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REVIEW gig Savages Irish Centre Leeds, February 2016

Savages Post Punk Ecstasy

Published by John Hayhurst

I love it when you go to watch a band that you have great expectations of, and they deliver way more than you anticipated. Savages showed tonight why they are the vital key future exponents of post punk, producing such fierce passion, beauty and intensity – and totally tipped the balance to make them one of my favourite new live bands.

Interestingly I have since read older live reviews that speak of a quiet confidence in the band, there is really nothing quiet about them right now. The power and precision by which they attack the live stage is a joy to watch. Bringing back long distant memories of Siouxsie Sioux in her heyday, and more recently Karen O at her lividest best.

Bright white lights at the front of the stage pointing skywards place lead singer Jehnny Beth in constant focus, dressed all in black and slick parted hair, she bounds around that stage gesticulating both part disgust and part admiration at the crowd. You are not quite sure what to expect, she could take your hand and kiss it in one minute - then bite off your little finger and spit it back at you the next.

A contrast of moods are swirling around this unusual venue, sometimes used as a wedding reception, tonight it felt like an unholy celebration of divorce, or perhaps the craziest funeral celebration of ‘Husbands’ not to be.

Opening with ‘Sad Person’ and the lyrics “You are, You are, a Sad Sad Person”, the first fan receives the Beth icy stare and point treatment, and he loves every second of it. The crowd here are an interesting mix of punks that are pushing their mid fifties, eager students and just about everything in between.

I see t-shirts of Joy Division, Rammstein and Motorhead, further proof of the cross over appeal this band are now realising. Their new album ‘Adore Life’ is receiving rave reviews over here and in the states where they recently played 2 songs on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. Those two tracks were ‘Adore’ and ‘The Answer’, and tonight they felt like old anthems for a new generation, Jehnny Beth deciding to walk among the crowd, climbing up on to the backs of her audience and walking all over them – both lyrically and literally, a pivotal moment and one that connected audience to band even further.

Having witnessed Siouxsie and the Banshees in all their punk glory, I haven’t seen a natural successor to her crown up until now, Jehnny Beth has the poise and charisma, and the ability to scare the total crap out of you. It’s perhaps fitting that their final song is ‘Fuckers’ with its lyrics of “Don’t let the fuckers get you down, or steal the thrill of feeling young” clever lines that fit perfectly when sung back by a 56-year-old punk wearing a Dead Kennedys shirt!

This sold out show is really only the start for them in 2016, and I fully expect them to be playing venues twice the size in the next 12 months. If you get the chance to see them live, do so, it’s a great experience and as close at it gets to post punk ecstasy.

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