If I was a betting woman I’d want to back QUEEN ADREENA. Despite mixed form (terrible supporting The Rollins Band, pure sonic genius supporting The Cramps) in close fitting venues, headlining or otherwise, Queen Adreena could perform a Song for Europe and still leave the rock establishment gasping in awestruck wonderment. A lot of this is down to front woman Katie Jane Garside; Never one to wear more clothes than is strictly necessary and once described as ‘Kate Bush on Crack’ she works a microphone with the detachment of an arch-fashionista and sports vocals that should be physically impossible. The kitten roars.
Odds are on for fireworks tonight even if St Patrick’s day has failed to paint the rock kids green. However, following a muscular set by Three Children of Fortune, Queen Adreena take the stage and smoulder without ever setting the place alight.
Initially Katie Jane’s vocals are slurred with even ‘Kitty Collar Tight’ suffering. Her words still have impact but the vocals bludgeon when they could cut like a knife. The band begin to shake their way out of a wholly somnambulistic performance some 4 songs in as KJG mounts the barricades and suspends herself from the lighting rig.
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Guitarist and founder member Crispin Gray is pouting harder than Duran Duran impersonating themselves, and the rhythm section are rock steady (drummer Pete Howard particularly deserving a badge of honour), but until Katie Jane starts to put out Adreena’s material drags. The lack of full-on operatic dynamism leaves the murder ballads lack-lustre and it’s down to the nursery hate anthems from albums Taxidermy and FM Doll to move and shake the black clad masses. A work-a-day 'Pretty Like Drugs' crowd pleases and pays the bills, but Queen Adreena are better than this. 'Razorblade Sky' and encore 'Pretty Polly' show some glimmer of what the band are capable of. Queen Adreena are fucking awesome. Just not tonight.
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