Gossip
@ Leeds Metropolitan University 26/02/07

The Gossip’s current renaissance (and Soulwax’s remix of ‘Standing in the Way of Control’ on E4’s adverts for TV drama Skins) seems to have sparked rather a lot of, well, gossip surrounding the Arkansas-born threesome. One thing that makes their feminist brand of disco-punk stand out from the crowd is what appears to be a Riot Grrrl revival. But instead of campaigning against the male patriarchal order and the sexist nature of the music industry à la Bikini Kill, Beth Ditto and co. are here to spread the word about lesbianism, the freedom to write same-sex love songs, and to sing them. Loud.

Ditto has a spine-chillingly powerful voice, which goes from soothing soul to piercing punk in an instant. Her ability to dance emphatically whilst belting out glass shattering notes is awe-inspiring, as is the ease of her rapport with the audience. Whilst obligatory in-between song banter is usually the bane of any music fan’s gig experience, Ditto seems to have a real curiosity and appreciation for her audiences. The set list tonight ranges from the effortlessly funky ‘Listen Up’ to the wonderfully aggressive ‘Your Mangled Heart’, which sees Ditto adopt a more Riot Grrrl vocal style. Guitarist/bassist Brace Paine remains cool with his yellow-rimmed sunglasses and floppy hair, whilst Ditto clearly sees the live show as an opportunity to bounce around in a mad ball of hair and sweat.

The crowd, a healthy mixture of cropped haired lesbians, camp merchants and bewildered heterosexuals, are also finding the Gossip’s punk-funk combo irresistible to dance to. Some of the mid-set songs are little too riot punk for some, but stand-out tracks from their latest LP Standing in the Way of Control, such as ‘Jealous Girls’ and ‘Eyes Open’, are sure-fire floor fillers. The set inevitably climaxes with ‘Standing in the Way of Control’, the song that has rocketed the Gossip’s popularity sky-high. It’s just a shame that Heat magazine have adopted Beth as their latest ‘curvy and proud’ role model – the fatist claws will be out soon enough, you mark my words…

www.myspace.com/gossipband
www.gossipyouth.com

Laura Coffey