Despite their latest offering - 'Music For Men' - being their fourth studio album, the Gossip have only really flirted with commercial success following that song - 'Standing In The Way Of Control' - in 2006. Thanks to Beth Ditto's striking, powerful voice that alternates from slick high notes to raucous screams, coupled with her unusual but overtly confident image, they have been propelled over the last 3 years not only into the music charts, but also into the popular consciousness.
After all, it's not often that you see an overweight, creative lesbian sweating profusely, all dolled up in skin-tight clothing, wailing and rocking out like no one's watching. So it's no real surprise that Ditto has posed naked on the cover of Love Magazine in celebration of her larger size (hurrah!) and is an active supporter of LGBT and feminist causes (double hurrah!), as well as a rather cute cookie. How could you feel anything but love for this rock superstar?
Photos by Daniel Regan
Bounding on stage thirty minutes late at their gig at the Forum tonight, the huge smiles smattered on the faces of the collected masses show not a shred of animosity towards Ditto' arrival. After an electric performance of the first track from their new album, 'Dimestore Diamond', she frankly explains, "I just started my period about four minutes ago". Announced in her sweet southern belle accent, it's clear that no one dare ask for more details. All decked out in a figure-hugging sparkly black dress, she demands that the crowd be on 'period watch', shouting "If you see period stains, let me know!" In the sea of faces there are youths laughing hysterically ,whilst those suited and booted professionals try to hide the creases of their stiff upper lips.
It's surprising that the band are here at all given the unfortunate cancellation of recent gigs due to Ditto's bout of illness, causing her to call out (again with that cute southern accent), "I got the bronchitis!" before taking a sip of something orange. She's pretty sure that this is going to fix it all, at least for the next half hour.
Mostly promoting their new album, we're pleasantly treated to a variety of tracks both old and new, all performed with high energy despite Ditto's illness sparking the odd her coughing fit, which ses the singer clutching her throat before belting out another number. Tracks such as 'Love Long Distance. (a personal favourite), start with Ditto's flawless words of disdain before rolling into an upbeat wailing that has become the trademark Gossip's sound, the crowd jumping up and down, mouths wide open, screams oozing out.
'Men In Love' suddenly sees the smiles of gays in the crowd widen, arms spread around each other, lips touching in this frenzy of emancipation. It's a touching moment, one that Ditto should, and no doubt would, be proud of. There's also a number of covers thrown in with 'U Don't Have To Call' by Usher and most notably the Tina Turner classic 'What's Love Got To Do With It' which sees the crowd swaying and wailing whilst Ditto holds the mic out in her wobbly arm. Ditto's voice is intriguing and relentlessly powerful: she may be just five feet tall, but when she opens that mouth the windows begin to wobble. Her words flow with perfect understandable enunciation before morphing into insane howling.
Of course we expect and are given the finale we came for - a raucous, loud and chaotic performance of 'Standing In The Way Of Control' - which has the entire audience jumping and dancing, hands flailing in the air. With drummer Hannah Billie on her back they lead us into their final endeavour, Ditto starts the crowd off with a rendition of Queen's 'We Are The Champions' before heading down to the barriers, throwing herself into the crowd.
It's perhaps her inspirational speech at the very end, alone on stage, that stays with me the most. Looking almost in tears, she tells the audience to "demand respect, not in a nasty way. You demand the respect you deserve, in the cutest way, and get what you deserve." The crowd are a mixture of cheers and silence, taking in her words. "My mother always said that no one can kill and eat you. So, understand, that no one can kill you and eat you." There's a wave of pride and confidence that floats over the crowd of indie kids, gays and lesbians, fats and freaks, all sporting smiles, as Ditto, a woman that breaks barriers and demands respect, exits stage right and disappears into the darkness.
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