Kim Gordon at Koko

Kim Gordon

Crimewave

Koko, 25 June 2024 

Can you believe I got to see both Kim Gordon and Kim Deal doing incredible live shows within days of each other? How lucky am I? But this show from Ms Gordon really was something spectacular and I feel blessed by the punk rock gods to have witnessed it. 

Bat For Lashes at the Barbican

Bat For Lashes

Mui Zyu

Barbican, 24 June 2024

Natasha Khan thanks us tonight for supporting her for almost 20 years. Can it really be that long? But yes it seems her debut album Fur And Gold incredibly came out 18 years ago. I distinctly remember someone in my office at the time recommending it to me. Unfortunately I didn't go and see her live that year but made up for my mistake by seeing Bat For Lashes live for every album since 2009's Two Suns, even going to see her brief side project Sexwitch in 2015. Now she has a new album out called The Dream Of Delphi, her first in five years inspired by the birth of her daughter, so I loyally traveled up to the Barbican Centre to see her latest show, and Ms Khan is as magical and mystical as ever.

The Breeders at The Garage

The Breeders

The Garage, 23 June 2024

When The Breeders announced this surprise small show to kick off their UK tour I knew I had to go. It's been 16 years since I last saw them, on the Mountain Battles tour in 2008, and that was a very different line-up. Other than the tiny venue, the big appeal this time was this was the iconic line-up that made their biggest and most famous album, and certainly the one that ruled my teen years, Last Splash. I'm happy to say it was every bit as wonderful and joyous as I had hoped it would be.

Kathleen Hanna at Rough Trade East

Kathleen Hanna In Conversation

Rough Trade East, 20 June 2024 

This was a surprise appearance only announced the day before and I made a last minute decision to pop down to Rough Trade East to hear Kathleen Hanna talk about her fantastic new book Rebel Girl! What an enlightening, funny and interesting talk it was too.

Bikini Kill at the Roundhouse

Bikini Kill

Snoozers

Roundhouse, 12 June 2024

I often ask myself, why didn't I go to see Bikini Kill back in the 90s? I loved bands like Babes In Toyland, Hole and L7 and saw them all, but for some crazy reason I didn't grab onto the whole Riot Grrrl thing and wholeheartedly enjoy it in its prime despite being proudly both a feminist and a punk fan. I think it may be because, while I knew about it and loved the idea, I simply had never heard any of the bands central to the movement and back then without the internet and Spotify, it was so hard to hear underground music and if you were lucky enough to find it in a record store, as a teen I had limited funds and had to be careful with the records I bought. But I know now, by not taking a chance on Bikini Kill, I well and truly missed out.

Au revoir Françoise Hardy

She's been sick for some time, but it still feels so sad to lose Françoise Hardy, whose music has come to mean so much to me in the last ten years.  An absolute icon and one of the most important and legendary musicians to have ever come out of France. I highly recommend reading her elegant memoir, The Despair Of Monkeys And Other Trifles, if you haven't already, too.

St. Vincent at the Royal Albert Hall

St. Vincent

Heartworms

Royal Albert Hall, 1 June 2024

It's been 10 years since I last saw St. Vincent live. It's not because she hasn't been making great music, but I definitely didn't feel as connected to her more recent albums and more theatrical stage shows, where it was no longer Annie Clark the musician but rather St. Vincent a rock star persona. There is nothing wrong with that of course, Clark is an artist and it's amazing that she continues to evolve and try new things, but I can't deny I was very excited when I heard her more rock-sounding new album, All Born Screaming, which encouraged me to take the plunge and check out what her live show is like these days. And I'm happy to say I'm glad I did.