GIG REVIEW: Blood Red Shoes @ The Garage 13/3/10

When I headed out last night to see Blood Red Shoes I was not particularly sure what to expect.

I, stupidly, had only listened to their new album once and had not been listening to their first album much for a while. In the end this self imposed ignorance worked to my advantage. I rediscovered BRS that night and remembered exactly why I loved them so much in the first place.

But let's start at the beginning of the night.

I was on the tube up to Highbury & Islington, surrounded completely by what I correctly guessed as fellow gig goers except for one man who was minding his own business with a cat balloon for a head.  The weirdest thing was that I was the only one that seemed to notice. I guess I still haven't got used to the daily oddities of London.

Anyway I reached The Garage and was immensely surprised how beautiful and oddly clean it was. This is not what I'm used to at all. To top things off I got served in about two minutes which is way under the usual 15 minutes I have to waste trying to get the attention of the barman.

I found a good place to stand at the back where I could see the stage and then the lights turned down and on walked the band.  BRS came with all the ferocious, gut wrenching riffs from their first album and brought a few more along with them.

The main reason I love BRS is because, as someone more eloquent than me said, "they make the kind of music you would make with your friends in that band you should have got together."

The way Laura plays takes you back to the fury of Babes in Toyland or the DIY aesthetic of Bikini Kill.

I saw BRS at Bush Hall when they were just getting big and they banter is basically the same. Laura remains very shy and says very little and Steven is his cheeky self and jokes with the crowd.

If anyone is worried that the new album won't match Box of Secrets then  you're sadly mistaken.  there are plenty of highlights from their latest offering including 'Heartsink', 'When We Wake' and 'Don't Ask'.

I left the gig with that lovely feeling that BRS are keeping the DIY aesthetic alive.