My gosh. I feel like I’ve been on live music overload lately. Last week was The Puppini Sisters, Skunk Anansie followed by an amazing gig with Gossip at The Forum. I didn’t know much about Beth Ditto until I saw her a while ago on The Sunday Night Project as a guest host. Easily one of my favourites! Such a sweetheart. And so here, in the true style of late, is my review for Spoonfed with some lovely photos of the lady herself…
Despite their latest offering – ‘Music For Men’ – being their fourth studio album, the Gossip have only really flirted with commercial success following that song – ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ – in 2006. Thanks to Beth Ditto’s striking, powerful voice that alternates from slick high notes to raucous screams, coupled with her unusual but overtly confident image, they have been propelled over the last 3 years not only into the music charts, but also into the popular consciousness.
After all, it’s not often that you see an overweight, creative lesbian sweating profusely, all dolled up in skin-tight clothing, wailing and rocking out like no one’s watching. So it’s no real surprise that Ditto has posed naked on the cover of Love Magazine in celebration of her larger size (hurrah!) and is an active supporter of LGBT and feminist causes (double hurrah!), as well as a rather cute cookie. How could you feel anything but love for this rock superstar?
Bounding on stage thirty minutes late at their gig at the Forum tonight, the huge smiles smattered on the faces of the collected masses show not a shred of animosity towards Ditto’ arrival. After an electric performance of the first track from their new album, ‘Dimestore Diamond’, she frankly explains, “I just started my period about four minutes ago”. Announced in her sweet southern belle accent, it’s clear that no one dare ask for more details. All decked out in a figure-hugging sparkly black dress, she demands that the crowd be on ‘period watch’, shouting “If you see period stains, let me know!” In the sea of faces there are youths laughing hysterically ,whilst those suited and booted professionals try to hide the creases of their stiff upper lips.
It’s surprising that the band are here at all given the unfortunate cancellation of recent gigs due to Ditto’s bout of illness, causing her to call out (again with that cute southern accent), “I got the bronchitis!” before taking a sip of something orange. She’s pretty sure that this is going to fix it all, at least for the next half hour.
Mostly promoting their new album, we’re pleasantly treated to a variety of tracks both old and new, all performed with high energy despite Ditto’s illness sparking the odd her coughing fit, which ses the singer clutching her throat before belting out another number. Tracks such as ‘Love Long Distance. (a personal favourite), start with Ditto’s flawless words of disdain before rolling into an upbeat wailing that has become the trademark Gossip’s sound, the crowd jumping up and down, mouths wide open, screams oozing out.
‘Men In Love’ suddenly sees the smiles of gays in the crowd widen, arms spread around each other, lips touching in this frenzy of emancipation. It’s a touching moment, one that Ditto should, and no doubt would, be proud of. There’s also a number of covers thrown in with ‘U Don’t Have To Call’ by Usher and most notably the Tina Turner classic ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ which sees the crowd swaying and wailing whilst Ditto holds the mic out in her wobbly arm. Ditto’s voice is intriguing and relentlessly powerful: she may be just five feet tall, but when she opens that mouth the windows begin to wobble. Her words flow with perfect understandable enunciation before morphing into insane howling.
Of course we expect and are given the finale we came for – a raucous, loud and chaotic performance of ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ – which has the entire audience jumping and dancing, hands flailing in the air. With drummer Hannah Billie on her back they lead us into their final endeavour, Ditto starts the crowd off with a rendition of Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’ before heading down to the barriers, throwing herself into the crowd.
It’s perhaps her inspirational speech at the very end, alone on stage, that stays with me the most. Looking almost in tears, she tells the audience to “demand respect, not in a nasty way. You demand the respect you deserve, in the cutest way, and get what you deserve.” The crowd are a mixture of cheers and silence, taking in her words. “My mother always said that no one can kill and eat you. So, understand, that no one can kill you and eat you.” There’s a wave of pride and confidence that floats over the crowd of indie kids, gays and lesbians, fats and freaks, all sporting smiles, as Ditto, a woman that breaks barriers and demands respect, exits stage right and disappears into the darkness.
Skunk Anansie are a band that take me back ten years or so, when I was still desperate to see them but never found the chance. With an 8 year hiatus, it was a pleasure to see and photograph the final date of their reunion tour in Brixton. Whilst I did see (and photograph) Skin performing solo back in 2005, I’ve been dying to see the band in full. And my oh my, it was no disappointment. My friend Lowri wrote a review for Spoonfed:
Skunk Anansie have been one of those bands for me. Important and personal. They emerged back in 1994 when I was in high school, still pre-formed and impressionable. I don’t remember first hearing them – but I’ve always loved them intensely.
To a generation of teenage girls (they have plenty of male fans too but their angry, beautiful songs speak particularly to females) Skin represented independence, pride, an unapologetically different kind of sex appeal and a screw you attitude which we all idolised. Angry and hurt and twisted and scared and horny, her lyrics, when shouted at the tops of our voices (which they usually were) were a rallying cry. They were the anthems to our adolescence.
Read the review in full…
Had a good ol’ knees up with The Puppini Sisters at The Pigalle. I do love those girls! Here’s another review for Spoonfed:
The Puppini Sisters do Christmas? Now I’m not a fan of Christmas – at all – but what better cure for my Scrooge-like tendencies than an evening of swinging singing to my favourite time machine sisters? With two excellent albums under their belt, The Puppini Sisters are well known on the burlesque scene, reviving classics all over the shop with their own upbeat take on tracks such as The Andrews Sisters ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’.
All wrapped up like Christmas crackers in golden dresses the Puppini Sisters are as much about image as they are their singing. The trio come in a variety of colours – blonde, brunette and redhead – as well a variety of sizes and attitudes. There’s flame-haired siren Stephanie, a violin player with legs that seem to go on forever. Her huge smile, delicately coated in red lipstick, spills seduction as she croons into the mic. Blonde Kate is curvacious and obviously reminiscent of Monroe with her carefully coiffed blonde curls, oozing sex appeal much like the original blonde bombshell. And let us not forget brunette Marcella Puppini, the group’s founder and accordion player, whose cheeky grin and petite size make her a delight.
The Pigalle, with its decadent layout and tables piled high with delicious food and champagne, is the perfect place for this camp trio’s performance. It’s a bit like being at an expensive office party as we plonk ourselves down with our bucket of wine beside us (much like everyone else), ready to be dazzled. I’m surprised (but not upset) that there are not that many renditions of Christmas songs. I am, however, seduced by the group’s ability to mix up songs both old and new, delivered with an almost tongue-in-cheek comedic value, all the while hitting the right notes. Their covers of tracks such as Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’ and Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ are transformed into retro soaked musical delights with hips swinging and swaying, all smiles and white teeth.
One thing that’s confusing is where the The Puppini Sisters see themselves going. In one respect their voices lend themselves brilliantly to the tracks that they cover, yet their image and playful performances may well label them as a novelty. But honestly, who really cares? These upbeat twenty-somethings are doing something fun and different. The fact that they come as a trio instead of a one woman pin-up show knocks other acts out of the water. This is reflected with their second album, ‘The Rise And Fall Of Ruby Woo’, that not only features the expected array of covers, but also original material that showcases their talent as writers and composers. The Puppini Sisters may appear a frivolous act on the surface, decked out in matching kitsch style, yet their behind-the-scenes involvement in every aspect of their performance is perfectly calculated and maintained. They ooze charisma together on stage as they playfully try to outdo each other on each track, clutching their trademark instruments.
Its the Puppini Sister’s cover of Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy In Love’ that the crowd, of all ages, know and love the best. The signature introduction is enough to provoke a loud cheer from us all followed by some frantic dancing and swinging. I’m pretty sure I even see a few bottoms wiggling in seats round the tables. The Puppini Sisters won’t be your thing if you’re expecting something serious and sultry, but if you’re an appreciator of sassy, soulful and just plain silly, then they are one act to watch.
I have to say that I absolutely love this outfit. Georgie suits it so much!
Model: Georgie Bee
Latex: Jane Doe Latex (custom made)
Location: The Old Abattoir
The wonderfully beautiful and lovely Rookinella (as seen previously in this post).
Model: Rookinella
Make-up: Georgie Bee
Location: The Old Abattoir
I hardly took any photos in Paris. In fact, I took 84, mostly of us drinking champagne on the Eurostar at 7am. This is us before we went out for a night on the town – what a colourful bunch we are.
It’s early Saturday evening and there is a really nice boy asleep in my bed, a bit poorly, bless him. I feel really content today.
