Despite years and years of gigging in Leeds this is the first time I’ve been to The Key Club, a small, basement venue under the Merrion Centre that’s perfect for tonight’s mix of garage pop punk.
A week ago Weekend Recovery were a four piece. This is their first gig without lead guitarist Owen Barnwell. With singer Lorin now taking over all guitar duties this is their first gig as a three piece and from tonight’s performance they don’t need to rush to find a replacement. Weekend recovery deliver a rapid fire set of raw, punky garage songs that includes most of their 2018 EP ‘In The Mourning’ and a decent chunk of LP ‘Get What You Came For’. Huge riffs, grungy bass lines, pounding drums that all underpin Lorin’s intense vocals Weekend Recovery blast out 30 minutes of pure energy that includes the raw ‘Turn It Up’, ‘Why Don’t You Stay’ and ‘Get What You Came For’, the powerpop of ‘Oh Jenny’ and new song ‘Come And Get It’. Weekend Recovery continue to move forward whilst retaining the relentless energy, noise and infectious melodies. They need not worry about being reduced to just three.
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| Weekend Recovery |
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| Weekend Recovery |
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| Weekend Recovery |
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| Weekend Recovery |
In the 13 years since their formation and first raucous gigs in dingey Atlanta basements The Coathangers have released six albums all full of intoxicating, powerful, punk rock n roll yet with each one they’ve continued to develop and deliver something a little different whilst retaining the Coathanger vibe.
Dressed in matching gold lame dresses with pointy shoulders The Coathangers take to the stage and open with the quiet, emotional, solo ‘Lithium’ – “One pill, two pill. You’re my new friend” sings Julia Kugel. It’s a heartwrenching, beautiful, sad opener. Perfect to focus your attention but nothing like what is to come. With a new album to promote it’s no surprise a large chunk of tonight’s set is drawn from recently released ‘The Devil You Know’ and ‘ Lithium’ is followed by an hour of glorious punk, pop, rock n roll. From the low-fi melodic drone erupting into manic noise of ‘Crimson Telephone’, the raw, gruff vocals of Stephanie Luke and driving guitar and bass riffs of ‘Five Farms’, the ominous, often chaotic ‘Stranger Danger’, the perfect combination of twee pop and sharp, jarring rock of ‘Bimbo’ and the almost sweet tones of Kugel’s vocals that can’t take away the pain of the subject on ‘Step Back’ – songs from ‘The Devil You Know’ are as perfect live as they are recorded. Of course there’s the relentless attack on America’s National Rifle Association in the form of ‘F The NRA’.
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| The Coathangers |
2016’s ‘Nosebleed Weekend’ is also well represented in the form of ‘Nosebleed Weekend’, ‘Make It Right’, ‘Down Down’, the scratchy, almost Au Pairs, guitar sounds on ‘Watch Your Back’.
Throughout it all the juxtaposition of Kugel’s and Luke’s vocals work perfectly. Luke also hammers out some explosive drumming and always with a mischievous grin across her face whilst Meridith Franco, often lost in the shadows stage left, adds her deep, heavy bass licks. Despite the often dark focus of their songs The Coathangers are clearly having fun. There’s plenty of knowing smiles and a number of ‘in jokes’.
A smattering of songs from 2014’s ‘Suck My Shirt’ - ‘Springfield Cannonball’, ‘Follow Me’ and, later, ‘Shut Up’ are perfect jump around punk. The Coathangers swap instruments, swap vocal duties, veer from manic noise to perfect guitar pop. Finishing with ‘Squeeki Tiki’, all hyperactive bass rhythm, squeeky toy and the repetitive “You can have it I don’t want this shit’ The Coathangers have played 20 songs in 60 minutes. There can’t be many better ways to spend an hour of your life.
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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| The Coathangers |
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