Thursday 27/07/06 The Hot Puppies @ Bull & Gate, London

Ah the Bull & Gate; a live venue in North London with real character. Bands probably played to a bawdy crowd back in the days when Kentish Town was still classed as scummy. Whereas nowadays it may be a little rough around the edges but there’s no mistaking the arsehole of Camden has benefited from its property prices.

It’s a shame the new found affluence hasn’t benefited the pub enough to get air con fitted. But then again, this is London and perhaps it is the home of someone that once invented something and so cannot get as much of a lick of paint until the National Trust are consulted. Whatever the reason, this lowly reviewer would have given their right eye for air con in a hot sweltering room (and our right eye is our favourite as well). Oh yes, in this sweltering stifling heat in the back of The Bull & Gate, The Hot Puppies definitely work for their supper.
Still humble enough to set up their own kit at their own album launch party for 'Under The Crooked Moon'.

The Hot Puppies face a packed room full of those wise enough to brave the heat for a band whose star is on the ascent.
Waltzing on with a throbbing, wailing intro and a barefoot vixen waiting in the wings before slinking onstage, the live version of last year’s quirky release ‘Terry’ rocks in all the right places giving the very British lyrics a new lease of life. “Bloody hell innit hot!” are front-woman Becky’s opening words. And boy is she right.  With a jumpy little beat underscoring Becky’s raspy vocals perfectly 'Drowsing Nymph' kept things momentous. It takes the third in this evening’s repertoire, 'Theda Bara', with it’s soaring intensity to indicate this five piece could easily play arenas, and with a voice as sumptuous as Becky’s, it would sound divine. 'Green Eyeliner' garners the loudest cheer of the night though, maybe due to the clap along chorus or just its upbeat prettiness.

There’s something of the kitsch fifties melodrama in The Hot Puppies – the most apparent in 'How Come You Don’t Hold Me No More'. It sounds like the pages of a diary a million pubescent girls wish they could write, destined to be sung along to whilst they clutch their cushions for comfort, realising that someone understands what it’s like to be them. By this point drummer Bert looks like his lung capacity is shot. He sure puts everything into his set, the whole band do too, and matched with the banter with the crowd, they had everyone in the palm of their hand. The rapturous audience have to wait until the encore for the sumptuously perfect pop gem  'The Girl Who Was Too Beautiful' to be unleashed. But it is worth the wait.

The Hot Puppies have bittersweet, observationally poignant lyrics, combined with vocals that astound. By far the most promising aspect though is their potential to completely blow everyone away; the band are loving causing as much noise as possible and this lust for life is the reason The Hot Puppies deserve to soar.