Sunday night might not be the obvious choice for a full-on party, but Scissor Sisters might make you think again. Their sold out show at Halifax Piece Hall turned the end of the weekend into a celebration, with support from The Hidden Cameras and a predictably provocative set from Bimini getting the crowd ready.
Bimini’s performance was a challenge that the regular BSL interpreter seemed to relish, but probably not one she would show her grandchildren! It was followed by The Hidden Cameras, who provided an excellent start to the evening and made sure the crowd were already well up for what was to come.
Scissor Sisters exploded onto the stage in a riot of colour. Original members Babydaddy and Del Marquis came on first, joined by Amber Martin and Bridget Barkan, before Jake Shears erupted into the centre of the stage, a ball of energy in an oversized hat. From the first moment, he was covering every inch of the stage, constantly moving and reaching out to connect with the fans who were 100% ready for the party.
They went hard from the start, kicking off with I Don’t Feel Like Dancing and Laura, going straight for two of the big hits. There was no messing around with a slow introduction. We were in for a hits-heavy, high-energy night.
She’s My Man and Tits on the Radio followed, with I Can’t Decide bringing the darker humour that has always been part of the Scissor Sisters mix. Take Your Mama was a huge singalong moment, while Fire with Fire and Running Out kept things moving.
There were some light-hearted, scripted stories from Amber and Bridget, and while they went down pretty well, they didn’t quite match the attitude and playfulness that Ana Matronic used to bring to the band. They are big shoes to fill though, and it didn’t detract too much from the overall energy of the show.
Any Which Way and Comfortably Numb showed a different side to the band, before Invisible Light and Let’s Have a Kiki pushed the party firmly back into gear. The latter was always going to go down well in a venue like the Piece Hall, with Jake once again working the crowd rather than simply performing at them.
Only the Horses brought the main set towards its conclusion, before Jake took a moment to reflect on the band’s journey. “We started writing songs 25 years ago, then we went away for a little while. We came back last summer, and it’s been such a joy to play shows again and see all your wonderful faces.”
He welcomed everyone to the “Scissor-hood”, whether they had been there from the beginning or were seeing the band for the first time. That reflected the audience. Those who were there first time around had brought their kids, and they were partying just as hard as the parents!
The encore delivered Filthy/Gorgeous and Music Is the Victim, bringing the spectacular show to a filthy, gorgeous conclusion. It had been a proper Sunday night party.
Scissor Sisters may have been away for a while, but on this evidence, they have lost none of their ability to make a crowd dance.
