Little Boots at the Red Gallery Car Park

Last night the Red Gallery Car Park hosted Deezer’s Bandwagon tour following events in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham. The tour marked the launch of their new online platform, which will allow users to stream over 20 million songs for free.

The London showcase saw Little Boots (moniker for Victoria Christina Hesketh) perform in a perspex box for lucky fans who had won tickets after registering with the music portal. Held at an allegedly secret location that was only revealed on the day of the event, the show was even more unusual and mysterious as it gave the audience the opportunity to experience a silent gig, wearing headphones to listen to Hesketh’s music.

If all of this sounds exciting, it must be said that such anticipation was a little deluded. There was some degree of fascination, but even those who follow Little Boots and know her material didn’t really let loose or react as one might expect.

Little Boots and her band played admirably on old hits like New in Town and Earthquake, as well as on new single Motorway from her upcoming record Nocturnes. Both options pleased the crowd, but only moderately: people showed their appreciation by dancing timidly or through silent lip-synching, most notably on closing songs Remedy and Shake (the finale and only track to be played through speakers). The musician struggled a little to fuel her performance, only inviting the audience to join in with the clapping on Headphones. At least, as Little Boots ironically admitted, the title was appropriate for the occasion.

Overall the idea of a silent and secret performance had great potential. Unfortunately on this occasion it wasn’t exploited to the full.

                                                                          

Rita Vicinanza

For further information and future events visit Little Boots’s website here.

Watch the video for New in Town here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUs9YzY7t-8