Well London was unreal anyway!!!
REVIEW BY SARAH HORNEY OF THE GIRLS ARE
Sick of Sarah, Evarose + Kate’s Party @ The Borderline, 23 May
Returning to the scarlet-lit depths of The Borderline, with its extensive wine list of red or white, the girls are were excited to see Sick of Sarah headline the night before they were due to support Uh Huh Her at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Also in the line up were Oxfordshire born and bred, Evarose and punk band, Kate’s Party.
Evarose is headed up by Dannika Webber, a cute thing with a huge voice. Almost banshee-like, she weaved about the stage using long, lithe limbs to create an exceptional stage presence. Her vocals switched between shouting, and sweetly singing in harmonies with guitarist Imogen Leslie. These duets were few and far between however, and the girls are wished that the band had utilised the outstanding sound these two produced to its full potential.
Dublin based Kate’s Party describe themselves as ‘diet punk’, the full fat sound they produced however, was anything but. They played an excellent performance, and displaying true professionalism, were unfazed by the snapping of a guitar string. Guitarist, Niamh Hanley had a chat with the audience whilst the instrument was restrung, her Irish lilt and quick wit being just as entertaining as the music itself. Once underway, the girls are were impressed with their original take on pop punk and those in the audience who were unfamiliar with the group connected with their cheerful music.
Sick of Sarah are met with cat calls and raucous applause as they take the stage. Opening with the suggestive ‘Over Exposure’, lead singer Abisha Uhl enhanced the lyrics by indulging in a penchant for removing her clothing. Uhl’s provocative body language and self caressing as the music intensified had the crowd screaming encouragement for more, each fulfilment of which was never enough. The band’s confidence in their unforgiving embrace of hedonism fed into their playing and the resulting sexually charged atmosphere was infectious.
The vibrations of Jamie Holm’s bass and the drums of Jessica Forsythe reverberated throughout the bodies moving in the pit; the audience, who obviously adored the heavy beats complimenting the fast paced and almost erotic performance, sang with Uhl as SOS gave an excellent performance of ‘Bittersweet’. The expertise displayed in the intricate guitar solos of Katie Murphy added to their punk rock sound and increased the tempo of the song, giving an uplifting and cheerful beat which, although is centred around the theme of heartbreak, was extraordinarily effective.
One of the most invigorating aspects of the band’s performance was the genuine display of passion and drive which possesses them. The humour and cheekiness that was infused in their performance, combined with a love for creating a unique sound has given them huge popularity. There are not many bands who can exceed themselves live, however SOS are definitely one of them.
Sarah Horney
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Kate's Party
—Demo fuckups
Niamh put together a compilation of fuck ups from demos which we’ve tried to record. We curse a lot, whinge a lot and break a lot of strings.
Kate’s Party bonus track compilation #1.
I vaguely remember high-fiving Helen when they played this at The Borderline….dayum that was a good night.
(Source: kieranodriscoll)
My signed paper plate from Kate’s Party’s gig at London Borderline. Love em!
Etcha
A Joyful Slog is a look into Independent Irish music over the past few decades. It’s well worth a watch, so check it out if you have a moment to spare (and watch out for our logo!)
