I seem to have missed Lips Can Kill 1 - it went under my radar somehow, but this seemed a pretty good bill so down to The Water Rats I went. It's swings and roundabouts at this refurbished venue - the eternally stinky downstairs toilets no longer stink although it has become a bit maze like down there - but they no longer serve real ales, so this looks like another venue where I will no longer be spending as much at the bar.
For the second time this month I'm at a show that proves the doom and gloom 'Rock and roll/live music is dead' merchants are totally wrong - even for the opening act on a four band bill the place is absolutely rammed!
I've seen PollyPikPocketz quite a few times now and they are always fun!
A great mix of cultures and punk attitude makes them a unique and entertaining band who I never get tired of seeing.
Next up are Healthy Junkies - another band who I never get tired of seeing.
Now having to play more gigs outside their natural habitat of Camden as their 'home' venue The Unicorn has closed down. This Friday night they bring a polished and highly energetic performance to this newly refurbished Kings Cross venue.
Healthy Junkies lively brand of catchy songs and punk attitude tinged with a hint of grunge is well suited to places like this, and they go down a storm with tonight's crowd.
Next is an act who have changed since their early days and ditched their guitar player to slim down their core Brazilian duo of bass & drums - this is
Yur Mum.
Not sounding as heavy these days without a guitar player - they have made up for it by featuring even more attitude and aggression than before - this is very much in-yur-face punk rock.
The headliners tonight are the only act who are new to me.
Tokyo Taboo are also 'in-your-face', but in a very different way.
Like tonight's previous acts, this is still very much a
rock band ,but in a much more
performance orientated way - this is a
show designed to grab your attention.
With the singer Dolly Daggerz top half clad only in silver paint and the words EAT THE RICH written across her front I am not sure exactly what point she is trying to make, but I suspect it is
not connected with songs of that title by either Motörhead or Aerosmith.
She can sing well enough, and the band can play - and rock out when needed, but to be honest I don't really 'get' what all this is actually about. Oh, and during the changeover between bands a pole seems to have appeared from nowhere. Now we find out why.
There is no doubting Dolly's skills with the pole, and her ability to writhe around on it while still managing to clutch a microphone and sing - she must have put a lot of work into this part of her act. However, I have to admit to not being able to remember any of the actual
songs. I've seen the Soap Girls and thought the music was actually pretty decent, but unlike the other bands tonight the music from
Tokyo Taboo didn't really make any impression on me at all - although I can't say I wasn't entertained.
The evening drew to a close with a raffle or competition of some sort - the lucky winner got to take home the stage backdrop from the Lips Can Kill 2 tour. I've got to say it does look good.
So all in all a good night's entertainment - even if the headliners did leave me somewhat baffled. Good value for money anyway - and I am pleased to report that live music post-lockdowns is very much NOT dead! I met some interesting new people too.
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