Friday 12/01/07 Theoretical Girl @ The Old Blue Last, London

Despite a trendy London magazine slamming the ‘ditch’ in, well, Shoreditch: labelling it ‘passé’ and moving its coffee table glossy pages South of the river to New Cross, the Hoxton heroes are showing no signs of relenting just yet.  On this People Are Germs run night at the Old Blue Last, it’s literally impossible to move. This is even before racially tolerant yet still irritating Big Brother stars arrive.  You know the one. This influx of all things neon is more than likely helped by the fact that the art-school kids have already spent Daddy’s Christmas pennies on yet more spandex and garish 80s garb, or more likely, that the ear-splitting DJs electro filth is more than enough to flood in the Friday night hoards.

Even before the bands have started there’s a one in one out policy, and with acts like Theoretical Girl boosting the rocket- speed-cooler- than- thou stakes, both in music and coiffure.  Her Human League asymmetry and gorgeously demure get up are the perfect compliment to her hauntingly catchy songs and sweetly unassuming charm.  Her mesmerising presence carries the meticulous glory of her 60s doo-wop and 80s pop melange: soft vocals sail over dance-inspiring backing tracks with more colour and innocence than a stick of her home-cultured Southend rock.  Innocent yet dark, bizarre yet beautiful, the future looks brighter than a Klaxons jumble sail for Theoretical Girl.