Nice N Sleazy, 28/03
Grunge is alive and angry, with noticeable talents like L.A. Witch commanding the scene. The Californian outfit have claimed that witchcraft is limited only to their name, but their otherworldly performance at Nice N Sleazy suggests otherwise.
CHUMP kick off the night with high energy and promise, but unfortunate sound problems almost entirely mask the vocals and trumpet beneath the bass and drums. Objectified follow with a pounding set that only serves to up the ante and get the party in full swing.
The buzz notches up yet another level when L.A. Witch take the stage. All done up in gothic noir, the all-girl grunge group create a dark and biting sound which has you fist-clenching and head-banging. Sadie Sanchez’s drawling vocals evoke feelings of contained rage against the world, while drummer Ellie English whips up the crowd into ever faster beats. The band’s engagement with the crowd never falters, and the electricity of the tunes sparks throughout. Things slow down with ‘Baby in Blue Jeans’, which continues to have the kind of murky undercurrents that make you want to lather on black eyeliner and shave your head. Bass player Irita Pai drives the action on in ‘Get Lost’ to build a deep and enveloping sound. By the time the encore is over, I’m now a full on goth with a deep hatred of the sun.
In the dark basement of Nice N Sleazy, L.A. Witch’s twisted tales of perverted love and violence find a home.
[Louise Wylie – @womanpendulum]
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