Tacocat at the Lexington

Two skeletons, a spaceman and a once horse-obsessed bassist walked in to a bar, and the crowd were more than happy that they did. Fighting fire with fun, fresh off the back of the launch of new album Lost Time and a week-long run of UK shows, Seattle-based feminist pop-punk outfit Tacocat took to the stage at a sold-out Lexington and proved that indictments of the patriarchy, psychic death cats and songs about periods are for everyone.

From a charmingly unassuming entrance, as spaceman guitarist Eric Randall unfurled the band’s UFO-themed banner, straight into Psychic Death Cat (a song about a therapy cat who is able to predict the deaths of terminally ill patients), it was clear the band were on form and the crowd were ready. Any initial restraint from the room was swiftly taken care of by obvious favourites Dana Katherine Scully and the shouty, cathartic FDP kicking off a well-balanced mix of songs old and new that kept momentum building and bodies moving.

Live, Tacocat are tight, polished, guitar-heavy crowd-pleasers, in the best possible way. With newer songs like You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit showcasing effortless tempo changes alongside frontwoman Emily Noakes’ sweetly powerful voice, interspersed with the rallying cries of Hey Girl and other crowd favourites Bridge to Hawaii and Crimson Wave, Tacocat’s formula of searing social commentary dressed up in neon, black lipstick and slick musicianship, is one that works.

As the evening continued, any remaining resistance was futile and an already warm night got warmer, the band’s infectious brand of riot grrl takedowns leaving no body in the room unmoved. It was impossible not to be charmed by the band’s humble and genuine interactions both with the crowd and with each other. One such interaction – a request for Psychedelic Quinceañera from the band’s 2014 album NVM – resulted in an impromptu but impressive performance, predictably negating Randall’s request for anyone reviewing to “turn away now.”

With a crowd reluctant to let them leave, an encore of earlier, grittier songs Leotard and UTI proved the perfect compromise as the words of Noakes’ parting “Thank you so much, this was so much fun!” rang true.

“Who’s got the power?” asks the theme tune to the 2016 Powerpuff Girls series reboot, penned and performed by the band. The answer, as everyone at the Lexington can attest, is that Tacocat most certainly have.

Abi Jenkins
Photos: Erol Birsen

For further information about Tacocat and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Dana Katherine Scully here: