Gossip are the biggest fucking rock stars that mainstream America have never heard of, and during their latest Seattle visit they showed us what a real rock show should look like. It isn’t pretty, but rather a sweaty, emotional, riveting, screaming, exhausting experience.
In true rock star fashion, each band member made a separate entrance with Hannah coming on first to set the beat, followed by Nathan layering on the mechanical guitar and finally Beth crooning the opening lines of “Dimestore Diamond,” a track that is reminiscent of Prince’s brilliant “Raspberry Beret.” Gossip’s latest release Music For Men is more slickly produced than their earlier work, lacking some of their trademark raw energy and heavier on dance beats. That being said, I still love it. Beth’s vocal range is subdued on many of the songs, kept under lock and key almost, but during the live show that kitty was let out of the cage and she shredded the vocals. Ms. Ditto is a force that will not be contained.
All of us at the sold out Showbox mimicked Beth’s every dance move, shimmying and bouncing on the packed floor, which became a giant mosh pit during “Don’t Make Waves.” Before “Men in Love,” Beth lead us in a rendition of “If You’re Happy And You Know It” but changing the words to “If you’re queer and you know it clap your hands. If you’re straight and you know it clap your hands.” Clap we did because how could you possibly deny her? That girl has charisma for days. It was almost more entertaining to listen to her chat with the crowd, responding to every cat call with her biting wit. And her charm—she thanked Seattle for making the Midwest worth it.
Similar to their Block Party performance, they stuck to songs off the new album but threw in some older stuff like “Yr Mangled Heart” and of course “Standing in the Way of Control.” Hearing Gossip perform that song live should be on your “100 Thing To Do Before I Die” list. Watching Beth doubled over, screaming into the microphone, the crowd jumping up and down, sweat pouring off all of us . . . it all sent shivers down my spine. Beth said it best, “I don’t mind selling out.”
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he is amazing bro his style can not be touched....some people dont know what he is talking about caz u dont do what he does he is sickkk bra
by dylyn on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 11.59 am from the entry: Wiz Khalifa: Burn After Rolling (Mixtape)
Wow,Great post.Thanks for sharing with us. land wi
by wisconsin land on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 09.53 am from the entry: of Montreal + Gang Gang Dance - Orpheum Theatre (Boston, MA; Oct. 30, 2008)
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
