Gig Reviews

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.

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I am a huge Martha Wainwright fan and after seeing her in Brighton many years ago, as well as at Glastonbury, I’ve been committed to trying to catch up with her whenever she’s in the UK. This time, however, I had a pleasant surprise when I discovered that her performance was a dedication to Edith Piaf, France’s most famous singer. Being that I am also a Piaf fan, off I went with Lady C to The Barbican to see what Martha had in store for us. It was the perfect warm-up, considering I’m going to Paris for the weekend.

Written for Spoonfed:

The mere possibility of anyone pulling off the raw emotion of Edith Piaf seems remote yet Martha Wainwright, an accomplished singer-songwriter in her own right, manages to pour out the strength and vulnerability that many of us know Piaf for. The vibrant personality that she brings to each track comes as a surprise from someone who when first approached by producer Hal Willner, wasn’t particularly taken with the idea of a dedication to one of the greats.

Piaf, arguably one of the greatest singers in the world, has long been recognised as France’s finest singer. Her rags-to-riches life story, saturated with tragedy and pain, saw her rocket from a street singer in Pigalle, Paris, to achieving lasting fame with her performances at the capital’s most famous venue: Paris Olympia. It seems fitting that Wainwright, who is no stranger to confessional, fiercely emotional songs of unrequited love, should take on and breathe new life into the words of a broken Piaf.
Though Piaf’s lyrics are in French, to understand the words to her songs is purely a bonus. This sentiment is echoed Martha herself who confesses to not doing much research into each song, and despite stumbling over the words of some tracks, it’s the musical arrangement and the character, the pain within each song that is understood universally. Despite hailing from French-Canadian Montreal, French isn’t Wainwright’s first language, but her attempt to cover songs as difficult as these is instantly admirable. Before each song she provides the crowd with a short translation drenched in cynical wit – stories of hookers, men, and of course, the loss of love. Wainwright’s performances are painfully emotive. Whilst she may not emulate Piaf physically – heavily pregnant in a colourful striped sparkly dress reminiscent of a liquorice allsort – her voice, so entrenched with an understanding of the subject matter, that lends itself so perfectly to the feeling of Piaf. Whilst all other factors may differ, the desire for love, and the observation of that love lost, remains present in both of their lives.
It’s interesting to note that many of Piaf’s greatest songs are absent tonight. This is a deliberate decision by Wainwright who was concerned that another mainstream revival shortly after the release of the Oscar winning biopic film ‘La Vie En Rose’, could incite limited interest. Hal Willner’s determination to produce a successful dedication record saw him provide Wainwright with 300 Piaf songs, allowing her to sift through and become further acquainted with the Piaf she thought she knew so well. This said it is tracks such as ‘La Foule’, with its waltzing accordion tempo that hasve not only myself, but half of the audience swinging from side to side, eyes closed, taken in the moment. The product of these combined efforts, ‘Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris’, recorded in New York, is Martha’s latest album offering.

Wainwright’s set finishes with an acknowledgement of the financial depression as she performs her version of ‘Can You Spare a Dime, Brother?’ before spilling over into a low-key version of everyone’s favourite, the classic ‘La Vie En Rose’ that has the crowds mumbling lalalas until the lights come up…

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So I’m still trying to catch up from the weekend. It was another busy one. On Friday evening I had the immense pleasure of seeing Max Richter at Union Chapel. I have been wanting to see Max for quite a few years now, ever since I somehow came across his album The Blue Notebooks. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of neo-classical music I have ever heard. I fell in love with it within minutes and I still listen to it a couple of times a week. The album holds significant importance for me for personal reasons. The rest of his discography is equally as beautiful and I was intrigued to hear the new score that he had composed to go alongside some of Derek Jarman’s unseen Super8 footage archive. I went alone and sat in the front row. I have been going to quite a lot of gigs and most of them I enjoy, of course. However there are some artists that it becomes a dream to see and Richter was one of those, one that I can now cross off of the list. This is what I wrote of the gig on Spoonfed:

Whilst the name may seem foreign to many, you may well have heard Max Richter’s beautiful classical music accompanying many a TV commercial (namely the piano track ‘Vladimir’s Blues’). A thoroughly accomplished composer, musician and producer, his second and perhaps most notable album, ‘The Blue Notebooks’, is a stunning composition of neo-classical music. Blending traditional classical instruments with electronica, its sporadic and soft narration by actress Tilda Swinton lends itself to the dark and often complex musical landscapes that Richter creates.

In conjunction with the re-release of his first album, Memoryhouse, and in support of the Union Chapel’s in-house charity scheme Margins, Richter’s performance takes place on one of four nights devoted to raising both money and awareness. Margins is a charity that opens its arms to support people living on the fringe of society, helping the homeless, those with drug and alcohol problems as well as mental health problems and beyond.

As a precursor to the show we’re shown a short video introducing both the voluntary support workers at Margins as well as providing an insight into the lives of those who use the charity and how it has transformed their lives. Their frank and heart-warming testimonials form a perfect segue into Richter’s soft and emotionally intense music. The Union Chapel’s calming atmosphere resonates amongst the audience who are silent in anticipation, aside from a few whispers.

Opening with the title track to ‘The Blue Notebooks’, a soft piano introduction, we’re quickly introduced to the five string usicians that Richter has chosen to accompany him tonight as they seamlessly slip into ‘On The Nature Of Daylight’. This track epitomises Richter’s style – a soothing melancholic arrangement of strings with a heavy reverberating bassline in the background. The searing pitch of one of the violins conjures a haunting and heavyhearted ambience. It tugs at your soul, this flawless blend between modern and classical. A quick glance around the room and it’s clear that I’m not the only one with goosebumps.

Max Richter’s appearance throughout each performance is endearing. The slight nod of his head after a long note, eyes wide and grin smeared across his face is testimony enough to the passion he has for his music. During the closing tracks he gently discards each music sheet with a look of accomplishment on his face. It’s his track ‘Shadow Journal’ that, at 8 minutes long, creates the most atmosphere. Fusing electronica, his trademark eerie strings, and a bass so heavy that your heart bounds around inside your ribcage. For those in the front row, like me, it’s so intense that the hairs on my arms begin to stand on end.

Richter has recently composed a new score to accompany previously unseen footage from avant garde film-maker Derek Jarman’s Super8 archive. These strange visuals are perfectly matched by Max’s style – ethereal musical landscapes carefully layered over double exposed images of forests and constellations. The videos are old, jumpy and crackling, and Richter delivers the perfect musical counterpart, all the while interspersed with sporadic narration. It’s easy to drift in and out of thoughts, becoming lost in both the visual and auditory overload.

Now I may not be a classical music connoisseur, but I know enough to see that Richter is here for the long-haul. And that’s quite alright with me.

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