Skin

Once again Skin chose to grace the tiny room upstairs at the Academy - she obviously likes it here, as she was last here only three months ago. This time, like then, the venue is packed. And once again, just like then, Skin is positively bouncing.

Taking the unusual step of opening with a b-side paid off, as 'Only Vultures' is a blast of punk pop spiked with all of the vitriol Skin is famous for. It set the tone for the evening, and the intensity hardly let up all night.

Skin certainly isn't your average artist, preferring to get up close and personal with the crowd, rather than keeping her distance on stage. The worried look on the faces of security were a picture as she dived into the crowd during an extended guitar solo, and one young lad on the front row got more than he bargained for when Skin stood nose to nose with him for the duration of the ode to promiscuity that is 'Don't Need A Reason'.


The great thing about Skin is that she doesn't have a problem playing the crowd pleasers. She knows that most of us got into her music through Skunk Anansie, so a few of the classics get an airing. 'Weak', 'Charlie Big Potato' and an awesome new take on 'Hedonism' all go down a storm, and sit really well alongside her solo work.

Ending the set with a riotous punked-up cover of the Pet Shop Boys' 'Getting Away With It', there was no way they were getting away without an encore, and when they finally did come back after what seemed like an age, they slowed it down with 'Purple', before what may have been the highlight of the evening. After teasing the crowd saying they had no more songs apart from a Darkness cover, Skin was clearly shocked when guitarist Mark burst into the opening chords of 'Growing On Me' to great laughter from the crowd. Thankfully though, it was an idle threat, and they closed the set with a ferociously jagged take on Skunk Anansie's 'I Can Dream'.

You get the feeling that Skin and her band are very happy with where they are right now, and are simply enjoying playing live. Thankfully, this extends to the crowd. If you get the chance to catch the back end of this tour, I would highly recommend it.

FUTURE GIGS

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