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Gig Review
Las Kellies/ Skinny Girl Diet/ Keebo Brixton, Windmill
Article written by
Ged M - Jul 30, 2012
Skinny Girl Diet
Gender in music shouldn’t be an issue and it isn’t tonight – I even wonder about mentioning it at all. The quality is generally so good that you come away thinking “I’ve seen three great bands” rather than reflecting on the novelty of all girl line-ups.
First on are Keebo; it takes a few songs to recalibrate but I then really start to enjoy what they’re doing. There’s an element of shimmery 4AD dreampop in the music but there’s also a Slits-style primal percussion which stops it being too fey and ethereal. They’re first on the bill but really stick in the memory.
Skinny Girl Diet are a trio of young women whose instruments are almost bigger than they are (especially the bass player’s Metallic-looking axe) but they’re loud, grungy and big-lunged, with some fine horror-movie screaming from said bass player. This is lo-fi punk and Riot Grrl-inspired, reminiscent of Babes in Toyland, with ‘Eyes That Paralyse’ outstanding. One of their mothers - a really striking woman with great hair, Mexican-motif tattoos and jewellery - is in the audience but ought to be on the stage with them as an original Riot Grrl.
Las Kellies
Las Kellies are jaw-droppingly amazing. They’re a trio from Buenos Aires who work themselves into a sonic fever with their music, comprising equal parts tight post-punk, sensual Argentinian cumbia and primitive rock’n’roll. It’s not just singer Ceci’s hat that occasionally reminds you of Patti Smith but there are many other influences in the mix, including Devo, Liliput, Bush Tetras and of course ESG. Their fabulous funk-punk cover of ESG’s ‘Erase You’ and a smouldering ‘Beat On the Brat’ are just part of their groove-heavy set that flies by in a dynamic blur of slinky rhythms, pounding percussion and the odd cowbell.