The live music scene is really heating up again, and this is demonstrated by a crammed gig calendar. As crammed as Nottingham’s famous Rock City is tonight for what is apparently one of the best live acts going these days: Skunk Anansie. I’ve been excited to see them since the release of Paranoid and Sunburnt, but never had the chance. Finally, after a mere 27 years… Which, in fairness, should have been 25 if it wasn’t for that darn Covid thing that postponed the 25th anniversary tour.
Opening things up were Holocene who had a very early start due to the 10pm curfew. Despite this, there was a decent sized crowd in place for them. An unusual ensemble, being a three-piece where one of the three is a reel-to-reel tape player! The two human-shaped objects are a drummer and a guitarist. Their sound fuses jazz and grunge, with a very strong vocal presence. The addition of some keyboards for their cover of Duran Duran’s “Rio” was an audience pleaser, a song they made their own with a slow, moody feel to it. Unusual, and interesting!
Gen and the Degenerates are a 5-piece alt-rock combo who (like the headliners) feature a strikingly chrome-domed lady at the forefront. They had travel issues making it to the venue, but appeared full of professionalism with a quick line check, a set of mutual nods and a “let’s rock this joint” start. No messing and you just got the feeling that they just didn’t need any more of a sound check.
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Their high energy set just flew by, and the crowd lapped them up. Maybe the panic of being delayed gave them an adrenaline boost, or maybe they’re always this frantic, but just watching their set left me exhausted. Flamboyant, noisy and nuts. A perfect warm-up for the headliners.
A look around the audience before the lights went back down showed a lovely mixture of ages, showing the appeal and longevity of Skunk Anansie. The band didn’t keep the crowd waiting much longer, likely aware of that countdown to 22:00, and Skin exploded onto the stage wearing a very interesting headpiece. She used the raised platforms at the front of the stage like a runway throughout opener “Yes, It’s Fuckin’ Political”, and she doesn’t stay still for long. At 54 years of age she has more energy than many of the younger faces in the audience. Indeed, at any other time she would have been in amongst them by this point, but, you know… Covid.
One thing I don’t think I’ve ever seen at a gig is someone rocking out with a theremin. Using one, maybe. But rocking out with one? Well, I have now. I doubt anyone else could make it as cool as Skin as she woo’d and ululated through “I Can Dream”. The crowd went wild for “Twisted” and the entertainment didn’t stop between songs as the crowd interaction was perfection itself.
Despite the long history of the band, Skin declared that she didn’t just want to be touring and playing a greatest hits package, before launching into their latest single, “Can’t Take You Anywhere”. There’s no worries, though, the band are more than capable of smashing out a new song as well as any of the classics. This one is about how people’s relationships and attitudes change over time and how people grow apart.
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The backing singer was brought front and centre for a dual vocal attack during “Love Someone”, and “God Loves Only You” followed – a song about respecting others’ religions and cultures. Skin regaled the crowd with a story about someone misreading her t-shirt as being “God Loves You”.
“Hedonism” had the audience straining their own throats before Skin strapped on a guitar for “Without You”. Another song, “This Means War” was dedicated to the people of Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria and other places, all people who have suffered or are suffering due to wars pushed on them by governments (their own or others). With the theremin and guitar boxes ticked, two pig-headed (literally) crew dragged a huge drum onto the stage for Skin to pound on as the main part of the set crashed to a thunderous end.
For an encore we were treated to “Piggy” and “Brazen”. The latter is rarely played live as an orchestra features on the original recording and they don’t quite fit on the stage at Rock City. However, the band like it so they’ve remastered it, letting them add it to their set. “Baby Swastika” and “Skankheads” followed and brought the night to its curfewed end.
27 years? Bloody worth the wait.
Pics by Sean Larkin Photography
