Help She Can't Swim

After being bowled over by Help She Can’t Swim in early 2005, I was hopelessly enthusiastic about their comeback tour this month, having spent relentless hours dancing around my room to their electro beats and funky rhythms.

Headlining at the Music Box in Manchester, the small venue soon packed out, full of fashionable haircuts and outfits that you could only throw together in the dark.

The first support Liverpudlian duo Dirt Blonde had tremendous potential, with catchy guitar rifts and easy-to-pick up lyrics, yet the sound system seemed to have trouble justifying their music. Front woman Lula Blue didn’t seem as enthusiastic as her rocking guitarist Ivan Hell, and therefore the set seemed somewhat unbalanced. However, handing out free CDs after the set made up for this in a satisfying manner.

Second support SMARTY PANTS! was another duo, sporting only a keyboard and drum machine as their instruments. These girls were cute in a really surprising way; singing songs about discos and dykes on bikes, they mocked their own music and were consciously aware that they weren’t exactly true to ‘music etiquette’. Yet they managed to pull off a thoroughly amusing and enjoyable 25 minutes. I even found my feet moving to the catchy “Casio” melody and their piss-take rap of Jimmy Carr.

After a painstakingly long 15 minute interval, Help She Can’t Swim appeared on stage and suddenly arms and legs were flailing to the sounds of vocalist Lisa Francais with her obligatory megaphone and ear piercing scream. They played nearly all the hits from “Fashionista Super Dance Troupe”, and we were treated to a few exclusive previews from their forthcoming record, including the eclectic and ever so catchy “Midnight Garden”.

Highlights included “Fermez le Bouche” and “I Don’t Need You” with practically the entire crowd screaming along with the words, shaking their hair and stamping their feet. What actually made the atmosphere of the evening was the way the band interacted with the audience; they really were there to play for us, not just because they are good or because they felt like it. With HSCS it really is about the music.

Having now seen them twice, I expect bigger and better things for these guys for 2006. The second album is due out soon, and if it’s anything like the first it’s sure to be a disco killer.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.