23.9.06

The Pipettes


The Pipettes, originally uploaded by fred pipes.

With a name like The Pipettes how could I not like them! At the Corn Exchange last night they were more than ably supported by The Hot Puppies, a band with a sexy gorgeous singer and some theramin action. The sound at that barn of a place was however appalling. So was the beer! I'd met Carol Seatory at the Waggon and Horses for a pint of Harvey's before the gig, while we watched the youngsters queue to get in. Doors opened theoretically at 7pm, but we had to stand around (no chairs!) until 8.30 when the support came on. The room was thinly populated at first by girls in polka-dot dresses and lots of young lads with multi-purpose phones, some tiny kids with their mothers, a few dykes dressed as boys (in school uniforms) and the odd old snogging swinging couple (not you Jo and Laurence!). The Pipettes came on at 9.30 sharp with a Ronettes type drum beat and went through their album 'We are The Pipettes'. I'm not that familiar with their repertoire, but I believe they are all originals, albiet with remnants of 'Teenage kicks' and 'Oh Mickey (you're so fine)' rattling in my head during 'Pull shapes'. The Shangri-Las they are not, but with their sychronised dance routines and catchy tunes like 'Judy', 'Your kisses are wasted on me' and 'I Like a Boy In Uniform (School Uniform)' how can they fail? Love to see them with a big Phil Spector band with brass and string sections. Shame the monitors hid their sparkly shoes. And I don't know which one of the three I fancy most...

1 comment:

Nick said...

I saw some of the performance by the Pipettes at the recent Isle of Wight Bestival festival. They were OK, but the tent was too crowded and I only lasted 10 minutes.

Odd to see the Pipettes cropping up as interviewees during last week's ipod feature on BBC2's Newsnight...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbGRKjpIvQs