Tuesday 11/07/06 The Suffrajets, Fleeing New York @ Gibson Studios, London

Tiscali's wobbly foray into music sponsorship has finally come up trumps with the launch of a compilation album featuring the best their showcase sessions have to offer. The album features luminaries such as The Alps, Rebus and Mad Staring Eyes, while the showcases have included Orson, Morning Runner and Sway, and have proved to be interesting evenings. As a result, Gigwise has been invited down to the Gibson studios to celebrate this fact with a little wine, a little Fleeing New York, and a little of The Suffragettes.
 
Fleeing New York are VERY fashionable looking, which is always worrying. A graduate of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Duke Spirit category of indie post-punk crunkism. They play a short set, but make a pretty good impact. 'Hollywood Bowl' isn't exactly dazzling with some good effects plugged in for variety. 'Scandinavia' has a pleasant slightly psycodelic lilt, and an original melody which doesn't need the embellishment of 'Hollywood Bowl'. There's much to impress here, with some good bass lines and originality to their melodies given their three-piece status. 'Ha Ha' is punchy despite its gimmick-y set-up (ie. yelling Ha Ha at regular intervals)
 
The Suffrajets may have an army of fans panting at their feet at the foot of the stage during their set, but they are only slightly improved from the last time Gigwise witnessed their messy Led Zeppelin homage. Their music is trashy but without precision, loud but without deference and overly stylised without, you've guessed, any substance. Their fans are vibrant and passionate, and even end up on the stage by the end of the set, one man's naked torso making an uncomfortable impact on an indifferent audience. Drummer Gemma (plagued by being ex-Babyshambles), is still an excellent beat-keeper, but The Suffrajets copycat style raises few challenges. Any innovations are destroyed by the bands over-exuberant live style (‘Pretty Ugly’ is a pleasantly simple realisation for example).
 
It's interesting to see two bands that feature on the new album. However two at a further end of the musical spectrum might have proved a more provocative  showing.