit right now and they should be immensely proud of their debut album, their exceptional live delivery and their obvious dedication to making each other’s dreams of being in a brilliant band, a reality. #DreamWife4Lyf

Photo Credit: Joanna Kiely

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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