Straight off with Zo Lief: a two-piece who play punchy guitar dream pop over a backing track. The quality of the songs is really noticeable which is a joy after the soggy journey. They play ‘Hypnosis’, a track that will feature on their next EP. It’s a timeless piece of art rock that ensures we will check them out further when back at SOURCE towers.
Miki Berenyi then takes to the stage. “Don’t go all quiet. I’m not ready. Thanks you so much for coming out on such a wet and fucking horrible night.”
Following the deadpan start we are whisked off into the luscious angelic sounds of Lush with ‘Stray’ from the 1992 album ‘Spooky’ and ‘Leave Me Cold’ from their debut EP. We are left anything but cold! The classic sound is soaring and beautiful, and it is drenched in Innerstrings lights and delicious reverb.
“If you are finding that a familiar song: you must be old,” laughs Miki. “Or a nerd,” shouts an audience member. Frankly we are both!
The trio is completed by Oliver from Aircooled on bass and Miki’s husband, K.J. “Moose” McKillop, who was in fellow nineties sonic explorers Moose, on guitar. He is also triggering the samples and drum machine parts.
The use of drum machine is interesting. Both Miki and Moose apologies for it after the show, but it actually means the dreamy guitar playing dominates without the distraction of a rock’n’roll drummer. Even if both Lush and Piroshka had excellent drummers this still feels quite authentic to the 4AD sound, and its fragile gothic beauty. It is a difference to be enjoyed for what it is.
‘Vertigo’ is announced in the context that it may be the debut single for the new band. It fits into the set perfectly and highlights Oliver’s bass playing.
‘V.O.’ from Piroshka’s second album ‘Love Drips And Gathers’ brings her more recent work into the set-list. “I like to think everyone who bought that album is in this room,” jokes Miki as the loose baggy feel of the track gets going.
The set continues blissfully through Lush-era cover of (The Gist’s) ‘Love At First Sight’, new tune ‘Gango’ and a perfect rendition of ‘Kiss Chase’.
Then an unexpected treat: just at the moment SOURCE is at the bar at the back. Miki announces a Moose song: ‘Suzanne’. It is wonderful. Moose really were a great band. “A chance for my husband to shine; constantly overshadowed by his bossy fucking wife.”
The grit of the between-song banter is a fantastic counterpoint to the ethereal. Miki takes a big swig of cider as someone shouts “down it!”. “That would be a disaster,” she laughs, “not least because I would probably piss myself!”
She makes a mistake in Pirioshka song ‘Everlastingly Yours’. “Sorry about that. I could just feel a drop of sweat rolling down between my flabby tits,” before ‘For Love’ bashes out one of Lush’s biggest hits to the delight of everyone in the assembled crowd.
Last new one ‘Big I Am’ is a great pop song underpinned by some eighties funk verging on Blondie. It’s a great song that suggests this trio has some mileage.
The set is then brought to a phenomenal close with ‘Baby Talk’, which is early Lush at their most filthy and urgent, with its dirty rolling Kim Deal like bassline and scratchy post-punk guitar sounds.
Hope & Ruin, Sunday 25th February 2024
Words by Nick McAllister
Photos by Trystan O’Shea
