Ex Hex at Village Underground
Ex Hex
Rattle
Berries
Village Underground, 29 May 2019
I arrived at Village Underground way too early but at the very least was surprised to find the band outside doing a photo shoot against a very cool graffiti background. (Edit: I found the actual photo on this blog!) I'd love to say I went up to the band and told them how awesome I thought they are and how much Mary Timony has meant to me over the years but sadly I chickened out and just watched as they posed and looked effortlessly cool. Still, maybe it's better I didn't make a fool of myself and the show itself certainly made up for it.
Village Underground is still one of my least favorite venues in London though. It's annoying to get to and every time I go there, there's always something to roll your eyes at (the last time an oddly rude photographer working for the venue). This time I was almost not let in because I didn't have the right ID, despite the fact I've never been asked for ID before there and the website itself stated it was only required to check ages (something I sadly no longer need to worry about). Thankfully I managed to convince the guy I am who I said I was and as the most least-threatening person and boringly average person ever it would be the weirdest thing ever to be refused entry for such a middle-aged gig. I will definitely have to think twice before going there again.
Despite all this though, I did get in and in time for the first of two support acts, the very awesome Berries. Hailing from Norfolk, the three girls who make up the band look really young but wow, do they pack a punch. Singer and guitarist Holly provided some big, grungy riffs and soloing with the best of them, all while smiling like she could not believe she was playing here, thanking us more than a few times for showing up early. I had never heard Berries music before so I can't tell you what they played but it definitely made me want to check out more.
Next up was a drum duo from Nottingham called Rattle. It was definitely cool to see two obviously brilliant drummers up there proving that women are as much a force to be reckoned with on percussion as anyone else but it really did get a bit monotonous. After the second "song", which was basically a rhythm with occasional vocals, I couldn't help myself willing it to end. It was certainly one of the more unique support acts I've seen though.
Like Juliana Hatfield last week, the women of Ex Hex quietly snuck on stage to set up their own equipment and seeing Timony again, even discreetly, hooking up her pedals, did give me that teenage thrill of seeing your hero up close. She looked so cool in her drainpipe jeans and white, polka-dotted sparkly top. I kind of realise now I will never be as cool as Mary Timony but damn, it's so much fun to watch her sing and shred that guitar. I will always love her for it.
Finally the music died down and Timony took up her guitar, followed by Laura Harris behind the drums and Betsy Wright looking incredible in a white satin disco-cowgirl outfit (and still looking very much like a punk Madonna). Only this time Wright was playing guitar rather than bass and they were joined by a new, very tall, male bassist (who I presume is only there for touring purposes rather than being part of the band). This led to some awesome dueling guitar riffage and solos between Timony and Wright, although I must admit there was part of me that missed Wright dropping to her knees and playing that bass. They make more sense as a trio, to me, but I do understand why Wright probably wants to play lead on the songs she wrote.
It's taken five years for Ex Hex to follow-up their incredible debut, Rips (my fave album of 2014) and I must admit I was a little disappointed by their new album, It's Real. Seeing the band live though really did make the new songs make a whole lot more sense and gave them an excitement that maybe is a little lacking on record.
They started on more familiar ground with Rips tracks such as You Fell Apart and How You Got That Girl, but the set was pretty much equally divided between the two albums and the new tracks fit perfectly in with the old. The whole show is high energy throughout, filled with New Wave meets punk rock anthems, like The Cars crashing into the Ramones head-on. On top of this the interaction between Timony and Wright, with the two constantly squaring up to out riff each other and posing in
They really did leave the best for last though, with Don't Wanna Lose and an extended Everywhere ending the main set and then the band quickly returning for the brilliant double dose of Radio On (surely a hit single if released back in 1980) and the Shangri-Las-gone-punk of Hot And Cold.
There was less talk during this show than the previous times I've seen the band: they just got on with rocking us and rocking us good. Plus Timony and the band seemed more confident than ever and kept smiling at each other as if they knew how good things were going.
After it had ended I walked out with a huge grin on my face. This is just what makes Ex Hex so special: they make you feel joyous and glad to be alive. I'm just so happy I got to see them live again.
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