Photos and review by ALYSON CAMUS
– LOS ANGELES – The first time I saw Gossip, I was blown away by Beth Ditto’s incredible voice and performance. The band was playing a small street festival in 2005 and nobody was prepared for such energy while braving the Los Angeles heat in the middle of the afternoon.
Just out this year, their new album, Real Power – a reference to Iggy Pop and the Stooges’ Raw Power – sounds like a resurrection of the band who hadn’t released anything since 2012. In 2016, the band split and Ditto announced she wanted to focus on fashion and a solo career. However, 12 years after the release of their album, A Joyful Noise, Ditto, drummer Hannah Blilie and guitarist Nathan Howdeshell are back on the saddle for another indie music concoction of delirious mix of soul, gospel, punk, electro-pop, disco, indie rock, and funk.
Real Power was produced by the renowned Rick Rubin, with whom they also made their 2009 work Music for Men, their first record after signing with a major label. Despite their success, and Ditto’s many covers in glossy magazines, Gossip has remained a relatively underground cult act. However, the audience that had filled the Bellwether knew all the lyrics of the songs and were jumping with each of Beth’s steps.
The all-female band Tchotchke opened the night with a delightful set of light melodies and harmonies. The band, which consists of Anastasia Sanchez on drums, Eva Chambers on bass, and Emily Tooraen on guitar, charmed the audience with their catchy tunes inspired by a cool brand of indie pop. Although they are from here (around LA), the trio is now based in New York City and have released their self-titled debut, which was produced by The Lemon Twigs. It was actually easy to recognize the signature of the D’Addario brothers during their set. Even though the three girls sang and harmonized on all the songs, Anastasia with her high-pitched vocals is the lead singer; I suddenly recognized that she and Eva were in another group (Pinky Pinky, that I saw a couple of times a few years ago) when they were just teenagers.
It’s actually challenging to describe Gossip’s music but it’s undeniably well served by Ditto’s phenomenal powerhouse. She arrived on stage wearing a black body, with flashy red hair (which turned out to be a wig) and a Divine-inspired outrageous eye makeup. She started the show with “Listen Up!” of their beloved Standing in the Way of Control, an album that put them on the map. Right away, a mad dance floor opened wide, with infectious rhythms and Ditto’s soulful howl. Between each number, Beth told us a story or two with her high-pitched Arkansas accent, while pointing out her sister and her niece in the crowd. After each one of her funny stories, she got back on track with another hit.
“I don’t feel insecure very often, probably I never feel insecure, but I always wanted to be shorter,” she confessed when a relatively short woman brought water on stage. Ditto is excellent at talking to people, just ordinary rants about anything and the connection with the public was immediately real. They only played four songs from their new album, as if they knew that people wanted to hear familiar material before anything else. ”Four Letter Word” of “Music for Men” brought another groovy tempo embraced by the entire room.
From new songs to oldies, Ditto’s vocals were in great shape, powerful and effortless at the same time, bringing a touch of rawness to the core of Gossip’s songs. She has an instinct for greatness and can charm you or kick you in the face in the space of a few seconds. While the songs are party anthems embracing punk disco beats or a Motown vibe, Ditto’s voice and her affable presence are the stars of the show. Incredibly, she can deliver smooth soul crooning with a riot grrrl’s authority, while cultivating a unique wail. The set list browsed Gossip’s back catalog, with tracks including “Move in the Right Direction” and “Men In Love,” during the encore.
For almost two hours. Beth and her gang – completed by Bijoux Cone on synths and bassist Ted Kwo, a trans musician currently dating Beth – were clearly in their element, whether they played glimmering pop numbers or their original, punkish snarls.
When Ditto came back for the encore, she was wearing a white tee with two crosses on her breast; she then removed her wig in the middle of a song … “Surprise, Surprise!” she joked. The last song “Standing in the Way of Control” was an incredible dance number with triumphant Beth making the crowd do the “Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh,” while incorporating pieces of famous songs like “Cornflake Girl,” “9 to 5” and even “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Queen of the night she was, commanding the audience like a pro, alternating between infectiously danceable tunes and funny stories. It has been some time since I was immersed in Gossip’s world, and I sort of expected more outrageous moments. However, far from any intention of shocking behavior, it was a night about the celebration of Gossip’s empowering music.
Setlist
Listen Up!
Four Letter Word
Act of God
Love Long Distance
Yr Mangled Heart
Dimestore Diamond
Give It Up for Love
Get Lost
Turn The Card Slowly
Move in the Right Direction
Jason’s Basement
Coal to Diamonds
Crazy Again
Heavy Cross
Encore:
Men in Love
Yesterday’s News
Standing in the Way of Control / Cornflake Girl / 9 to 5 / Smells Like Teen Spirit.
