Brighton's best...
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Le Tigre...
review Who took the Bomp from the Bompalompalomp? Who took the Ram from the Ramalamading dong?I don’t usually get so goddamned excited before a gig but awaiting Le Tigre had me come over uncharacteristically clammy and a-quivver in anticipation. Maybe it’s the heady combination of perfect punk-pop, the matching outfits and giddy dance routines, or maybe it’s the delightfully radical politics tempered with a finely-tuned sense of girl-camp; whatever it is, I can hardly contain myself. How fitting then that Le Tigre should bound on with a deliriously punked-up rendition of the Pointer Sisters’ ‘I’m So Excited’, a chanty disco nugget that fair sets the room alight. I want to throw my camera to the floor and dance like my hair's on fire. "Le Tigre bound on with
a deliriously punked-up rendition of the Pointer Sisters' 'I'm So Excited'. I want to throw my camera to the floor and dance like my hair's on fire" Perhaps you already know the history - Kathleen Hanna, frontwoman of seminal riot grrrlers Bikini Kill, joins forces with Johanna Fateman and JD Samson via Sadie Benning to form stunning electronic feminist punk band Le Tigre, ‘Deceptacon’ causing a particular fuss when remixed by the legendary DFA and still kicking up a merry old storm on alternative dancefloors, ooh, aeons later. Joining us on the UK leg of their tour Le Tigre bring an embarrassment of riches, with the glorious, thrashing Kaito and the looser jazz-punk of Erase Errata, not to mention Brighton’s own DJ Melita slipping in tunes like Peaches’ superior cover of ‘Gay Bar’ to whip us up into a joyous frenzy. Tonight it seems my nerves are catching, for Le Tigre seem surprisingly bashful, or perhaps it’s the venue, as they comment that the lights are too dark, the crowd too far away. Needing no further encouragement a barrage of gals vault over the barrier to pogo up the front, and Concorde 2 oblige by letting up the lights, revealing just how packed the room is and how fervent the crowd really are. They have nothing to fear however for their set is a delight to behold, including ‘Mediocrity Rules’, ‘FYR’, a sublimely bouncy ‘My My Metrocard’, and a couple of new songs including one “about butch lesbians", visibility and being ‘finally free’ which ends with an exuberant signature Le Tigre dance routine. "DFA's 'Deceptacon'
mix is still kicking up a merry old storm on alternative dancefloors, ooh, aeons later" There’s always been a strong visual component to their gigs and tonight the video slideshow is in full effect, best so when illustrating the raucously received ‘Hot Topic’, their celebration of the people who inspire and strengthen them: Gertrude Stein, Nina Simone, The Slits, Joan Jett, and Vaginal Davis, to name but a few... It’s the little touches like the projections, the first sighting of the lesser-spotted female roadie species in years, those great DIY matching outfits, the row of medical sundries on the speaker just-in-case, and the fact that this band just seem to really like each other, that combined with some kickass agit-pop make it such a damned fine experience. My 'Hot Topic' list would include those Le Tigre gals every time. There’s ‘Much Finer’ with it’s refrain “Do you wanna stay in bed all day? (Yes!)", ‘What’s Yr Take On Cassavetes?’ with its call and response between the three of them: “Misogynist!... genius!.. alcoholic!... genius!...", and of course ‘Deceptacon’ which they save till the end, last words “see you later" echoing away as they leave the stage. They return with ‘Keep On Livin’ as an encore which feels sweet, a positive parting gift to the crowd, and then they’re off to rest before entertaining the punters at All Tomorrow’s Parties. Unexpectedly, I feel like bursting into tears at such a splendid evening. Cheers gals, it’s been emotional. Best gig I’ve been to in ages.
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