11/2/2023 Girlschool @ The Underworld

Daffodils in early Febuary WTF? Actually they have been out for weeks...🙈😟

Stopped for a livener or two at BrewDog before the show. I like the transparency shown in the big information board. It's an expensive bar (but where isn't in Camden?) but if you choose carefully you can get a lot of 'bang for your buck' - especially if you are in a hurry 'cos you are on your way to a show where you know the bar will be shit and overpriced for pissy beer.

Thanks to BrewDog I missed Alcatraz. I'm sure they were good, but to be honest the Underworld isn't a venue I like to spend any more time in than I have to these days. How times have changed...

Girlschool shows are always fun, and this one is no exception. However, there is a bit of a change for tonight's gig. Kim hasn't been well on this current tour, and as a backup reserve the band have brought in Niky from Czech hard rock band The Agony. She fits in perfectly and looks totally at home taking on lead vocals and rhythm guitar duties on some songs.

But we needn't have worried - Kim is still here too and seems to be getting over her recent health issues. The band are on good form and tear though a load of the old classics like 'Demolition Boys', 'Hit And Run', and 'C'mon Let's Go'  - mixed in with more recent material from the last few albums like 'Guilty As Sin' and 'Take It Like A Band' (with Niky on lead vocals). Then it's back to the older stuff like 'Nothing To Lose' and 'Kick It Down' - featuring one of my favourite guitar riffs!

Girlschool throw in a cover of 'Bomber' in tribute to their friends Lemmy and Motörhead, as well as their well known cover of 'Race With The Devil'. The band look like they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, and returning ex-Rock Godess bassist Tracey Lamb seems well at home.

The band aren't content to sit back and rely on past glories to keep them going - they are now also playing some brand new songs from their forthcoming album entitled 'WTForty Five?'. New songs 'It Is What It Is' and 'Are You Ready' show Girlschool have lost none of their energy  and raw punky edge.

The set finishes with 'Emergency', and then the well deserved encore of 'Take It All Away' and ZZ Top's 'Tush'. Even at '45WTF?' 😉 Girlschool are still a force to be reckoned with!

I don't hang around in the less than hospitable confines of The Underworld after the band finish - security and management's attitude of 'We've got your ticket and beer money now fuck off' discourages me from buying that last overpriced beer I would have once enjoyed in this venue and makes it harder for bands to make some much needed money at the merch stall. So BrewDog get my beer money instead.