SEX PISSED DOLLS
DATE:
VENUE:
Saturday 18th July 2015
The Engine Shed in Lincoln, UK
Review & Photography by Mark Holmes
SEX PISSED DOLLS
Sex Pissed Dolls, as their wordplay moniker alludes to, are where pun meets punk. Well, punk, new wave, ska and a few other genre variations such as grunge and rock. And the wordplay doesn't stop at their band name. Currently on what's been billed as the cunningly titled 'Never Needed Bollocks' tour, each of the musicians involved have also adopted names from the erstwhile era of music they're revisiting. So we have vocalist Nancy Doll; guitarists Connie Rotter and Kitty Vacant; drummer Anna Key and bassist Jilly Idol. And it seems that Sex Pissed Dolls are more than just a covers band; they are, in actuality, a fast-rising phenomenon. Garnering 30,000 Facebook likes in just 12 months, as well as a plethora of bookings in prestigious venues around the UK, both punters and promoters are taking this band seriously. And so they should, for their aptitude and reverence for the music they perform is undeniable.
Unfortunately, it seems that word hasn't spread quite far enough to reach the parochial city of Lincoln and its apathetic gig-goers (or, more simply, tonight's show has been drastically under-promoted), as those gathered in The Engine Shed's smaller Platform room only fill around a quarter of its 350 capacity. Still, undeterred, the Sex Pissed Dolls hit the stage at 8:45pm, one at a time, as 'Pretty Vacant's instrumentation is built up gradually, working the song into a crushing crescendo of punk rock fury, which signals Nancy's entrance. It's an explosively potent start, and they manage to sustain that potency for the next hour and a half, through a surprisingly varied set that takes in the likes of The Police's 'Message in a Bottle'; Tenpole Tudor's 'Swords of a Thousand Men'; The Undertones' 'Teenage Kicks'; The Specials' 'Too Much Too Young'; Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and The Clash classic 'I Fought the Law'.
Exclusively a covers band at the current time, plans are afoot for these five talented ladies to work some original compositions into their live shows; however, it's all about songs of yore right now, and these they perform with equal amounts of energy, passion and talent in Lincoln tonight. Each of the musicians impress, although standout performances are from Nancy, whose vocal range is rather great, with just enough dissonant sway to pull off the punkier numbers, and a tonally rich, pitch-perfect delivery to carry off everything else. And Anna, the lady behind the kit, is also mightily impressive with her incisively tight performance, and rhythmically dexterous range of beats and fills. Collectively, though, they excel in all they play and offer up a night of unpretentious retro revelry.
Unfortunately, it seems that word hasn't spread quite far enough to reach the parochial city of Lincoln and its apathetic gig-goers (or, more simply, tonight's show has been drastically under-promoted), as those gathered in The Engine Shed's smaller Platform room only fill around a quarter of its 350 capacity. Still, undeterred, the Sex Pissed Dolls hit the stage at 8:45pm, one at a time, as 'Pretty Vacant's instrumentation is built up gradually, working the song into a crushing crescendo of punk rock fury, which signals Nancy's entrance. It's an explosively potent start, and they manage to sustain that potency for the next hour and a half, through a surprisingly varied set that takes in the likes of The Police's 'Message in a Bottle'; Tenpole Tudor's 'Swords of a Thousand Men'; The Undertones' 'Teenage Kicks'; The Specials' 'Too Much Too Young'; Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and The Clash classic 'I Fought the Law'.
Exclusively a covers band at the current time, plans are afoot for these five talented ladies to work some original compositions into their live shows; however, it's all about songs of yore right now, and these they perform with equal amounts of energy, passion and talent in Lincoln tonight. Each of the musicians impress, although standout performances are from Nancy, whose vocal range is rather great, with just enough dissonant sway to pull off the punkier numbers, and a tonally rich, pitch-perfect delivery to carry off everything else. And Anna, the lady behind the kit, is also mightily impressive with her incisively tight performance, and rhythmically dexterous range of beats and fills. Collectively, though, they excel in all they play and offer up a night of unpretentious retro revelry.
Click on thumbnails for larger images:
Sex Pissed Dolls in The Platform at The Engine Shed in Lincoln, UK, 18th July 2015
Photograph copyright © 2015 Mark Holmes - www.metal-discovery.com
