Joanna Gruesome played their effervescent brand of pop infused indie-punk to a Scala crowd that barely fizzled in response.
The Welsh six-piece had been named in many ‘gig of the week’ listings but, around three songs into their set, I couldn’t help wondering if three quarters of the audience had turned up purely due to this recommendation from the music press.
After the departure of frontwoman Alanna McArdle in June, I was interested to see how the new line-up would work. It’s actually a great fit, with Roxy Brennan’s (of Two White Cranes, Grubs, and others) soft and sweet vocals floating between the punctuation that is Kate Stonestreet’s (of Glasgow feminist/queer punk band Pennycress) screaming. The breakneck paced set was also a great mix of material from their delicious second album Peanut Butter (released in May) and numbers from their debut album Weird Sister.
The band arrive on stage with the minimum of fuss, wind up and let themselves hurtle into a jumping Secret Surprise before the melodies of Madison are torn apart by ferocious guitars. Psykick Espionage is a piece of joyously short and loud punk perfection.
Honestly Do Yr Worst is a perfect example of how their glorious harmonies and sugar sweet (verging on Belle and Sebastian levels of honeyed) side lulls you into a dream-pop sense of security before their raucous riffs drag you into punk territory. This is also a demonstration of a beefed-up live sound combined with a performance that’s just thrilling to watch.
I turn around and realise that maybe not everyone else is getting on board and I’m surprised. There is minimal chat from the band between songs and maybe that, and the blistering speed of a set that lasts only a little over thirty minutes, is confusing the crowd. There is a small pocket of resistance positioned in front of Stonestreet who are determined to jump around, despite the lethargy of all around them, while the band races through Jerome (Liar), Hey! I Wanna Be Yr Best Friend and Graveyard.
For me the highlight is the soaring and ridiculously energetic bounce of I Don’t Wanna Relax. I have been having a bad day but any hangover from that is blasted away by this track [I also like Roxy’s plan for a new t-shirt: “one that says ‘I don’t wanna relax’ like the ‘Frankie says relax’ t-shirt. I think we would have made a killing”].
Three more high-octane songs and the set ends with a wall of noise following the one song encore of Anti-Parent Cowboy Killers. I bounce away into quite a few bemused and strangely subdued onlookers. This beguiling mix of dreamy pop and delinquent indie was exactly what I was expecting but maybe this had come as a shock to them. Maybe The Independent gig guide didn’t explain it properly? Or maybe this band are less about peanut butter and more about Marmite – you either love them or just don’t get them.
Personally, I love Marmite. I love Peanut Butter and, after this performance, I love Joanna Gruesome.
Set list
Secret Surprise
Madison
Psykick Espionage
Honestly Do Yr Worst
Jerome (Liar)
Hey! I Wanna Be Yr Best Friend
Graveyard
I Don’t Wanna Relax
Last Year
Sugarcrush
Encore:
Anti-Parent Cowboy Killers
Visit the Joanna Gruesome bandcamp site