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 Photo: Elleni Toumpas
The line-up for The Gossip’s Brisbane show could be perceived as disparate in some ways; indie-rock then hip hop then punk. A good combination, I reckon, even if I unfortunately missed locals Iron On, whose focused indie-rock would’ve been happily placed at the start of a raining evening. Second, from Sydney, with DJ Sleater Brockman and backup dancer rocking a denim jacket that matched her own, Catcall’s take on the live show is one of entertainment. Even if a hip hop support act seemed a little hard to respond to for some of the crowd, her sensibilities are closely in line with that of the main act; some punk ethics, some pop sensibilities but most of all a willingness to have fun. Her hip hop is influenced by both the Top 40 jams and the more obscure, sounding somewhere between M.I.A. and Madonna. Hers’ is a fresh approach, with a background in DIY punk, bringing a lo-fi beats and skills in both singing and rapping to the stage. It worked out terrifically, bringing a welcome dimension to the bill. Last time I saw The Gossip it was on a boat in the middle of Sydney harbour about a year and a half ago. It’s fair to say that since then they’ve shot to some sort of stardom (particularly, kind of ironically, in ‘gossip’ magazines) but it hasn’t gone to their heads, even if they did seem confident and comfortable. This night at a sold out Zoo they were still positively electric. They rock the same, tight guitarist plus vocalist plus drummer set up; it’s an efficient one, working to it’s fullest potential with rhythm guitar working with those soulful pop diva vocals, Beth Ditto’s presence commanding, feeding off an ecstatic audience with style and humour and energy. This was an exciting show, their politics just visible enough beneath their main concern – punk with substance and gusto. RICHARD MACFARLANE
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