Not mine! thanks to gig buddy Julian for the pic..
Another gigging year kicks off, with familiar faces for the 9th time of asking in goth-tinged post-punkers Desperate Journalist! Family issues had precluded my attending their Jericho Tavern one-off last October, but by then we’d already booked for this, the opening night of the tour promoting new, 5th album “No Hero”. Another worthy addition to a pretty stellar canon, this, albeit a bit harder work initially, denser and more brooding at first listen with increased usage of textural keyboard embellishments and off-kilter rhythms, the real songcraft nonetheless shining through with repeated listens. Just as you’d expect really, from pretty much the consistently best band these shores have had to offer over the last decade or so!
Stu’s turn to drive for this one, so he picked me up about 6.15 with Andy already in situ (Mr. Fenton being a late replacement for the sadly poorly Mrs. L), then a foggy drive down saw us grind to a halt for 20 minutes at J19 thanks to a (doubtless fog-induced) prang, getting us parked in the loading bay space opposite the venue for 7.30! Yikes! However, still in good time to grab a central spot a couple of rows back for the support. And a proper bonus biscuit too, this one, as recent finds Keeley were our openers; yay! So, tall and striking vocalist (and, apparently, Bristol domiciled, as, “it’s my favourite city in the world!”) Keeley Moss led her troops on at 8, moody opener “Last Words” setting the tone for the set, inasmuch as the more layered textural shoegazey guitar effects on record were largely eschewed in the stage mix, a slight bit of echo the only overlay for Keeley to properly go to town on those intricate and undulating riffs. And so she did, her sterling fretwork, determined strident vocals and expansive Townsend-esque whirling arm gestures driving the performance along; didn’t hear a bum note all set! “Forever Froze”’s squalling intro tumbled into a Britpoppy bounce and glam-Bowie riffery; two new numbers (again referencing Keeley’s muse, murdered backpacker Inga Hauser) impressed, particularly the later “Hungry For The Prize”; and after ebullient bassist Lukey plugged their merch (“we’ll peddle our wares out there; just the sartorial and sonic kind!”), the absorbing and metronomic closer “Trans Europe 18” closed out a fine set from an increasing fave of mine.
Caught up with Matt, who’d been delayed by the fog and arrived as Keeley kicked off, then I grabbed a chat with Keeley and Lukey on the merch stand, both happily remembering me from “Shiiine On” last year, before I retook my spot in an increasingly busy front few rows. Desperate Journalist themselves were on in short order at 9, again to the industrial beat of Simple Minds’ “Theme For Great Cities”, the taped gentle drumbeat intro of new album opener “Adah” properly launching into its slightly Eastern-tinged swirling air of mystery and menace, once drummer Caz joined in with her economical yet strident style, However this initially brooding mood was well and truly skewered with a bullish and swaggering “Why Are You So Boring”, vocalist Jo already delivering the lead with forceful and impassioned authority.
“Can I get a bit less of myself in the mix?”
asked Jo after a resonant, haunting “Hollow”, deadpanning, “the ego is fragile,”
before then delivering a quite astonishing vocal performance for the galloping “No
Hero”, particularly the soaring choral line, thereafter asking for more of
herself in the mix! The bubbling “7” was another mid-set highlight, the
off-kilter rhythm ceding to a huge chorus, then “Cedars” actually got an intro
from the hitherto taciturn Jo. A bit of banter then ensued (Jo asking, “it’s
Wednesday, what’s it like for you?”, some wag down the front – OK, me –
replying, “great, we’re seeing Desperate Journalist!” eliciting a, “right
answer!” response from the singer) prior to a lengthy and meandering “Everything
You Wanted”. The comment of, “stay tuned for more existential despair,” served
as intro to newie “Unsympathetic”, the “live” rendition adding more bite for
me, then a widescreen and affecting “Be Kind” my highlight of the night, a
swaggering if sloppy “Personality Girlfriend” rounding off an as-ever swift 1
hour 15 set.
“I thought I heard someone say, enough of this macabre charade!” announced Jo, before a 3-song encore culminating in indie banger “Satellite” ended matters. Another great performance from DJ; not their best by any means, some first night bum notes prevalent, and again it felt on occasion that the band were playing within themselves, easing into the tour. But when you set your standards so high, even an average DJ gig knocks spots off most everyone else! Struck out on the list this time – I’m not about to climb onstage uninvited, that’s not how it’s done – then bade farewell to Matt and hit the road after another quick chat with Keeley and Lukey, roadworks delaying our exit from Brizzle onto the still-pea souper-clad M4. Maybe not at their absolute stellar best tonight, but any Desperate Journalist gig is still a great way to kick off the year!
