The stunningly beautiful Pity Party duo flew all the way from hometown Los Angeles and straight into our newly-created world for a support set that surpassed even our high expectations. Something about a fiery red-haired wild woman in small shorts who bashes sweet fury out of drums while singing melodiously and crafting atmospheric landscapes from keyboard that seems kind of unique, right? Right. But the parting shot went far beyond any easy White Stripes comparisons (and, sorry, Meg isn’t this hot) and into the baffling realms of epic. Amazement all round.

With brains dismantled there was no recourse but to pick up our collective feet for the Good Shoes finale (yes, we know such puns are wearing thin). The double present here was not only getting the best of what fans are familiar with (such as the band’s debut single “Small Town Girl” and happy rock-outs “We Are Not the Same”, “All in My Head” and the end-of-the-line defining “Morden”) but also very cool helpings of eagerly awaited brand new material and between-songs insights into such matters as Rhys’s failings as a football supporter. (Though we’re happy to attribute Fulham’s Premiership survival to good karma for this magnificent performance!)

We hope everyone who came had as good a time as us and got some grasp that it’s nights like this and people like you who give us the conviction to do what we do. Expect a similarly OTT event in the near future. Frankly we can’t wait!

Words: Alderson
Photography: Krittiya Sriyabhandha, Burak Cingi,

Meeya Chaudhury, David George