REVIEWS
Band of Holy Joy by Idene Roozbayani
BAND OF HOLY JOY, VAGRANT LOVERS, I SEE ISLANDS @ THREE TANNERS BANK, NORTH SHIELDS (07.08.21) Words: Idene Roozbayani Nestled into the re-invigorated North Shields Quay is the newly opened Three Tanners Bank bar and gig venue; a wonderful establishment that’s set to provide a much-needed musical outlet for discerning music fans in the North East. As a huge fan of small, intimate venues I couldn’t have found myself in a better place. Opening the night were the melodic and experimental I See Islands. A dreamy, synth-soaked two-piece who enthralled the audience with their beautiful songs. Next up were the psychedelic infused duo Vagrant Lovers, who engaged with the audience up close and personal. Frontwoman Kirsty Allison’s charismatic performance eschewed mainstream tropes to deliver a far more visceral show. Wandering through the front rows and switching vocal duties with band mate Gil De Ray kept things moving at a nice steady flow. They were the perfect opener for the main event, Band of Holy Joy. This London five-piece fronted by Johnny Brown had the audience in the palm of their hands and there wasn’t a soul not singing along to their distinct sound. Opening track The Devil Has A Hold On The Land started with intent and the band never let up once. This Is The Festival Scene stood out as a personal highlight; I went from having never heard it before to singing along by the second chorus, which serves to prove what fantastic and fascinating songwriting they posses.
BONNIE & THE BONNETTES DRAG ME TO LOVE 2021 @ ROUNDABOUT, NEWCASTLE (13.08.21) Words: Leigh Venus I never imagined I would want to be transported to a dingy, broken-signed nightclub in late-noughties South Yorkshire. Yet, after being pulled in, spat out and dragged to love by Bonnie and the Bonnettes, all I can think about is getting back there and bringing all my friends. An updated revival of their debut show, the troupe have conjured a vividly realised world, enveloping us as we follow the story of 14-year-old Bonnie
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Love discovering drag and becoming the queen they were meant to be. Touring with Paines Plough Roundabout – the world’s first pop-up, plug-and-play theatre – the show plays in the round and seriously up-close with Bonnie, the Bonnettes and their self-made cast of impeccably realised side characters, pulling us entirely into this arresting yarn. Ostensibly a tale about identity and finding a safe place in the world to grow and thrive, Drag Me To Love places working-class queer voices centre stage. Deftly peppered moments of fear, doubt and loss amongst the comedy and foot-stomping elevate the material, rendering the gob-smacking finale with our fully actualised Bonnie all the more captivating. A profoundly immersive, life-affirming experience, this is the knockabout, neon-drenched hero’s journey we all need.
NI MAXINE @ BOBIK’S, NEWCASTLE (10.08.21) Words: Paul Broadhead Opening with George Gershwin’s jazz standard Summertime perfectly encapsulates the vocal talents of Ni Maxine and the incredible musicianship of her band, but it gives no indication of her fine lyricism and own songwriting talents. For that we have to wait for the upbeat jaunty What’s Wrong With Groovin?,’ the reggae fused It Is Written – inspired by Ni’s time working with the homeless – and the soulful social conscience of Check Yourself (Be The Change), about the inequalities that surround us all. Justice – a duet with the song’s co-writer, Keeks – was written following the Black Lives Matter movement and is devastating; an eye-opening and captivating account of an inter-racial couple finding common ground and safe space, with her guitarist, bassist and trumpeter taking their turns in the spotlight. Opening a second set with Nina Simone’s once banned Four Women, Ni conveys a laid-back vibe to matters she is clearly passionate about, as engaging as a storyteller as she is a singer. Closing with the upbeat and personal crossover track A Day In St John’s Lane gets the audience up out of their seats, and though there’s still a long way to go – politically and pandemically – Ni Maxine tonight made us feel we’d taken a big step in the right direction.
