Electrix Six / Dick Valentine
@ O2 Academy / Maguires Pizza Bar
28th February 2018

Tell anyone you’re going to see Electric Six, and 9 times out of 10 they will respond “Oh, are they still on the go?”.  Like many bands, they picked up enough dedicated fans during their time in the spotlight, to sustain them once the spotlight moved on, and have so far clocked up an impressive 13 albums. Once a band is out of the spotlight, the pressure to constantly churn out hits is off, and they can concentrate on making the music they and their fans want them to make.

Despite it’s undoubted musical credentials, Gig turnouts in Liverpool can be notoriously hit and miss, particularly on a snowy Wednesday night, but such is their following that it was a packed house tonight.

Dick Valentine

Lead singer Dick Valentine did a pre-gig solo acoustic set at Maguires Pizza Bar.  I’d heard good things about these sets so I decided to check it out, and wasn’t disappointed.

It was my first time in Maguires and I was a bit confused as I couldn’t see where the bands would play, then I spotted someone going through a door and it turns out the gig room is through the back.

A nice little room, and one that Dick clearly likes performing in.

Mutant Monster

After a walk in the snow and a cheap pint in Wetherspoons, I headed to the O2 where i caught the end of Mutant Monster, who describe themselves as “Japan’s arse-kicking punk sisters” and rather good they were too!   With the volume cranked up off the scale, they certainly got the good time vibes flowing.

Electric Six

 

This is clearly a band who know how to give the audience what they want, and hold them in the palm of their hand.  Effortlessly getting us all dancing and having a great time.

After the 3rd song, Dick joked “that’s our 3 worse songs of the night”, and sure enough the rest of the set was packed with crowd pleasers, drawn from their extensive back catalogue.

Most of the audience seemed to know all the songs, but even if you aren’t familiar with all their material, you couldn’t help but get swept along.

Highlights include the hit “Gay Bar” and the insanely funky “(Who the hell just) call my phone”.

An incredible night!