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Arty, decadent, full of pomp and circumstance and just the right side of gaudy. That's the Royal Albert Hall for you, but the description could just have easily been applied to the Scissor Sisters as well. Since sashaying onto the scene barely a year ago, the Scissor Sisters have somehow managed to be sleazy, filthy and gorgeous, yet appeal to an incredibly wide audience, as witnessed in the bar last night. Young and old, well dressed and decidedly underdressed, gay, straight and all points in between shared champagne and cider (though sadly not cigars) in the magnificent surroundings that somehow seemed just perfect for the flounce and bounce of the Scissor spectacle.
Before we got to the main act, however, they'd brought along some friends. First up was Kiki and Herb, featuring a mad keyboardist who looked like he'd just finished a season on the Mary Celeste and a delightfully acerbic torch singer who could have easily passed as Lily Savage's more attractive older sister. Kiki and Herb bashed, crashed and wailed their way through several pop classics and left the audience with broad grins on their faces.
Next up were Le Tigre, three girls from New York City with an infectious punky electroclash sound, a psychedelic video backdrop and enough energy and attitude to power a small town. I was hugely impressed by this band, from the actual songs themselves to the way they took command of the audience and demanded that you listen to them. Inspiring stuff, more of which you can read about in Dollyrocker's review of them at the Islington Academy.
And so to the main attraction, and I use the word deliberately. This was no mere gig happening here, this was yer actual event, a performance, a three-ring circus and I was fortunate enough to have standing tickets so this all happened literally feet away from me. The lights went down and there they were, backlit and silhouted behind a silk curtain, a la Depeche Mode on their Devotional tour, as the intro to Electrobix gave way to the carnival swagger of Laura, placing the audience firmly where they wanted them for the next 90 minutes - in the palm of their sweaty hands. Better Luck followed hot on Laura's heels, and the band not impress with their appearance and showmanship, but also with their musical versatility, as Del Marquis and Babydaddy switch instruments without breaking their stride.
Up close and personal, the band are every bit as large as life as the promo shots and videos suggest, and must surely rival Franz Ferdinand for the title of Best Dressed Band. Babydaddy, Del Marquis and Paddy Boom looked like they'd just stepped out of a Scorcese period piece, as did Ana Matronic in her gorgeous Charleston dress, while Jake Shears's gold lame trousers and waistcoat give him the appearance of C3PO at the Astoria's G.A.Y. night. Jake Shears and Ana Matronic are the consummate hosts of tonight's festivities, working the audience (not that it needs much working) like veterans of the stage rather than the new freaks on the block, and looking like they're having the time of their lives, which just in case we hadn't noticed, they keep reminding us that they are, Shears in particular coming across like all of his birthdays and Christmases have come at once tonight.
The whole of the debut album gets an airing, as well as a three new songs, all of which suggest that the Scissor Sisters are no flash in the pan, and that this won't be their only appearance at the Royal Albert Hall. We even get their lounge version of Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out which in the hands of just about any other band would be a disaster, but they have the charm and cheek to pull it off. Mary is dedicated to Mary herself, who apparently is in the house, as is Richard O'Brien, without whom Shears informs us there probably wouldn't be a Scissor Sisters, and he's probably right. This point is confirmed when during the last song, the raucous Music Is The Victim, the band are joined on stage not only by Kiki and the Le Tigre grrrls, but also a dancing mummy, two giant silver scissors, a dreadlocked bacofoil monstrosity on stilts, and an eight foot yeti (though sadly not Riff Raff or Dr Frank N Furter). Iron Maiden, eat your heart out!
As far as gigs go, this was one of those rare gigs where despite the fact that the audience clapped, sang and danced itself dizzy, the band actually seemed to have even more fun than the crowd. Definitely one of those "I was there" gigs.
Before we got to the main act, however, they'd brought along some friends. First up was Kiki and Herb, featuring a mad keyboardist who looked like he'd just finished a season on the Mary Celeste and a delightfully acerbic torch singer who could have easily passed as Lily Savage's more attractive older sister. Kiki and Herb bashed, crashed and wailed their way through several pop classics and left the audience with broad grins on their faces.
Next up were Le Tigre, three girls from New York City with an infectious punky electroclash sound, a psychedelic video backdrop and enough energy and attitude to power a small town. I was hugely impressed by this band, from the actual songs themselves to the way they took command of the audience and demanded that you listen to them. Inspiring stuff, more of which you can read about in Dollyrocker's review of them at the Islington Academy.
And so to the main attraction, and I use the word deliberately. This was no mere gig happening here, this was yer actual event, a performance, a three-ring circus and I was fortunate enough to have standing tickets so this all happened literally feet away from me. The lights went down and there they were, backlit and silhouted behind a silk curtain, a la Depeche Mode on their Devotional tour, as the intro to Electrobix gave way to the carnival swagger of Laura, placing the audience firmly where they wanted them for the next 90 minutes - in the palm of their sweaty hands. Better Luck followed hot on Laura's heels, and the band not impress with their appearance and showmanship, but also with their musical versatility, as Del Marquis and Babydaddy switch instruments without breaking their stride.
Up close and personal, the band are every bit as large as life as the promo shots and videos suggest, and must surely rival Franz Ferdinand for the title of Best Dressed Band. Babydaddy, Del Marquis and Paddy Boom looked like they'd just stepped out of a Scorcese period piece, as did Ana Matronic in her gorgeous Charleston dress, while Jake Shears's gold lame trousers and waistcoat give him the appearance of C3PO at the Astoria's G.A.Y. night. Jake Shears and Ana Matronic are the consummate hosts of tonight's festivities, working the audience (not that it needs much working) like veterans of the stage rather than the new freaks on the block, and looking like they're having the time of their lives, which just in case we hadn't noticed, they keep reminding us that they are, Shears in particular coming across like all of his birthdays and Christmases have come at once tonight.
The whole of the debut album gets an airing, as well as a three new songs, all of which suggest that the Scissor Sisters are no flash in the pan, and that this won't be their only appearance at the Royal Albert Hall. We even get their lounge version of Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out which in the hands of just about any other band would be a disaster, but they have the charm and cheek to pull it off. Mary is dedicated to Mary herself, who apparently is in the house, as is Richard O'Brien, without whom Shears informs us there probably wouldn't be a Scissor Sisters, and he's probably right. This point is confirmed when during the last song, the raucous Music Is The Victim, the band are joined on stage not only by Kiki and the Le Tigre grrrls, but also a dancing mummy, two giant silver scissors, a dreadlocked bacofoil monstrosity on stilts, and an eight foot yeti (though sadly not Riff Raff or Dr Frank N Furter). Iron Maiden, eat your heart out!
As far as gigs go, this was one of those rare gigs where despite the fact that the audience clapped, sang and danced itself dizzy, the band actually seemed to have even more fun than the crowd. Definitely one of those "I was there" gigs.
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