Girlschool â Queens Hall, Nuneaton, UK (15th February 2020)
Storm Dennis may have been raging outside, but that didnât stop a capacity audience turning out at Nuneatonâs Queens Hall to see the last gig of Girlschoolâs latest UK tour. Formed in 1978, during the early years of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Girlschool is now the UKâs longest-running all-female rock band. Like their contemporaries (and close associates) in Motörhead, Girlschool have blurred the boundaries between metal and punk, fusing elements from both genres to create their own distinctive sound.
The current line-up includes founder
members Kim McAuliffe on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Denise Dufort on
drums, together with Jackie Chambers (who joined the band in 2000) on lead
guitar, and bassist Tracey Lamb, now on her third stint with the band (having replaced
Enid Williams in 2019).
The evening began with a short set from The Cooler, who demonstrated their talent with a selection of rock covers. Next came London-based rockers Evyltyde, who are rapidly gaining a reputation as an up-and-coming band to follow. Lead singer Hannah Delaneyâs melodic vocals perfectly complemented fellow band members Danny Merton on guitar, Jeff Rolland on bass and Gavin Rodriguez on drums.
Evyltydeâs set included several
tracks from their most recent (and third) full-length album, Singularity, including âThe Genieâ, âThe
Wallâ and âNever Fallâ, together with older material such as âNo Violetâ and âDark
Withinâ. Their hugely enjoyable and fast-paced performance displayed
considerable musicianship and they are a band I look forward to seeing again.
Now it was time for the headline act, and Girlschool hit the ground running with âDemolition Boysâ, followed with barely a pause by âCâmon Letâs Goâ. The bandâs energetic stage presence is evident from the outset, and is maintained throughout their set â here are skilled musicians who clearly love what they do, and this shines through their performance.
Next comes âThe Hunterâ from
their 1981 sophomore album, and then we jump forward to 2015 and the bandâs
most recent studio album with the title track âGuilty As Sinâ. A rapid-fire
series of classic Girlschool tracks follow, with âActionâ, âHit and Runâ, âFuture
Flashâ, âNothing To Loseâ and âKick It Downâ. There is no diminution in the
bandâs energy as they play âTake It Like A Bandâ, also from their 2015 album.
âWatch Your Stepâ follows,
and then itâs time for some audience participation with âTake It All Awayâ, the
bandâs first single which was released in December 1978. Jackie dangles the
microphone over the front row, and everyone gets to have a turn at singing the
chorus. It was this single that first brought the band to the attention of Motörheadâs Lemmy, paving the way for the collaborations
that followed.
âTake It All Awayâ is followed by âRace With The Devilâ, and then a tribute to Lemmy with a cover of âBomberâ, before the main set reaches its climax with âEmergencyâ. Two encores follow: âScreaming Blue Murderâ, the title track of their 1982 album, and finally the ZZ Top cover âTushâ that featured on their second album.
This outstanding gig marked the end of Girlschoolâs current tour, and what a fitting finale it was â the crowdâs rapturous applause appropriately rewarded a night of excellent music. Be sure to catch a future concert whenever you get the opportunity â this is an experienced band with a great back catalogue who are at the top of their game. Unmissable.
Further information about Girlschool can be found at http://girlschool.co.uk.
All photos taken by Andy Houghton https://andy-houghton.myportfolio.com/
Read the full article
